Chapter 9—Supplemental Information
20 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual
Grk-Chromat This pitch table is derived from two chromatic tetra chords (the intervals are, roughly, quarter-tone, half-step, major third),
combined to form a seven-note scale. It is meant to be played on the white keys. Tone center is E.
Grk-Enharm This pitch table is derived from two enharmonic tetra chords (the intervals are, more or less, two quarter-tones followed by a major
third), combined to form a seven-note scale. It is meant to be played on the white keys. Tone center is E.
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 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 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 by many contemporary composers and can be used in some Middle Eastern music.
19-Tone-Equ Centered on C4, this scale divides the octave into 19 equal steps. From C4 to G5 forms an octave. This scale yields very pure thirds
and sixths, but not fifths. Like the 24-tone scale, this has been used by some modern composers.
31-Tone-Equ Centered on C4, this scale divides the octave into 31 equal steps. From C4 to G6 forms an octave. Similar to 19-tone in the purity
of its intervals.
53-Tone-Equ This scale divides the octave into 53 equal steps. From C2 to F6 forms an octave. It yields very pure thirds, fourths and fifths.
Harmonic This is a mathematically generated scale based on the relationships of the partials in the harmonics of the fifth octave of the linear
harmonic spectrum. It is interesting mostly from a theoretical standpoint.
CarlosAlpha The first of three scales derived mathematically by Wendy Carlos in the search for scales with the maximum purity of primary
intervals, Alpha is based on the division of the octave into 15.385 equal steps (78 cents per key). One pitch “octave” covers 16
keys, though because the Carlos scales are asymmetric (not based on whole number divisions of the octave) they do not yield pure
octaves.
Carlos-Beta Wendy Carlos’ Beta scale is based on the division of the octave into 18.809 equal steps 63.8 cents per key. One pitch “octave”
covers 19 keys though, being asymmetric, it yields no pure octaves.
CarlosGamma Wendy Carlos’ Gamma scale is based on the division of the octave into 34.188 equal steps (35.1 cents per key). This scale has
essentially perfect major thirds, fourths and fifths. One pitch “octave” covers 35 keys, though, again, being asymmetric it yields no
pure octaves.
Partch-43 Harry Partch was a pioneer of micro-tonality in the early 20th century. He developed this 43-tone-per-octave scale of pure intervals,
and even designed an entire orchestra of instruments for music using this scale. The tonal center is found on key D2 (the low D on
the 76-note keyboard). This pitch table has been transposed up an octave to bring the notes into a more usable range.
Reverse This pitch table simply reverses the pitch-tracking of the keyboard, putting the highest notes at the bottom of the keyboard and the
highest notes at the top. Lots of fun.
Bagpipe This is the tuning of a traditional Scottish bagpipe.
ShonaMbira1 This is one tuning of the African Mbira, similar to the Kalimba or thumb-piano. Each Mbira player uses his own “tuning” which is
his signature.
ShonaMbira2 Another Mbira tuning.
SuperJust This is a Just Intonation scale created by Wendy Carlos.
88CET 88CET is a scale with a constant interval of 88 cents. It features three different thirds and close approximations to many just
intervals. This keyboard mapping omits the G#/Ab key from the system.
Pierce-Bohl This is an octave-repeating stretched scale invented by John Pierce which is derived from a pure twelfth divided into thirteen steps.
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