Graph of Frequency Distribution

The Spiral Scales Between Octaves

528Hz down to 264Hz:



528Hz up to 1056Hz:



264Hz down to 132Hz (and as it relates to 528Hz):



1056Hz up to 2112Hz (and as it relates to 528Hz):



132Hz down to 66Hz (and as it relates to 528Hz):



66Hz down to 33Hz (and as it relates to 528Hz):



The system from 33Hz up to 2112Hz w/ octaves of 528Hz accented:

New "musical" example of 53-note system

Here is a new, more musical example of the 53-note system, focusing on the relationship of notes pertaining to 528Hz and its octaves.

New expansions of Tuning System/Ideas

As more music is getting composed using this tuning, I am realizing the imperfection of the system in the sense that the leap between tones is too great especially as it gets higher, therefore, I came up with a new expansion of the system. Taking recursive 'golden-point' frequencies between the tones of 13-tone original system to produce the following:



However, when it gets to the 528Hz region, the intervals are so small that it becomes impractical as can be seen in the chart below.

Because of this, and the growing desire to include octaves in the system, I decided to use the same recursive golden-point frequency idea, only now between octaves of 528Hz, starting from 33Hz going up to 2112Hz with increasing Fibonacci numbers of golden-point 'betweens' as the octaves get higher to produce:



And here is the 'golden additive synth' playing through the new system:

New Operator Instrument Using System & New Piece Coming Soon!

Here is an instrument that was built in Ableton Live 9 Suite, using Ableton's Operator to create a dynamic instrument with the intention of doing sound design effectively & uniquely inside of Ableton. This as well as some other instruments, made using samplers (containing samples of the csound synths previously built) are being used in a new piece currently under construction, a collaborative work, featuring good friend and electronic musician extraordinaire Moduloktopus (https://soundcloud.com/modulok).

Interesting video relating to research & project

Pretty nice video, a bit 'much', but inspiring and relates to the ultimate goals and ideals of this research & project.

"The Tone"

Here is the central frequency of my system and research, 528Hz, the 6th pitch in the ancient solfeggio scale, the "miracle" frequency. There is substantial evidence that:

1. The frequency has the ability to repair DNA, contemporary genetic biochemists use this frequency to repair broken DNA

2. This is the frequency that chlorophyll, the very important biomolecule in plants and algae, is resonates at.

3. It is a central resonating frequency in our Sun.

Here it is played using a combination between a scanned synthesis csound instrument I developed using the golden ratio as parameters for damping, initial mass, initial velocity and more, as well as a toroidal matrix to connect amplitude impulses, in addition to the additive synth I developed, again in csound, using powers of phi, the golden ratio, to define harmonics.




And is an image of what the csound file for the scanned instrument looks like:

Using tuning system w/ 'golden' additive synth & scanned synthesis focus in a Piece

Here is my latest work using the tuning system, focusing on the 'golden' additive synth I built as well as several scanned synthesis instruments, entitled "Tahabdra".

The "Golden" Additive Synth

Below is the "Golden" Additive Synth (shown using Sublime Text as text editor & Takahiko Tshuchiya's csound syntax highlighter). The additive synth uses six oscillators to generate harmonic content based off the tuning system itself in the sense of using powers of phi to generate harmonics. In addition, the synth uses fibonacci numbers for ratios and lfo parameters as well as a phase offset of the inverse of Phi, 0.61803398875, divided by 6 = 0.10300567; all to make a more dynamic spectrum. Many thanks to Paul Batchelor for his help with this.

And here is the synth playing the 13 tones of my tuning system.

Description of Complete Scale Thus Far...

So, at this point, I have a pretty good idea of what 'the scale' is....

13 tones - with a center, root frequency of 528Hz, with 5 tones below, each 833.09 cents between each other, and 7 tones above, with 833.09 cents between each - making the system as follows (from low to high, in Hz):

47.610, 77.034, 124.644, 201.678, 326.322, 528, 854.322, 1382.322, 2236.644, 3618.966, 5855.610, 9474.576, 15330.185

Here is an audio example of the scale:

Some Inspiration and Interesting Items....

