FINE TUNING - Part 1: Meaningful Microtonality with Gauspel

FINE TUNING

Part 1: Meaningful Microtonality with Gauspel

In this Lux Cache tutorial series, we explore techniques and implementation of experimental music theory that challenges the creative process, in search for innovation in electronic music production beyond virtuoso gimmick and novelty. In our first chapter and final post of 2022, Brandon Saunders delves into the world of microtonality in experimental electronic music, sharing techniques for incorporating microtonal elements & expanding understanding in the exciting realm of unorthodox musical scales.

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INTRODUCTION

My research in the field of microtonality came from my desire to bridge music theory with very experimental electronic music methods. After going through Maqam music, Indian music (Carnatic and Hindustani) and various tunings from around the world, I can confirm I have barely scratched the surface. It’s a big topic that has been successfully mapped by various musical cultures and I encourage everyone to explore it (will link resources below). At the very least, listening to music that utilizes microtonality will expand your sonic palette which I think is a necessity for anyone who wants to implement it in their music. In this tutorial I will go through techniques that implement cultural uses of Microtonal music and then more abstract utilities for it.

TECHNIQUE 1 (SAVING AND STRINGING AJNA):

A term that I am not a fan of is “exotic” when it comes to describing musical concepts that fit in 12 equal-temperament. Especially when people describe the following scales/modes: Hijaz, Phrygian, Phrygian Minor, Melodic Minor, etc.

I understand that Maqam music is not commonly taught as much as our European system over here. I also know it’s unreasonable to expect it to be. My main issue lies in the fact that many tutorials will simplify this style of music to just the above scales without mentioning the word “Maqam” once. These scales that I’ve mentioned are therefore relegated to “tricks to get that exotic sounds” rather than a taster of a much larger musical tapestry. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that this is a symptom of our content economy so I don’t want to sound like I have a vendetta against these educators. Let’s learn something interesting together ☺.

I admittedly lack the resources to teach a musical system quite different from the one you as a reader are so accustomed to. But I will give a technique I use when incorporating Maqams in my music seamlessly.

Let’s begin with a brief description of Ajna/Maqams. Wikipedia is surprisingly great in this respect and in itself pretty great for music theory in general. Here are some key bits;

• Wikipedia (Arabic Maqam) [EXTRACT]:

‘Maqam scales are made up of smaller sets of consecutive notes that have a very recognizable melody and convey a distinctive mood. Such a set is called jins (Arabic: جنس; pl. ajnās أجناس), meaning "gender" or "kind". In most cases, a jins is made up of four consecutive notes (tetrachord), although ajnas of three consecutive notes (trichord) or five consecutive notes (pentachord) also exist.

Ajnas are the building blocks of a maqam scale. A maqam scale has a lower (or first) jins and an upper (or second) jins. In most cases maqams are classified into families or branches based on their lower jins. The upper jins may start on the ending note of the lower jins or on the note following that. In some cases the upper and lower ajnas may overlap. The starting note of the upper jins is called the dominant, and is the second most important note in that scale after the tonic. Maqam scales often include secondary ajnas that start on notes other than the tonic or the dominant.

References on Arabic music theory often differ on the classification of ajnas. There is no consensus on a definitive list of all ajnas, their names or their sizes. However, the majority of references agree on the basic 9 ajnas, which also make up the main 9 maqam families. The following is the list of the basic 9 ajnas notated with Western standard notation (all notes are rounded to the nearest quarter tone)’:

To heavily simplify the above [sidenote: don’t be intimidated if you are not a sheet reader, the section on how to implement this in Logic X Pro should have an easier account to follow].

Step 1: Pick one jin (simplified Ajna [Logic X Pro] shown below).

Step 2: pick a second jin and make it begin with the dominant (seven semitones up from the target note) of the first jin. For example, if your first jin begins in C, then the second Jin will begin with G.

DEMONSTRATION 1:

If my first Jin is Ajam in C and my Second Jin is Ajam then the Maqam I would be making is ‘AJAM’. The notes I end up with are;

[C D E F G A B C] which is equivalent to the Major scale for us.

DEMONSTRATION 2:

If my first Jin is Kurd in A and my Second Jin is Nahawand then the Maqam I would be making is ‘Hijaz-Kar Kurd’. The notes I end up with is;

[A B(flat) C D E F G A].

DEMONSTRATION 3:

If my first Jin is Bayat in E and my Second Jin is Rast then the Maqam I would be making is ‘Kalazar’. The notes I end up with are;

[E F(half-sharp) G A B C(half-sharp) D E].

Note the last example. It has half sharps. This will require a musical system that at least has 24 notes, quarter notes to be specific. All of this is getting quite complicated so now that we’ve gone over a general overview, allow me to show you my simplified method for building Maqam lines. They’re all in C for simplicity but you can transpose via the dropdown menu in the ‘Functions’ Tab or the hotkey (ALT+Up Key). Most importantly, if a note is replaced with the name of the JIN, it means that it should be tuned up 50 cents. In instances with half sharps/flats, a second image will be provided to show the note also.

