Microtonal.org Audio Files

Here are files for downloading, music created by members of this fun little group. If your download does not start automatically (i.e. you get a player launching or something), try right-clicking on the link and choose Save Target as ... (Mac users, please clue me in on the equivalent option)

Members! To upload files to microtonal.org, first drop a quick note to jon@microtonal.org indicating that you'd like to upload something; additionally, send me the name of the file, the name of the piece or selection, and any description you'd like. I'll send you an email with instructions as to where to place the file and how to get access, and in the meantime will have code ready to go for the description. When the two things meet online, people will be able to access your files. Don't worry if you don't have experience with ftp/fetch programs, as I'll include instructions on how to email me your mp3 file and I'll take care of uploading it.

Tidal Falls
File: tidal_falls.mp3 (9.5mb) or tidal_falls.ogg (14.3mb)
Composer: Jon Szanto
Uploaded: 08/25/05
Description: Tidal Falls - Music for the Forward To Breath dance company; Terri Shipman, choreographer

This one was interesting, as I got called very late (4 weeks before performance) to create a score for a dance piece that already existed. The piece was metered, and has both metric and tempo changes in sections; therefore, the bulk of the piece already had an existing tempo/meter format. Flowing/falling water is the theme of the piece, including an actual working 'fountain' on stage that dancers go into. Water sounds were one of the requests.

I looked at this piece as a good place to try getting better at some of my toolset, especially in seeing what happened when I started working with a lot of multiple instances of soft instruments - how far could I task my poor little DAW? The main compositional/recording/mixing application is Sonar 4. The instruments and effects, along with number of instances loaded, were:

I still have a *lot* to learn about mixing, and this was a good one to start getting deeper into that. This is also a "work in progress", so I'll have opportunities to revise, remix, etc.

As for tuning, they are fairly subtle: I've used Lou Harrison's tuning for "Cinna", a custom 12 note tuning I've been using for a while based on a Harrison scale, and there are sections in 12tet - I just didn't have time to settle on the right modal tunings to use in there, even though I knew there were changes I would make to the tuning. One of the nice things about this setup is that I can go back, unfreeze synths, change the tuning (and/or notes), and remix.

I guess that's about it. It wasn't totally easy, but this project was a watershed for me, as I'm now much more comfortable about what I can get accomplished. A couple of the sketches that got thrown to the side during this are going to bear fruit for more pieces.

There are currently no other files for downloading...

microtonal.org: a place holder and gathering point for people who are actively making microtonal music, and for those who would like to join them.

This site is minimal. The activity occurs out in the real world.