How the program turns your numbers into a tune
Scales of interest to musicians
Fractal Tune Smithy home page
How the program turns your numbers into a tune
Scales of interest to musicians
(Key of A - sharps are in dark blue)
Here is what one sounds like , Midi version , Sound clips , Web ring , Stats
What's a Fractal Tune?
There are many types of fractal, and one type consists of a triangle, with several smaller triangles added to each of its sides, and yet smaller triangles attached to each of those, and so on. The background of this page shows what it's like. It's called the Koch snowflake.
So why not use musical notes, adding smaller notes within each one, and smaller ones within those, and so on.
Or, easier in music, go the other way, and start with a small pattern and build it up to larger and larger structures.
Fractal Tune Smithy does this for you..
You enter a short sequence of numbers, such as 0 1 0, or 0 1 2 0. Then click play, and hear the result.
For other sites with fractal music of various types:
To download the program, which is shareware/freeware:
Version number: FTS 1.082, released 22nd July 2000.
The sequence is 0 1 2 0 and the scale is the pentatonic scale (equal temperament version).
It's in the Real Audio format. If you don't hear anything, go to this hyperlink:
Download RealPlayer (look for the free version)
When you download Real Player 7, you get an option to download the basic setup with no built in help, or two setups with "Privacy enhancements".
The basic setup is fine.
If you choose the Privacy enhancements, you get Comet Cursor in the bundle. What it does is to change the cursor when you move it over some web pages, to a tiny colour picture, perhaps to fit the theme of the page. It seems to be quite widely used, as it is rather fun. However it also collects demographic statistics about users, which one might not want to go along with. It is easy uninstall and re-install.
Your p.c. also needs to have a sound card and speakers - most modern ones do.
If you have a c.d. player, then you can probably get better quality sound if you run the output of your soundcard to your c.d. player.
(four minutes)
(sixteen minutes)
Click on the red or blue note to hear it in MIDI. A Midi file is a kind of score that can be read by a synthesizer, usually much smaller than sound recordings.
The best soundcards will play it using actual sound samples of a flautist playing a note. Older ones approximate the sound of a flute as best they can.
You can download a software synthesizer for playing MIDI files. You can get one on 90 day free trial from Yamaha. I recommend this unless your soundcard is already top-notch.
The S-YG20 needs a Pentium 75 or later (133 or later recommended).
Musicians will be interested in Noteworthy Player, from Noteworthy Composer , which lets you see a MIDI file as a score.
Here are some samples of the compositions that come with the program.
The clips are all in the Real Audio format, and are each 116Kb, or slightly less.
Click on the red and blue notes after the soundclips for MIDI clips of four, and sixteen minutes. Many of these are only a few K. The size is given for any MIDI file of more than 100K.
Any of more than 200K have been left out. These are ones with many fast passages, as the size of a MIDI file depends on the number of notes.
You can download all the MIDI clips from this page all in a single file of 1.57 MB (self extracting zip, extracts to 5.38 MB , these clips compress amazingly well). You can also get the ones that have been left out of this page here:
The originals continue playing for hours (or days if you like) never repeating completely, the music being generated by the program as it goes along.
See this page if you want to look at the MIDI files as a "score" in a program such as Noteworthy Composer :
FTS Gallery of clips for viewing as a score.
(4 minutes )
(16 minutes )
Windchimes_scale
FTS file
Windchimes_scale
|
Some MIDI players (noteably, old versions of Windows MPlayer) will need
a
reset
to get back to ordinary twelve tone equal temperament.
Play: B flat then c . Now play Two notes . Do you hear the same note (middle c) twice? If so your player is okay. If you hear two pitches, you can upgrade your player to one with automatic resets Windows Media Player (it's free) :) Alternatively, play Reset after listening to the clips. More details. |
escription: The windchimes scale
You can download a 64 mins midi clip [91 Kb self extracting zip, extracts to 10022 Kb]
Basson solo with harp celesta and
glockenspiel
calling to each other across the valley
flute and guitar with non melodic perc
fractal percussion major chord
heavenly chimes scale with shanai etc
Journey through unknown territory
major and minor scales fractal
major chords round the cycle
of fifths - Bach temperament
minor chords and diminished seventh
modern pelog scale cello music box and
perc
oboe trombone and flute harmonies with
guitar
pentatonic bird song 1 9o8 6o5 3o2 8o5 2
percussion medley with 15 tET brass
Playing the shakuhachi on a rocky shore
recorder and guitar melodic minor
recorder oboe steel drums and lots of
trills
recorder quintet - taking turns to play
sevens - another with lots of blues
notes
shakuhachi + marimba with rests
slendro without detuned octaves
Upside down harmonics+12th harmonic
upwards
This website is part of
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Here are some stats, with a map of the world showing the hundred most recent
visitors to the FTS pages according to time zones (approx). Also shows countries (see Organisation)
etc. Not all visitors are counted. Click on the square:
(started 22.3.2000)
E-mail: fractal_tune_smithy_email@rcwalker.freeserve.co.uk
