bohlen-pierce

AXIS keyboard for Bohlen-Pierce Scale

Cats, alternate music controllers and tunings collide in this video on YouTube, via matrixsynth:

C-Thru Music has lent me this keyboard, called the AXIS, for a few months, and I am rearranging the keys for the Bohlen-Pierce Scale, a macrotuning based on a 3/1 frequency ratio, divided by 13 equal steps. See http://www.ziaspace.com/elaine/BP for research on the BP Scale. This particular AXIS toured with the Lionel Richie Band on loan, went to me, and in two weeks I will be flying to Boston to give this AXIS to the Berklee College of Music, Synthesis Department – namely to Dr. Boulanger who will use it for his classes and for the new microtonal club. I teach Electronic Music at Scottsdale Community College. Come join the fun!

We have discussed the BP (Bohlen-Pierce) scale here at CatSynth in the past (and reviewed a piece by John R Pierce SF Tape Music Festival).

You read more about the C-Thru Music AXiS. It’s another interesting controller that I haven’t had the opportunity yet to try out.

Warped Cannon

Courtesy of fellow experimental musician Gino Robair, we have the “Warped Cannon” page, which features the Pachelbel's Canon in a wide variety of tunings. The MIDI files on the site present the canon performed not in variants of the traditional just and equal-tempered scales, but several rather odd tunings as well. Of particular interest to me was the the Bohlen-Pierce variation, using the Bohlen-Pierce tuning that I have discussed in previous posts. While some readers/listeners may find this variation a little difficult to listen to, and even disturbing when contrasted with the original, I actually find it quite inspiring. I am always interested to hear pieces done in this tuning ahead any future BP compositions of my own.