Re: Bands

On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 08:41:05 -0500, Joe Kesselman 
   <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Chris Croughton wrote:
>> It can't be done without knowledge of the key structure of the piece.
> 
> Since we're assuming a computer in the loop, pre-entering 
> the key structure might not be out of the question.

Non-realtime, yes.  Entering them and then plaing in realtime could be
interesting, but from my attempts to play to a little man on the
subway[1] I'd rather not.  Like trying to play inside a straitjacket...

[1] OK, a Metro gnome...

> Or: Go ahead and tell the machine when you're changing keys, 
> using an auxilliary input like the chord/accompaniment 
> keyboards found on some organ-like instrumenets.

I don't think that would work as well, especially with "passing chords",
but a person used to such things might find it OK.

> Or, if you're willing to settle for not doing it in 
> realtime: Record the piece as MIDI, run this optimization 
> across it with full ability to scan backward and forward 
> through the recording, then play the microtuned result.

Indeed.  I'd like to see the results of such a program, to see how well
(or not) it can do that sort of job.  I think that it would need to be
supplemented with your first suggestion, though, to avoid it getting
confused between a 'real' key change and a 'passing' chord or note (in
other words, I think that there needs to be a human in the loop most of
the time).

Since humans can do it (see my remarks about recorder consorts earlier,
string quartets tend to do similar things automatically, to blend
better, as do singers), it can be done.  I don't, however, think it can
be done well just with 'rules' or keeping to a fixed intonation (for
example, some intervals may need to be 'bent' from the pure intervals in
order to avoid notes changing while they are held).

Incidentally, I do have some Bach pieces already which use different
intonations (using my pipe organ simulation), I can convert those from
WAV to MP3 and put them on a web site if anyone is interested.  Mainly
the Bach 2-part inventions, which don't show the chordal effects but do
illustrate the differences in interval.

(I have all of the 2-part Inventions in MIDI form, my own transcription,
and a few of the 3-part ones.  I'm working slowly on transcribing the
WTC to MIDI as well...)

Chris C