Now and Xen
Come check out Phillip’s new composed album with us, “Loop 7,” featuring his characteristic style but infused with 22-tone equal temperament. Grammy-award-winner Joseph Branciforte joins us as well to share how the acoustic pianos were recorded and treated as “one instrument” in the process. Find “Loop 7” here: Sites for Phillip and Joseph (label “greyfade”): Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically) Follow Subscribe RSS: iTunes: … Spotify: … Stitcher: Twitter: ...
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Microtonal jazz extraordinaire Julian Woods shares with us his methodology for re-tuning classic standards into JI and what it’s like playing in a live band. Topics include playing songs, composition directives, microtonal setups, and guitarists’ advantages for frets, fretlets, and fretless, Philipp Gerschlauer has collaborated with Julian on his own work “Every swing has a silver roundabout” and on microtonal “Angel Eyes,” reharmonized in 13-limit JI (with mostly 5 and 7 limit vertical relationships in the triads). Some notes about our analysis: when Julian is showing the sheet...
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Subhraag Singh, creator of the Infinitone, graciously agreed to discuss the updated software with me! The update uses many new features such as dynamic re-tuning, visuals, LFO control, key triggers, and more. We go on a magical quest to discover Stephen’s xenharmonic tomato, and dissect the ethics of advertising radical new microtonal morphing software using the intellectual property omnipotence of Santa. SANTA CLAUS IS BRINGING MICROTONES TO TOWN (14-TET, 37-TET spectrum using Infinitone 2) In the Bleak Midwinter - Jacob Collier arr, played by Stephen Weigel (piano) Jacob Collier plays the...
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Richie and I discuss phonorealism (pioneered by Peter Ablinger), 41-tone equal temperament, and his collection of instruments and live performances, such as “Six Monologues.” Sam Reflecting on the First Time He Heard Her Sing (2017) - phonorealism ludus vocalis (Burp) - Felipe Tovar-Hevao Dream Hangover - !mindparade Six Monologues (mvt. 3 - Tragedy Begins at Home) - Long Drive Theatre (41-TET) Six Monologues (mvt. 6 - This space looks like any other) - Long Drive Theatre (41-TET) isoharmonic etude (41-TET) without difference tone - Richie Greene isoharmonic etude (41-TET) with difference...
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We have regular guest Tolgahan Çoğulu back to discuss upcoming projects such as collaboration with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (including their secret new microtonal guitar, sheet music transcription), classical/flamenco guitar ideas, the new fretlet guitar design, microtonal bends on electric guitar, and the Anatonlian rock scale. King Gizzard uses four scales, one of them being F sharp Husayni. The prize for the upcoming 9th International Microtonal Guitar Competition is… an adjustable microtonal guitar! Be sure to check out the Microtonal Guitar Method book, the competition, and...
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Check out our episode with iconoclastic guitar legend Dave Fiuczynski. He wields a double neck fretless guitar, and plays a bunch of cool microtonal riffage for us! We talked about two tracks from “Flam! Bam! Pan-Asian Microjam!” and two from “Mikrojazz.” In “Flam,” there are a variety of compositional methods used, and the vocabulary is almost entirely derived from motivic bird calls. The uirapuru call in particular has an extremely distinctive contour. Many of these works express a desire for exploring continuums and representing sophisticated Eastern articulations. We also...
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This huge episode features three vastly different conversations, each with prominent members of a respective microtonal music discord. (1) Xenharmonic Alliance (ground, anomaly, xenoindex, Frédéric Gagné, HEHEHE I AM A SUPAHSTAR SAGA) Hyperspace Odyssey [21edo] - from Adxenture EP Serendipitous Arrival [26edo] - from Adxenture EP Liminal City Escalators [17edo and/or 18edo] - from Gone Too Deep EP Six Macrotonal Etudes for Electronic Music Media (8 NOTES) Outro/Transition: Into the Spoogalaxy [15edo, 17-tone tempered 2.3.7.29 ternary scale] (2) Xendergarten (ground, Userminusone, tristan...
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Xenharmonic black metal project Melopœia consists of Brian Leong, Jon Lervold, and Dave Tremblay. Their albums are inspired by J.R.R. Tolkein, and features his direct text both sung, and by mapping the letters of the text to different notes of 26-tone equal temperament. Their latest album utilizing this is “Valaquenta,” be sure to catch the latest track “Varda” which we discuss and play in the episode! Their earlier album, “Ainulindalë,” used the same method of starting the album and then uploading tracks one at a time as completed. Intro: Melopœia - Varda...