1. Video about ancient scales, solfeggio tones, golden ratio scales, 12-tET dissonance, The Great Pyramid (though dismisses 528Hz...):





2. Very nice article & video about heliospheric sonification - making music from data of the sun. Possible field to move into for master's degree.... -> What Does The Sun Sound Like?

Composers/Scales/Tunings To Look Into More?

1. Cameron Bobro & his multiple phi-related scales

2. Aaron Hunt  & his non-octave phi-based scale

Honorable mention/possibly look more into: Jacky Ligon and his phi-based scales

Some experiments using 528Hz & golden ratio intervals

Here we have 528Hz, and its lower golden ratio intervallic partner 326Hz - these two tones are 833.09 cents apart - the golden ratio in musical terms. Pure sine waves computed&generated in Csound and then recorded into Ableton Live 9 suite:



Next, we have 528Hz, and its upper golden ratio intervallic partner 854Hz - these two tones are 833.09 cents apart - again, the golden ratio in musical terms. Pure sine waves computed&generated in Csound and then recorded into Ableton Live 9 suite:



Now, let's take a look at a triad w/ both intervals as golden ratios (833.09 cents), above and below 528Hz, making the 3 notes being sounded - 326Hz+528Hz+854Hz:



Lastly, we have a triad w/ 528Hz as the root and the two other notes having golden ratios (833.09 cents) between them. Resulting in the tones 528Hz+854Hz+1382Hz:

Etude/Sketch 1

Here is my first etude/sketch using 528Hz as a central frequency and using the Bohlen 833 cents scale used with it. The implementation and source sound was in Csound then further processed, with effects added in Ableton Live (9 suite).

A few screenshots of the work done thus far....

The Csound '.csd' file implementing the alternate tuning - has ability to switch between Bohlen-Pierce chromactic scale and Bohlen 833 cents scale(s)....message me if you would like the actual .csd file.

A screen shot of the ableton live session, to make 'Etude/Sketch 1'

Bohlen 833 Cents Scales

Here is an implementation of the Bohlen 833 11-step scale in Csound (being recorded into Ableton Live w/ convolution reverb):


...And here is an implementation of the Bohlen 833 16-step scale done in the same way...

Why 528Hz is being chosen as 'base' frequency for project

Here is a pretty good link explaining why I have chosen to use 528Hz, at least at first, as the base frequency for this project -> http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/music-for-health-dna-repair/#axzz3DMFYHU3h

...and this: http://patch.com/new-york/nyack/528hz--dna-repair--art-and-science-of-restorative-frequencies#.VBZ5hC5dWrY

Highlights include:

1. Genetic biochemists use this frequency to repair human DNA, which appears to influence the water molecules around the DNA helix, bringing about healing effects.

2. Dr. Masuro Emoto has photographed water molecules being affected by different frequencies, 528Hz brings about an impressive hexagonal crystal-shaped result.

3. Dr. Leonard Horowitz, Harvard graduated public health expert, has claimed human cells use DNA as 'antennae' and that 528Hz has immense health benefits.

What Is It About Music?

