User Manual

Global Mode
MAIN2 Page
12-9
Intonation Map
Most modern western music uses what is known as equal temperament. is means that
the interval between each semitone of the 12 tone octave is precisely the same as every other
semitone.
However, many dierent intonation intervals have evolved over the centuries and across
cultures and instruments, so equal temperament will not sound appropriate for certain styles
of music. e Forte supplies you with 18 dierent factory intonation maps which are useful
for a range of dierent styles. You can further customize each map or create your own by
editing a map (see Editing Intonation Maps below.) Each of these maps denes dierent
intervals between each of the semitones in a single octave (used for all octaves) by setting
pitch osets for each note in cents.
Like many instruments before the adaptation of equal temperament, most of these
intonation maps were designed to sound best in one specic key. ough some may have
historically been in a dierent key, all of the Forte’s factory intonation maps are set to root
note C by default. You can change the root key of the current intonation map by using the
Int.Key parameter (see the Intonation Key (Int.Key) section below.)
0 None No intonation map is used, intonation is equal.
1 Equal No detuning of any intervals. The standard for modern western music.
2 Just
Tunings are dened based on the ratios of the frequencies between
intervals. The original tuning of Classical European music.
3 Just/b7th Similar to Just, but with the Dominant 7th atted an additional 15 cents.
4 Harmonic The perfect 4th, Tritone, and Dominant 7th are heavily atted.
5 JustHarm Approximation of a historical intonation.
6 Werkmeister
Named for its inventor, Andreas Werkmeister, it was developed to enable
transposition with less dissonance than classic equal temperament.
7 1/5thComma Approximation of a historical intonation based on the comma system.
8 1/4thComma Approximation of a historical intonation based on the comma system.
9 IndianRaga Based on the tunings for traditional Indian music.
10 Arabic Oriented toward the tunings of Mid-Eastern music.
11 BaliJava1 Based on the pentatonic scale of Balinese and Javanese music.
12 BaliJava2 A variation on BaliJava1, slightly more subtle overall.
13 BaliJava3 A more extreme variation.
14 Tibetan Based on the Chinese pentatonic scale.
15 Carlos A
Developed by Wendy Carlos, an innovator in microtonal tunings, this
intonation map ats each interval increasingly, resulting in an octave with
quarter-tone intervals.
16 Pyth/aug4
This is a Pythagorean tuning, based on the Greek pentatonic scale. The
tritone is 12 cents sharp.
17 Pyth/dim5
This is a Pythagorean tuning, based on the Greek pentatonic scale. The
tritone is 12 cents at.
18 EastMed Eastern Mediterranean. The Major 3rd and Major 7th are at by 50 cents.