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Chat about contemporary music, composition, and just intonation with us in this theoretically adventurous and wide ranging episode. Christopher Otto, composer and violinist, works with the JACK quartet, a group that has played the music of such individuals as John Zorn, Tristan Perich, Cenk Ergün, Tyshawn Sorey, Catherine Lamb, Georg Frederich Haas, Dan Trueman, and many, many, more. Intro: Christopher Otto (jack quartet) rag’sma Catherine Lamb - divisio spiralis (mvt. II) Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 (storm section low notes) Vicente Atria - Seasons Will Pass You By Christopher Otto...
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Take a magical tour with us through some of Noah Dean Jordan’s microtonal instruments (including the requinto), including improvised performances! Be sure to check out the “Noah Dean Jordan” account on Bandcamp as well as the “Nueva Armonica” account! Intro: I Was Once a River (Rock Creek II) Outro: I Was Once a River (Te Quiero Verde) Check out Noah’s work on the requinto: Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically) Follow Subscribe RSS: iTunes: … Spotify: … Stitcher: Twitter: ...
info_outlineToday’s episode celebrates the culmination of a years-long project with Matthew Sheeran, widely celebrated composer, orchestrator, and arranger. The album we’ve been working on is called “Acoustic Microtonal,” and it is a recording of Easley Blackwood’s Twelve Microtonal Etudes using acoustic instruments, playing monophonic lines in isolation and then being re-tuned using Melodyne. Matthew commissioned the Budapest Scoring Orchestra to achieve this huge compositional feat. Check out our episode here for the largest dive into the notes and chords behind the music, and be sure to check out the full album in all its glory!
The album:
https://cedillerecords.lnk.to/3019
Episode music:
Intro: Blackwood – 23 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Hesangasang score)
Blackwood – 16 notes (original)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Blackwood – 17 notes (12-TET scordatura)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Vicentino – Madonna il poco dolce (Jonathan Wilde version)
Blackwood – 13 notes (original)
Blackwood – 13 notes (12-TET version with diminished 3rd)
Blackwood – 14 notes (original)
Poulenc – Sextet for piano and winds
Blackwood – 14 notes (original)
Blackwood – 14 notes (12-TET version)
Blackwood – 14 notes (original)
Blackwood – 14 notes (Stephen Malinowski video clip)
Blackwood – 14 notes (12-TET version)
Blackwood – 15 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – Suite for 15 tone guitar
Stephen Weigel – open guitar chords in 15 video clip
Blackwood – 15 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Stephen Weigel – What if we played EB’s 15 note etude in 12 video clip
Blackwood – 16 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 17 notes (original)
Blackwood – 18 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 18 notes (isolated flute in Matthew Sheeran version)
Stravinsky – The Firebird Suite (Dance of King Kaschei)
Blackwood – 18 notes (original)
Blackwood – 19 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 19 notes (original)
Blackwood – 20 notes (original)
Henri Duparc – La vie antérieure
Blackwood – 20 notes (original)
Blackwood – 21 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 21 notes (12-TET version with Hendrix chord)
Blackwood – 21 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 22 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 23 notes (original)
Blackwood – 23 notes (Matthew Sheeran Kontakt arrangement – different orchestration)
Blackwood – 23 notes (isolated harp in Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 14 notes (12-TET version)
Blackwood – 14 notes (Matthew Sheeran version – comparing 12 and 14)
Blackwood – 23 notes (12-TET version)
Blackwood – 23 notes (Matthew Sheeran version – comparing 12 and 23)
Blackwood – 19 notes (Matthew Sheeran version cello ending)
Blackwood – 24 notes (original)
Blackwood – 24 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Stephen Weigel – 11 notes (original)
Stephen Weigel – 11 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Stephen Weigel – 7 notes (Matthew Sheeran Kontakt arrangement)
Blackwood – 15 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Stephen Weigel – keyboard fingering for 11-TET
Stephen Weigel – 11 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Stephen Weigel – 7 notes (original)
Stephen Weigel – 7 notes (Matthew Sheeran Kontakt arrangement)
Blackwood – 18 notes (original)
Stephen Weigel – Zones of Lasting Novelty (9-TET)
Ben Johnston – String quartet No. 7 (guide tracks only)
Blackwood – Gulliver’s Travels (23-TET)
Matthew Sheeran – Lyres of Ur (7-TET)
Outro: Blackwood – 17 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Matthew’s stuff:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7401095/
https://www.youtube.com/@matthewsheeran1989/videos
https://soundcloud.com/user698273169
https://smatalent.com/matt-sheeran/
Microtonal Etudes and Macrotonal Etudes:
https://www.cedillerecords.org/albums/easley-blackwood-microtonal/
https://stephenweigel.bandcamp.com/album/six-macrotonal-etudes-for-electronic-music-media
Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically)
https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen
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