[Ajam]

[Bayat]

[Hijaz]

[Kurd]

[Musta’ar]

[Nahawand]

[Nakriz]

[Rast]

[Saba]

[Saba Zamzam]

[Sazkar]

[Sikah]

The ‘Saving and Stringing Ajna’ trick implies what it basically is. In Logic X Pro (or your DAW equivalent), there is a feature to make a midi region (another way of doing this technique). Alternatively, you can create a ‘Pattern Region’ (my preferred way). Pattern regions in logic are highly customizable. As their design would indicate, they’re usually used for drum patterning but you can also build scales or custom melodies with it.

Instead of building the Ajna from scratch, I used this method to save them. Now I have a library in Ajna that I can easily access. But that’s the first step. To fully utilize these Ajna (bare in mind some have half sharps and half flats), I have to make 2 instrument tracks with the same instrument. One of them is unaltered and the other instrument is the same but fine-tuned by 50 cents. Below I have screenshot my saved pattern region Ajna, this is just a general example and a more simplified view of the Ajna above (basically for my non-sheet music readers). Notice how you see the notes displayed but also the name of the jin, in place of a note. This for me is how I know what note is getting half sharpened.

Here’s a demonstration on how I use this;

Step 1: I pick my first jin block from my list of saved Ajna.

Step 2: I pick my second jin block and transpose this up 5 or 7 semitones (preference).

Step 3: I make a duplicate instrument line and transpose that up by 50 cents.

Step 4: I Copy my pattern regions to this second instrument track.

Step 5: All rows that have the name of the jin instead of a note, will have their notes cut and replaced in the second (fine-tuned 50 cents up) Instrument track. This will help you keep track of your half sharps and better tap into it.

Step 6: When you have a melodic line you’re satisfied with, you can easily convert to a midi region and stretch it to something rhythmically interesting.

This technique might be a little heavy on theory but I hope my simplified approach helps. Notice how maybe I'm breaking some rules above, it’s a lovely music system but don’t be afraid of experimenting with it. I recommend studying this more if you’re interested but don’t be afraid to get everything perfect. You can string Ajna without knowing what the Maqam you’re making is. You can also string Ajna in unorthodox places and really just go by ear. Like I said learn it (if you want), but have fun too.

Here are some simple audio examples I have compiled. I mainly just strung a bunch of Jin randomly and occasionally pitch blocks up and down 7, 5, or 2 semitones:

• Example 1: 🔊
• Example 2: 🔊
• Example 3: 🔊

HERE ARE SOME COOL RESOURCES:

• Oud for Guitarists
• Maqam World

This app for iPhone/iPad is also quite nice:

• Maqamat on the App Store

[cont.]

TECHNIQUE 2 (POLY-MICROTONAL KEYBOARD)

This technique is useful for other things outside of microtonality. It's honestly one of my favorite tricks. A very specific use of Logic’s “chord trigger” midi effect. It takes a few minutes to do but essentially, I divided my keyboard up by every 2,3,4,5 semitones through a series of saved settings.

Here’s an example of a keyboard divided by twos:

As you can see, I am matching the notes and keeping their positions exact. Then I go up a whole tone (2 semitones) and repeat. The result should be a keyboard in 2 parts, perfectly connecting like a puzzle. The effect is that only the highlighted keys should play and the ones that are not will block out those midi signals. I can now create 2 instances of instruments and play them as an interwoven one-keyboard instrument. You can either toggle the “R” button or create a track stack or summing track then play it as one would a keyboard.

Here’s an example of a keyboard divided into threes:

As you can see, I am matching the notes and keeping their positions exact. Then I go up a tritone (3 semitones) and repeat. The result should be a keyboard in 3 parts, perfectly connecting like a puzzle. The effect is that only the highlighted keys should play and the ones that are not will block out those midi signals. Similar to the example with twos, I can now play 3 separate instruments as a woven keyboard. You can either toggle the “R” button or create a track stack or summing track then play it as one would a keyboard.

Non-Microtonal use of this technique A:

Before revealing the microtonal elements associated with this technique, I would like to point out some other cool things you can do with it. The most obvious one is of course multiple instruments. For anyone exploring harmony, it’s a cool trick to have the instruments sound like they’re reacting to each other seamlessly.

Let’s use the Keyboard divided by 3’s as an example. The first track is a piano, the second is a synthesizer, and the third are strings. It’s almost like an interwoven orchestra. Granted you can do each layer separately, but this interwoven approach can generate interesting ideas. It adds a dynamism that might not have been easy to achieve otherwise.

• Example: 🔊

Non-Microtonal use of this technique B:

The second non-microtonal use of this technique is one of my favorites. Let us go back to the Keyboard divided by 3’s as an example once one. Instead of putting in a different instrument in every part, we could use the same preset but with a different sample. If you’re for example layering violin samples, you can now have some of the samples sound different to give a more complex/real sound. Granted I am aware that meticulous layering also achieves this but I find a setup like this works well when experimenting. Here’s an example with some violin samples. I was able to extract these samples from an orchestral set and luckily found some articulations that sound similar but different enough for this technique.

