Notation constraints

[edwardkort]

Can/should we limit WWIDesigner to western notation with no support for microtonal scales?

[antoinelefebvre]

I think there should be no restriction. We can provide pre-defined scales buty we should be able to set the frequency of each note as we want.

[edwardkort]

I agree, arbitrarily set the frequency of each note - that is a temperament. But should we restrict notes to a 12-note scale within an octave, with traditional notation? Or should we support:

1. Any symbology for notes (Kinko [shakuhachi], etc.). This will make XML and application installation difficult
2. Microtonal scales (more than 12 intervals in an octave)
3. Scales that span more than 1 octave (17 note and 31 note scales, for example)

[antoinelefebvre]

The approach I used in my Python optimization software was simply to associate a fingering with a frequency (for each register)

Those frequencies can be selected from a number of pre-defined or user-defined scales and those scales were simply mapping labels to frequencies. If you feel like defining a scale with 31 notes per octave, you just do it. I don't see why we should add any restriction.

I worked with a flute maker (baroque and classical transverse flutes) and it was important for him to differentiate between sharps and flats, that is, a C sharp was not the same as a D flat. We need to support this sort of things.

[bhp1]

I agree with Antoine. A given instrument will have a number of playing configurations, typically fingering patterns and playing registers. We want the instrument to map an array of playing configurations into an array of target frequencies. The type of instrument determines the array of configurations, and what the target notes are. We'll want easy ways to specify certain arrays of frequencies, such as "Two octave diatonic equal temperament starting on D5, A4=440" or "Three octave just intonation starting on Bb3, A4=415", but we may encounter the need for more general arrays.

[edwardkort]

Ok, I have attempted to capture your comments into the first 7 user stories. Burton, I'm not sure that in general the type of specification such as, "Three octave just intonation starting on Bb3, A4=415," can be interpreted. What if the scale doesn't have an A4?

[bhp1]

A4=440 would be the pitch standard. If my whistle starts at D5, and is tuned to A440 (for short), then D5 will be 587.3, and A5 will be 880.

[edwardkort]

Yes, but your calculation is based on equal temperament in which you know the relationship of A4 and D5. But what about the case in which I have defined a scale/temperament that does not include an A4? It seems that, for the general case, we need to explicitly define the frequency of a known note (preferably the root) of the scale.

[bhp1]

Yes, I've assumed a specified temperament (not necessarily equal) to give the relationship between D5 and A5 (which is in the scale). I've also assumed an octave relationship between A4 and A5. This works until we start designing Bohlen-Pierce clarinets. :-)

[edwardkort]

I wasn't really trying to pick an extreme edge case. The NAFs that I make are typically crafted to a pentatonic minor scale (6 notes in the octave, and no notes in tune above the octave). And they are made in every conceivable key from A5 down to A2. Add to that JI, and we see the above scenario in spades. But just for the record, I craft chromatically tuned instruments.

[bhp1]

Tuning Wizard allows users to define their own scales and temperaments. Samples of standard scales and temperaments are supplied.