Scale tuning on the Solaris

Discuss John Bowen Synths - Solaris
Savante
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Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by Savante »

I would like to buy a Solaris synthesizer, but I create most of my music in alternate tunings such as just intonation. I need to know if I can tune the scale on the Solaris, or whether it is hopelessly stuck in equal temperament. Equal temperament is not suitable for many types of music, and I would expect that a synth as sophisticated as the Solaris would allow a very flexible implementation of scale tuning. Please let me know if scale tuning is provided, and how it is implemented.

Thank you,
Savante
christeck
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by christeck »

keytables.png
I presume key tables should do the trick.
Savante
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by Savante »

The manual page you quoted does say that custom tunings can be created with this function, but it is completely unclear to me how this would actually be done. I have several synths that offer scale tuning, and it is done with offsets from equal temperament calibrated in cents. How this would be done as a percentage is not clear. Percentage of what? What if I want to tune all the "E's" fourteen cents flat of equal temperament? How would this be done? Also, it says the range of the parameter is 0% to 100%. But in many cases I would want to tune a note a few cents sharp of equal temperament. So this would require a setting greater than 100%, right?

This instrument is much too expensive for me to purchase without knowing if, or exactly how, the scale tuning function works. If I can tune the scale as I am accustomed to doing on my Korg synths, for example, then it's fine. Otherwise not.

I think I saw that John Bowen worked on the Korg Wavestation synth. I have a Wavestation SR, and its scale tuning function works fine for me. But the Solaris seems to be speaking a different language that I don't understand. If you can provide a clear, step by step, explanation of how a custom scale is created on the Solaris, and how to identify the precise offset in cents, that would be what I need to know to go ahead with a purchase of this synthesizer.

Thank you,
Savante
christeck
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by christeck »

I cannot really judge whether the key tables would solve your problem, since I never did it for myself. No clue whether the 0-100% range provides enough resolution for your purpose.

Even it it did, it would require some manual work initially, since it has to be adjusted for each individual key, and you can't do this by cents.
Savante
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by Savante »

Thank you for your response. If it is ever possible to provide me with more detailed information about the scale tuning capability of the Solaris, it would be much appreciated.
John Bowen
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by John Bowen »

Hi Savante,

The Solaris cannot do the kind of scale tuning you are talking about. I am well aware of the subject, of course, and what I had planned to do is support the Scala file format:

http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_(software)

This is still on the list of things to do, but at a fairly low priority right now.

I appreciate your interest, and I hope we can offer this function in the future.

regards,
John Bowen
Savante
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by Savante »

Hi John,

Thank you for your response and clarification of the scale tuning issue with the Solaris. We actually corresponded about this very issue several years ago, when the Solaris was still in the early planning stage. At that time you asked me if supporting Scala files would be sufficient and I told you that it would.

Actually, I don't much care for Scala, though it is workable. I prefer the Korg implementation which is much easier to use. The scale tuning implementation used on recent Korg workstations, such as the M3 and Kronos, would be my preference.

Best regards,
Savante
John Bowen
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by John Bowen »

... I prefer the Korg implementation which is much easier to use. The scale tuning implementation used on recent Korg workstations, such as the M3 and Kronos, would be my preference.

Best regards,
Savante
OK, I’ll have a look at what they did - I know the guys at R&D should be able to clarify it.

Thanks,
JB
elemental
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by elemental »

I'm also interesting in this aspect of the Solaris. Any word on progress with regard to different tunings?
John Bowen
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by John Bowen »

There's not been any work done on this yet...it is lower on the priority list, but is still on there. :-)
tsoukkinen
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Re: Scale tuning on the Solaris

Post by tsoukkinen »

Hello! My first post here.

I don't have a Solaris yet. I hope it will get the micro tuning capability it deserves being such a sophisticated synth otherwise.

In my opinion micro tunings are important. They can be experimental - to go with experimental sounds. Or they can be traditional and subtle - like various tunings used for cembalo and organ. Even a normal piano needs a special stretched tuning.

(I have learnt to use micro tunings with my good old Yamaha SY99. Its micro tuning implementation is rather poor though: Slow to use and only two user tunings can be saved. Also, certain kind of tunings mess the keyboard scaling of a patch.)

Best regards
Jari Jokinen
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