• Example of just one kind of sample: 🔊
• Example of many different variations: 🔊

MICROTONAL USE OF THIS TECHNIQUE A:

Now we will jump into the microtonal uses of this technique. Before we do however let’s go into microtonal software. Here is a link that breaks down VSTs with microtonal capabilities [Link]. The software I reference below are the ones I have personally used.

• List of microtonal software plugins - Xenharmonic Wiki

A: Some VST instruments let you import a tune file. If you have Xfer’s Serum, you actually already have a microtonal VST. In a few clicks, you can import a custom microtonal format, that should import the desired tunings. Other VSTs (I use) that have this approach are Audio Damage products and Arturia Pigments.

B: The second and in my opinion most preferred way of importing tunings is through a drop-down menu. It’s difficult to gauge how many microtonal compatible software do this feature (I have a few but not all microtonal software). However, it’s my preferred way of doing it. Chances are you will get lost in a sea of different tunings from different archives so an easy way to access and experiment is preferred. At least in my experience, the simple drop-down method allows you to be more random and less pressured to pick the “right tuning”. The VSTs I use that do this are the ones under “Madrona Labs” (Aalto, Kaivo, etc) and “Spectrasonics” (Omnisphere, Keyscape, etc).

C: The third kind of VST does both. Essentially, it’s like a combination of the two methods above. You import it and it stores it in a menu for you. This is a good time to talk about the synth Surge XT, which is not only free but also comes with some tuning files for you to play around with. Another software that isn’t technically an instrument but is amazing for microtonality is “Entonal Studio”. I probably should have opened with this because it makes most of the VSTs you already have microtonal. It’s a great investment and it opens a lot of possibilities. If you’re a Logic X Pro user, it works as a simple midi effect. Also, this software works quite well but if it sounds off just change the remap to all keys (sometimes it’s automatically on just the white keys).

Now with that discussed let’s discuss some key tunings and the many forms it comes in. These are the kind I use the most:

A: You can have one tuned to a different equal temperament.

For example, 13, 23, 76, which are of course deviations from our 12-temperament system.

B: Some tunings are tunings of instruments. This is where one should be careful. Some tunings belong to instruments that have fewer notes than our 12-temperament system. Some tunings that fall under this category may be macro-tonal tunings. These are technically the opposite of microtonal tunings (anything lower than 12 temperaments. 11 equal temperaments, 7 equal temperament or pelog tunings are good examples of this). But from a practical standpoint, it may be the reason why it sounds so high pitch upon import. Macro tones are equally cool but be prepared to pitch up or down to get them working for you.

C: This last category are essentially tunings that fall under Modes, Scales, Maqams or Ragas. Modes are a concept associated with modal jazz, but could also make for an interesting tuning system. Ragas and Maqams on the other hand are also interesting but too difficult to explain in depth. This isn’t to sway you from their usage, however. These tunings are extremely fun in their own right. To get a greater grasp of them though, I would recommend looking into Indian Ragas and Maqam music respectively. This also includes those tunings that advertise themselves as ‘Turkish scales’, ‘Greek Natural Scales’, and all of those other scales that require the learning of a new music system to comprehend.

The more you learn about these types of tunings and their usage, the cooler this next step will become.

Now with that established, let me show you the microtonal use of this technique. Simply repeat the process demonstrated above (the divided keyboard).

Here’s a reminder:

“As you can see, I am matching the notes and keeping their positions exact. Then I go up a tritone (3 semitones) and repeat. The result should be a keyboard in 3 parts, perfectly connecting like a puzzle. The effect is that only the highlighted keys should play and the ones that are not will block out those midi signals. Similar to the example with twos, I can now play 3 separate instruments as a woven keyboard. You can either toggle the “R” button or create a track stack or summing track then play it as one would a keyboard.”

Select an instrument (make sure it’s the same instrument) and through that VST instrument (or Entonal Studio) make each tuning different.

The end product should be that you have a keyboard with many woven micro tunings. It’s a simple yet very effective way of getting melodies that couldn’t be done in one Tuning. How exciting ?!?! Also, don’t limit yourself to 3 divided keyboards. If your machine can handle it, I highly recommend doing 4 or 5 divided keyboards and pairing them with this technique. This is where something like Entonal Studios is useful. Pairing it with a software that isn’t microtonal originally and is low on CPU would allow more room to experiment in this way. Also, if some tunings sound high-pitched, just remember it could be a macro-tone, and or some micro-tune files can be like that sometimes. Don’t hesitate to transpose them up or down in the VST, it won’t make much of a difference and it could be another variable to play around with.

Also, here’s something else to think about. The divided keyboard does not have to be a perfect repeat pattern. You can have complex patterns that are more dynamic and should assist in more interesting melodies. Here are a few examples:

• Example 1: 🔊
• Example 2: 🔊
• Example 3: 🔊

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Gauspel, also known as Brandon Saunders, is Jamaican-born producer and multidisciplinary artist based in the UK.

You can listen to Gauspel’s new album ‘Helios In The Night’ out now on all streaming platforms.

You can follow them on Instagram @officialgauspel

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