          Music, "the art of the Muses", as is the Greek derivation of the word, is so important to humanity, to life, to the Universe. I confidently believe it always has been and always will be. For me, it's been a method (the best method I've come across I might add) to express my true self, to channel my emotions (both positive and negative), and guide my intensity in a productive way. I love music, in so many ways that it's hard to put all thoughts down in writing. Whether it be jazz, classical, rock, hiphop, afro-cuban, brazilian, Indian, electronic, etc., if there is something unique about it, if there is something that moves my soul, and I feel alive from the musical experience. I feel music has evolved me as a life form. Music has taught me how to be more compassionate, sensitive, aware, and so much more. Music has healed me, mentally, spiritually, and because I primarily play such a physically demanding instrument (drumset), music has kept me in shape physically as well. Whenever I have a bad day or feeling down, if I sit down and play drums for a while, I am transformed into a chilled out, happy person. Whenever I get an interesting electronic sound happening, let alone an entire piece, I get so excited and get overjoyed at the sonic sculpture-making taking place. And processing these sounds, both acoustic and electronic, in interesting ways, I am enthralled in the ear candy that results. I can honestly say music has saved my life, multiple times, in multiple ways. I love how music makes us dance, makes us sing, brings people together - and I think we, as a species, are only beginning to graze the surface of the energy and power music encapsulates.
          This directed study project is an exploration of bringing all of these concepts to a new level. We all know music has the power to heal/improve conditions mentally and spiritually. I feel like I have personally experienced this to the highest degree possible. Above, I also touched on the sense of the physical aspect as well in terms of 'staying in shape' by performing music, which typically exerts a good deal of physical energy, but I truly think music can heal/improve us on a much more fundamental physiological level. There has been tests/experiments done regarding certain frequencies or tones killing cancer cells, with some success, but music, or sound, therapy has yet to be a "go-to" cure for cancer. However, science has proven that music releases dopamine, the "happiness" neurotransmitter. In addition, music has been proven to be able to reduce blood pressure, accelerate post-stroke recovery, relieve anxiety and depression, and boost the immune system, among a slew of other physiological benefits. This project is not a clinical trial/experiment of how different frequencies/tones have physiological benefits, it is my creative/artistic development of gained knowledge along with intuition to produce a new, innovative means of music composition and performance. It is my hope that a biologist or music therapist, will do a clinical trial/experiment with my system, showing that it does, in fact, accelerate cellular development, improve genetic functions, and the like - in this way, I hope to give back to Music what she has given me, saving and improving life.

An Interesting & Informative Paper....

This paper is about microtonality and it's relationship with how people have used it throughout history, and how it's effected the music of today...and briefly mentions the Bohlen 833 cents 'phi' scale.

Check it out! -> https://www.academia.edu/6811911/Microtonal_Music_and_its_Relationship_to_Historical_Practice

Flow Chart of Phase 1 of Project

Project Abstraction

Abstraction for EP-491 Project:

            The main objective of this project is to provide a live music experience, which not only gets audiences dancing and having fun, but also provides vibrational healing, through the use of 'healing' frequencies, produced electronically, that will physiologically benefit people at a cellular and molecular level. 

Specifically, I will be implementing an alternate tuning system, which I have been developing, more or less thinking about, for about two years now. This tuning system is based off a healing frequency, as of this point 528Hz seems to be the best to use. However, I will be continuing to search for others, specifically looking for substantial research showing a frequency's potential to physiologically heal cells, DNA, etc. Using this “base” frequency, the Bohlen 833 cents scale will be applied to establish a range of frequencies to use for melody notes and chords. 

I will then implement this system, using Csound and Max/MSP and in conjunction with Ableton Live, produce a Csound4Live instrument that will take the audio output from an analog instrument (primarily focused on acoustic drums, but also hoping to apply strings, horns, and vocals), through use of a microphone and output electronic melodic and harmonic content that is algorithmically generated, using synthesis & processing in Csound as well as additional processing in Ableton.

Once this software system is in place, the composition phase of the project will ensue, and a series of songs will be written and arranged, utilizing a vast array of instruments going through this system, focused on creating a balance between the live instruments and the algorithmically generated electronic components. 

If there is still time between the composing phase of the project and the final presentation of the project (a live performance, featuring the system in realtime), I plan on developing a supplementary system, taking the data from the tuning system, through Ableton's API and sending it via OSC to a digital canvas which will display the data visually and then, with a visual artist, painting on the digital canvas, sending OSC back to the audio system, generating further chordal and melodic content (in the tuning system described above), a seamless audio+visual multimedia experience will result. However, this might be viewed more as an extension for the future development of this project, and is not the main objective. However, there is strong desire to include this supplementary system in the final presentation of the project.

Welcome to Josh Weinberg's EP-491 Directed Study Blog!

Welcome! 

This is where I, Josh Weinberg, will be posting about my development, inspiration, and resources as they relate to my final Berklee electronic production and design project! Hope you enjoy!