Re: [linux-audio-user] [ANN] Scala support in ams-1.5.8

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Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] [ANN] Scala support in ams-1.5.8
From: Dr. Matthias Nagorni (mana_AT_suse.de)
Date: Mon Mar 31 2003 - 15:48:39 EEST


On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 torbenh_AT_gmx.de wrote:

> can you outline the advantages of scala ?

The Scala file format is a simple text format where the frequencies of the
notes of the scales are given either as a fraction of the ground tone or
as cents (i.e. 1/1200 of an octave). I did not use the Scala program yet,
but only support this file format. There are countless scales already
available in this format.

With the Scala modules in ams you can use any scale you want. Usually we
use the so called well-tempered scale in european music. This scale
divides one octave into 12 intervals of equal size. It has taken several
centuries of development until the well-tempered scale has been accepted as
good tradeoff between modulation capabilities and detuned intervals. A
milestone for this scale was J.S. Bach's Well Tempered Piano, a collection of
preludes and fugues in all keys. Before Bach there existed a lot of other
scales where some chords in some keys sounded worse than in other keys.
Also there exist many other interesting scales in other cultures. Here not
only the frequency arrangement within one octave does vary but also the
number of notes within one octave. Take e.g. some indian scale or the
scale in example_ams_demo_scala.ams to see this.

Matthias

-- 
Dr. Matthias Nagorni
SuSE Linux AG
Deutschherrnstr. 15-19    phone: +49 911 74053375
D - 90429 Nuernberg       fax  : +49 911 74053483


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