Microtonal music is not for everyone. A lot of it sounds awful to me. But I found that you can use microtuning to your advantage and come up with some rather unique compositions and musically-pleasing recordings if you do it right. I have Aphex Twin to thank for it. Here’s why.
I was intrigued by microtonal music, and while I was researching it, I stumbled upon the Aphex Twin tuning files, and my perception of microtonal music changed for me. When I heard the third of his tuning file collection, I knew microtonal music had some potential.
Analyzing the Aphex Twin File, AFX003.tun
I did some analysis of the AFX003.tun file that I downloaded.
I mapped out the note frequencies in the file (using the free online tools, Scale Workshop and TTG) and then calculated the intervals between the notes in an Excel spreadsheet (you can download a copy of it below).
I immediately noticed a pattern.
I looked up the interval differences in an internet search, which led me to the book “The Musicians Guide to Acoustics.” In this book, I found on page 173 the same intervals that were present in the Aphex Twin tuning file #3 (afx003.tun). They were in figure 4.7 in the book, which is a description of the notes comprising the C Major Just Diatonic Scale. I highlighted these in the image below. They matched exactly what was in the afx003.tun file.
(Link to an explanation of “cents” in music.)
I also used Oddsound’s MTS vst plugin to import the tuning file and see the intervals. This was exceptionally easy and it allowed me to confirm what was in the file. Also, the fact that the Oddsound MTS program was developed in partnership or collusion somehow with Aphex Twin suddenly made a lot of sense.
Implementing the Tuning
So now I had a tuning file and I needed to plug it into various synths that accepted alternate tunings in order to get it to work for me. U-he synths all accept *.tun files. Pianoteq pianos accept *scl files which are Scaler files. I was able to output both types of files from MTS and other programs so I could use them in these synths/pianos. (Below the next section I show how to do that, but for now continue on.)
Reworking Classics Through Creative Tuning
After getting the synths and pianos to work with the tuning files, it made sense to create new music with them. Rather than start from scratch, I input some MIDI of classical music into them and listened to the different outputs due to the tuning.
I started with Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy as it is a classic that I like. When played with this alternate tuning, it sounded nothing like the original from the tonal point of view but sounded similar in the pacing and note lengths (because these are not changed by the tuning file changes).
With some adjustments to the highs and lows of the scale (I use FL Studio, but you can find this function in other DAWs, I think), I had something almost completely different from the original. You can tell if you listen to them back to back, but it is still very difficult because the notes are different, but the duration and structure of the composition are unchanged.
I now had a classical piece of music that was completely reworked and different from the original in almost every way, making it nearly indistinguishable. It sounded like a new composition. By adjusting and humanizing the notes and adding swing and groove, I took it further out of placement. Indeed I now had a new composition!
Below are the original (short snippet of it) and my modified one (full version) for comparison.
Microtuning in Modartt Pianoteq, U-he Synths, and more
Pianoteq
- In Pianoteq, you first need the tuning file to be in Scala *.scl format, so convert to that file type.
- Find the tuning panel in the top left area (see images below).
- Click on the “+” icon (see image below with a circled “1” in red).
- Click on the “Temperament” dropdown (see image below with a circled “2” in red).
- In the menu find the Scala file sub menu (see where my arrow cursor is in the image below).
- Select your *.scl file to load it.
U-he Synths
In most U-he synths, you can find the “tuning” box somewhere on the synth screen. Below are some examples with the locations circled in red. Simply select the box above the microtuning button and select your *.tun file.
Whole Scale Tunings (not microtuning)
What about changing the whole scale though? That could also be done to any composition. It would mean changing all of the note frequencies by the same amount up or down from the standard tuning of the note A=440 Hz.
The tuning of A=432 Hz is popular and has been connected with mystical properties, and although I do not believe in any of the mystic aspects, I do find it sounds better. I can take any composition or track and tune it down to A=432 Hz, and I like it better. I do not know why.
Most DAWs allow you to change the tuning up or down from A=440 Hz. You usually have to calculate an offset in cents from the note, A4, which is at 440 Hz as standard. In FL Studio it is easy enough then to change the tuning by adjusting the overall tuning knob up or down by the specified number of cents. I made a calculator in Excel that allows me to pick a tuning frequency for A4, different from 440 Hz, and know the number of cents to adjust up or down. This Excel sheet is linked below and you can download it. I also put in there some other information about different tunings.
More
There was more than just that one tuning file from the Aphex Twin download; they offer even more potential for creating new works. But they are not as special as you may think, and you can create your own variants using MTS or any of the free tools I mentioned above.
Overall, there’s potential here to make new and different music using alternate tunings and a lot more to be explored.
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