question about microtonal music - Acoustic Guitar Forum

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Author	Topic: question about microtonal music
JohnyB unregistered	posted 02-28-2003 22:31 A while back an issue of Acoustic guitar mag had an article about a specially made national with strange partial frets that were designed to specifically play one particular piece of microtonal music. I no longer have the article, but I recall it was discussing a theory of how to build scales that are different from the standard western do-re-mi etc. and include microtones. Does anyone know a good book on the subject of microtonal music, and how the scales are developed. If there's one I'd love to read it. For example, how many notes are ther between E and F, or to put it another way, how many notes can most people hear between E and F? What sorts of scales could you build between E and F? That sort of thing. If it discusses how to play this using a slide even better. All the slide books I have really don't get into this subject. IP: Logged
Mike D Member Posts: 1393 From: Phx, Az Registered: Dec 2000	posted 03-01-2003 06:58 I imagine a Google search will get you info on microtonal fretted guitars, they are pretty much played only fretted. A slide is already the ultimate 'microtone maker' Like Muddy said, "I play the notes between the notes." IP: Logged
Adrian Freed Member Posts: 2360 From: Berkeley, CA, USA Registered: Oct 2000	posted 03-01-2003 10:35 It is hard to find books in print on this subject. I have this one whiich is a good if expensive starting point. Microtonal tunings are an interesting world. I have a lot of trouble getting past a lot of the numerology and religious zeal that seems to have evolved around them. It shouldn't be too hard to find a tuning e-mail list to get a sense of this. I think it is important to recognize that expressive performers of non-pitch-constrained instruments stray from formal systems in interesting ways that are often a key part of a style, e.g., blues and also Brazilian singers flatten certain notes. Also note that a good piano tuner follows a special distortion of the equal temperament system. [This message has been edited by Adrian Freed (edited March 27, 2003).] IP: Logged
JohnyB unregistered	posted 03-01-2003 19:18 Thanks this link is very helpful. IP: Logged
Pat Daley Member Posts: 439 From: Newburgh, NY Registered: Feb 2003	posted 03-03-2003 07:02 JohnnyB, A woman named Denise posted this in "The Woodshed" some time ago in response to one of my questions. She may be able to recommend books as she is a guitarist who also studies Indian music. The "normal" Do Re Mi... things below are "Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ne, then back to Sa (or Do). The microtone names are on the left. You could try posting your question at guitarvideos.com for Denise, or I can probably dig up her email somewhere. (p.s. she also uses the word "komal" which means flatten a half step. "Tivra" - maybe not used below means sharpen a half step. e.g. in the Key of C, "Tivra Ma" would mean F#. - Sa(C), Re(D), Ga(E), Ma(F)... so sharp the forth note. ) Hi Pat... Well here goes for a very quick & dirty description.I tried laying this out in a chart format but it isn't being accepted. Here they are in order by name and where they fall. If this is too disorganized, let me know and I can email you a chart. Shruti # - Shruti Name- Placement in Present Music Scale based on Bilawal That 1. Tivra = Sa 2. Kumodvati 3. Manda 4. Chhandovati 5. Dayavati = Re 6. Ranjani 7. Raktika = Ga 8. Raudari 9. Krodhi 10. Vijrika = Ma 11. Parsarini 12. Preeti 13. Marjini 14. Ksbiti = Pa 15. Rakta 16. Sandeepini 17. Alapine 18. Madanti = Dha 19. Rohini 20. Ramya 21. Ugra 22. Nee Depending on your teacher, there can also be 2 additional shrutis. #23 Sikka would be between Sa and Re Komal and #24 Shantha between Pa and Dha Komal. As far as learning to recognize them, its all 'ear training'.And I am learning something new every day. Denise IP: Logged
JohnyB unregistered	posted 03-03-2003 12:27 Cool thanks! IP: Logged

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