Re: (OT) non-octave scales (was Re: various infotaining natlang tidbits)

In a message dated 2000/06/17 03:55:02 AM, Romilly wrote:

>Just out of curiosity, if one found an old Casio keyboard at a yard-sale,
>say, would it be possible to re-do the tuning to _n_ tones to the octave (or
>whatever)?  Or is that likely a job for Mr. Electronics Genius, which I am
>not?
>
    Not really possible in either case. Cheap Casio keyboards are hardwired
to 12 tET scale system (like way too many electronic keyboards) with at best
+/- 30 cents leeway in pitch detuning.
    If you are interested in electronic keyboards tuneable to non12tET
scales, do a websearch for "microtonal synthesis."
>
>
>From another angle-- I think I've mentioned my attempt to build a
>zither-type instrument tuned 10 to the octave.  Sounds like Jonathan's
>JI-Calc could generate the tones necessary to tune that (so frets could be
>dispensed with).  Am I correct?
    Huh? You want to make a fretless zither? Interestin'... there are many
zithers in the world without frets tuned to many different scale systems {my
personal favourites amongst zithers are: tube zithers made entirely from
bamboo [idiochordophones] - quite prevalent in SouthEast Asian tribal
societies; the 3-string crocodile zither from the Mons tribal people of
Thailand; & the long board zithers of East Asia (i.e. the Chinese _ch'in_ or
_qin_, the Japanese _koto_, the Korean _kayakeum_ & _komungo_)}

    Frets do effect tone-colour BTW.

    zHANg