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

In a message dated 2000/06/15 09:38:38 AM, DaW wrote:

>What is the Klingon scale based on anyway?
>
    I am not sure, but it is fairly conventional tuning (12 tone Equal
Temperament) but limited to "moody" pitches below fifths. BTW, GNP/Crescendo
has a CD of Klingon music - composed by Ron Jones - in their vaults.
Paramount has not allowed them to release it AFAIK.

>a "mutated"/prepared toy
>>piano, *musical mad scientist gigglabytefit*).
>
>Huh, I never even heard a toy piano that was in tune.  I guess the only way
>to tune one is to file the metal bars, but what if you want to *lower* the
>pitch?
    Lowerin' pitches is fairly trial'n'error work: putting small blobs of
either rubber cement or plumber's putty at bases of toy piano's metal tines &
allowin' material to dry & then refinin' by usin' an x-acto blade (also
jammin' wedge-like pieces of metal, wood, bamboo, plastic, rubber,foam, etc.
at base of tines changes both pitch & timbral colour... also addin' small
coil springs adds much to the overall sound colour & perceived volume)
    Naturally the level of tuning accuracy is rather aleatoric (but that is
part of its intrinsic charm, much like makin' a random scale tuned driftwood
xylophone at the beach).
    I call my mutated toy piano _MicroSoniCosm_. I use a contact microphone
to amplify the small, tiny sounds...

    zHANg