Section 2 — System•MIDI Parameters
ENSONIQ KT Musician’s Manual 3
• TURKISH-A — This is a typical Turkish octave-based scale using only one quarter tone. The
second note in the scale is tuned 40 cents flat from the equal-tempered equivalent; in this
tuning B is 40 cents flatter from B natural. The scale rises from A.
• ARABIC-1 — The intervals in this table form the basis for much Middle Eastern music. Here
the octave is divided into 17 intervals, corresponding to the fret intervals of some stringed
instruments used in this area. The scale rises from the base pitch of C4 in a series of three
repeating intervals (in cents) of 90, 90, 24; and so on. From C4 to F5 represents an octave.
• ARABIC-2 — Similar to Arabic 1, except that here the octave is divided into 24 intervals. This
makes one pitch octave cover two keyboard octaves, meaning that the fingering will be the
same in any octave. This scale rises from the base pitch of C4 in a series of four repeating
intervals (in cents) of 24, 66, 24, 90; and so on.
• ARABIC-3 — This is a 12-tone scale using quarter tones (notes tuned sharp or flat by 50 cents
from their equal-tempered equivalents) on the C#, E, G# and B keys.
• ARABIC-4 — Another octave-based scale with an Arabic flavor. In this case the “quarter
tones” are not perfectly equal, imparting a distinctive character to the notes.
• JAVA-PELOG1 — One of the two main scales of the gamelan orchestras of Java and Bali is
the seven-tone scale called Pelog. The notes C, D, F , G, and A (which are reproduced on the
black keys) are considered primary, with E and B used for grace notes. The octaves are
stretched (tuned a little sharp) due to the harmonic content of the instruments in the
gamelan. (Note that there are many subtle variations of these tunings, almost as many as
there are gamelan ensembles. The tunings we have included here are to be considered
typical, not definitive.)
• JAVA-PELOG2 — This is another version of the seven-tone Pelog scale used in gamelan
music. The notes C, D, F , G, and A (which are reproduced on the black keys) are considered
primary, with E and B used for grace notes. The octaves are stretched (tuned a little sharp)
due to the harmonic content of the instruments in the gamelan.
• JAVA-PELOG3 — A third version of the seven-tone Pelog scale used in gamelan music. The
notes C, D, F , G, and A (which are reproduced on the black keys) are considered primary,
with E and B used for grace notes.
• JAVA-SLNDRO — This is a 15-tone equal tempered tuning from Java. Playing every third
note (as in a diminished chord) yields a typical 5-tone scale of the gamelan. Other notes can
be used as passing tones.
• JAVA-COMBI — This is actually two pitch-tables in one. The white keys play the seven-tone
Pelog scale, same as the table JAVA-PELOG1. The black keys play a five-tone scale called
Slendro, which is close to a five-tone equi-tempered scale. Both tunings have their octaves
stretched (tuned a little sharp) due to the harmonic content of the instruments in the
gamelan.
• INDIAN-RAGA — Indian scale used to play ragas, based on 22 pure intervals called Srutis.
This pitch-table uses two keyboard octaves to play one octave in pitch. The 22 Srutis are
mapped to keys in this two-octave range omitting the A#s, which play the same pitch as the
adjacent A.
• TIBETAN — This tuning is based on a pentatonic scale from Tibet. Notice that playing the
black keys yield a scale similar to the 5-tone Slendro tuning from Indonesia.
• CHINESE-1 — This is a seven-tone scale used widely in China. It is meant to be played on
the white keys.
• CHINESE-2 — This is a seven-tone scale based on an ancient Chinese lute tuning. It is meant
to be played on the white keys.
• THAILAND — This is a seven-tone equi-tempered scale from Thailand. It is meant to be
played on the white keys.
• 24-TONE-EQU — Centered on C4, this scale has an even quarter tone (50 cents) between each
keyboard note, and each pitch octave covers 2 keyboard octaves. This tuning has been used
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