Tune Smithy
Encyclopedia
Tune Smithy is a Windows
-based shareware
application, with freeware
features.
It is an algorithmic composition
tool to make fractal music. It is now also used frequently as a retuning
tool for microtonal composition
, and for music therapy
in conjunction with Barbara Hero’s Lambdoma keyboard. As a microtuner
, it is one of the programs that supports MIDI Tuning Standard
sysexes.
The application also contains a polyrhythm
metronome
, a chord progression
player, and an audio pitch
tracer which can be used for exact tracing of the pitch of microtonal music and birdsong
. Other features include a mouse theremin
and a PC keyboard player which can be used to explore alternative keyboard layouts such as the Janko keyboard
, which happens to use the same hexagonal type arrangement of keys as a PC keyboard. Version 3.0 introduces an automated Csound
orchestra builder and various other new features.
Also the chord progression player - a tool to play any chord progression you paste into it in standard chord notation such as C, A7, etc, is free when used as a player (exporting the chord progression to midi and advanced functions are shareware).
.)
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
-based shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
application, with freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
features.
It is an algorithmic composition
Algorithmic composition
Algorithmic composition is the technique of using algorithms to create music.Algorithms have been used to compose music for centuries; the procedures used to plot voice-leading in Western counterpoint, for example, can often be reduced to algorithmic determinacy...
tool to make fractal music. It is now also used frequently as a retuning
Musical tuning
In music, there are two common meanings for tuning:* Tuning practice, the act of tuning an instrument or voice.* Tuning systems, the various systems of pitches used to tune an instrument, and their theoretical bases.-Tuning practice:...
tool for microtonal composition
Microtonal music
Microtonal music is music using microtones—intervals of less than an equally spaced semitone. Microtonal music can also refer to music which uses intervals not found in the Western system of 12 equal intervals to the octave.-Terminology:...
, and for music therapy
Music therapy
Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their...
in conjunction with Barbara Hero’s Lambdoma keyboard. As a microtuner
Microtuner
A microtuner or microtonal tuner is an electronic device or software program designed to modify and test the tuning of musical instruments with microtonal precision, allowing for the design and construction of microtonal scales and just intonation scales, and for tuning intervals that differ from...
, it is one of the programs that supports MIDI Tuning Standard
MIDI Tuning Standard
MIDI Tuning Standard is a specification of precise musical pitch agreed to by the MIDI Manufacturers Association in the MIDI protocol. MTS allows for both a bulk tuning dump message, giving a tuning for each of 128 notes, and a tuning message for individual notes as they are played.-Frequency...
sysexes.
The application also contains a polyrhythm
Polyrhythm
Polyrhythm is the simultaneous sounding of two or more independent rhythms.Polyrhythm in general is a nonspecific term for the simultaneous occurrence of two or more conflicting rhythms, of which cross-rhythm is a specific and definable subset.—Novotney Polyrhythms can be distinguished from...
metronome
Metronome
A metronome is any device that produces regular, metrical ticks — settable in beats per minute. These ticks represent a fixed, regular aural pulse; some metronomes also include synchronized visual motion...
, a chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
player, and an audio pitch
Pitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
tracer which can be used for exact tracing of the pitch of microtonal music and birdsong
Birdsong
Birdsong may refer to:* Bird vocalization, the sounds of birds* Birdsong , a 1993 novel by Sebastian Faulks* Birdsong, Arkansas, USA* Birdsong , a channel on the UK Digital One digital radio multiplex...
. Other features include a mouse theremin
Theremin
The theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
and a PC keyboard player which can be used to explore alternative keyboard layouts such as the Janko keyboard
Janko keyboard
The Jankó keyboard is a musical keyboard layout for a piano designed by Paul von Jankó in 1882.Based on the premise that the hand can barely stretch more than a 9th on the piano, and that all scales are fingered differently, Jankó's new keyboard had two interlocking 'manuals' with three...
, which happens to use the same hexagonal type arrangement of keys as a PC keyboard. Version 3.0 introduces an automated Csound
Csound
Csound is a computer programming language for dealing with sound, also known as a sound compiler or an audio programming language, or more precisely, a C-based audio DSL. It is called Csound because it is written in C, as opposed to some of its predecessors...
orchestra builder and various other new features.
Bounce Metronome Pro
The polyrhythm metronome task in Tune Smithy was developed into a separate program Bounce Metronome Pro which uses conducting visuals to help the musician keep time while playing polyrhythms and other rhythms..Freeware features
The Scales Composer, a tool to make microtonal scales, is free.Also the chord progression player - a tool to play any chord progression you paste into it in standard chord notation such as C, A7, etc, is free when used as a player (exporting the chord progression to midi and advanced functions are shareware).
Related programs
Tune Smithy (for Windows) is one of the programs used by microtonal composers for software midi retuning. The other main ones are SCALA and L'il Miss Scale Oven (for Mac). There are a other less frequently used ones as well. (See MicrotunerMicrotuner
A microtuner or microtonal tuner is an electronic device or software program designed to modify and test the tuning of musical instruments with microtonal precision, allowing for the design and construction of microtonal scales and just intonation scales, and for tuning intervals that differ from...
.)
External links
- Tune Smithy Home Page
- Review in Sound on Sound, October 04
- Fractal Tunes you can make with Tune Smithy 3.0 sample fractal tunes made with Fractal Tune Smithy
- Bounce Metronome Home Page