Tuning System Overhaul

Hi!

 

A couple things: as a few of you may know, logic uses "*.scl" files to incorporate different tuning systems. (Such as Werckmeister, Monochord, fractional comma, etc.)

 

After snooping around the forum I've noticed that there used to be an external folder within Audio Music Apps specifically dedicated to housing all of these tuning systems in their "*.scl" format. It seems that around 10.4 this folder has been relocated to within the Logic Pro X application.

 

I actually think this was good move on apple's end. Mostly.

 

Since there are already a lot of different libraries and things going on within the AMA folder, I can see why it might make sense to remove this for de-cluttering, so you're not barraged with a bunch of factory data that isn't prevalent to most people's tastes or writing. It also prevents the unsuspecting user from accidentally deleting something that they might want later on down the road. This does leave us with a problem, however... there is no way for the user to add custom tuning files without directly modifying the Logic Pro X app.

 

Therefore, I propose a couple things: Add the folder back, but not by default. Leave the spot empty until the user chooses to add their own custom tunings. This could be done straight from the tuning preferences, either have a little plus button where a user can select a tuning to add to the list by selecting from a folder (if one hasn't been created, automatically create one to store all the custom ones to AMA>Tuning Tables) or have there be a section in preferences allowing the user to select a folder to store the files.

 

For me, the former seems to make a little more sense, as there isn't quite the perfect place to put a folder destination selector in the main preferences (maybe under General>MIDI would work?), and it wouldn't get so cramped if all that was added to the GUI was just a little plus button like so:

It doesn't have to be right there ofc, I'm not exactly the best GUI designer, but thats sort of the idea – something not too obtrusive but there and easily accessible.

 

Of course logic comes equipped with more than enough tunings (as it tends to do with most things: loops, plugins, sampler instruments, etc.), but there are those of us who always like to add more, expand, and experiment. And besides, since third-party has become an ever-growing part of the way we produce and create music, I think our classy DAW deserves a chance to lead the way into the future of xenharmonic music by giving us that additional level of freedom. Which leads me to my next point:

 

This:

 

I know that there probably isn't a magical and intuitive Xenharmonic piano roll or visualization method for writing non-12-tone music hiding up the dev team's sleeves, but that's okay. The piano roll we have is already quite good, and I don't mind moving mislabeled notes up or down a piano role if it means that I have an easy way to divide my octave into 19 even (or uneven) parts (or however many parts). Even just white lines or something, I get that logic is generally pretty polished compared to most of the other DAWs but there could be a solution like removing note labels (and switching to midi note numbers) and making just all one color keys up the roll. That would still look and feel clean, and allow the division without misrepresented data.

 

With MIDI 2.0 coming maybe this could be something that capitalizes on the new standard, as I know the companies making the expressive midi controllers (Like ROLI and Linn) already offer an intuitive hardware solution to making microtonal music tangible and possible, and I really want this to be the DAW that gets it right or at least started right.

 

Please destroy my ideas to pieces with criticism and suggestions.

...

Therefore, I propose a couple things: Add the folder back, but not by default. Leave the spot empty until the user chooses to add their own custom tunings. This could be done straight from the tuning preferences, either have a little plus button where a user can select a tuning to add to the list by selecting from a folder (if one hasn't been created, automatically create one to store all the custom ones to AMA>Tuning Tables) or have there be a section in preferences allowing the user to select a folder to store the files.

+1 to add a distinct user tuning folder with a dedicated (dynamically sizing) dropdown menu to select custom or imported scales.

BTW, what is AMA?

 

For me, the former seems to make a little more sense, as there isn't quite the perfect place to put a folder destination selector in the main preferences (maybe under General>MIDI would work?), and it wouldn't get so cramped if all that was added to the GUI was just a little plus button like so:

 

It doesn't have to be right there ofc, I'm not exactly the best GUI designer, but thats sort of the idea – something not too obtrusive but there and easily accessible.

I think for clarity purpose, logically that feature should be located in a Tuning project settings, as it is something pertaining to a project rather than a global parameter (like preferences are meant to be). However, since there are no other tuning related project settings, it would be reasonable to locate it in the Tuning preferences (with all the other Logic tunings parameters).

 

Of course logic comes equipped with more than enough tunings (as it tends to do with most things: loops, plugins, sampler instruments, etc.), but there are those of us who always like to add more, expand, and experiment. And besides, since third-party has become an ever-growing part of the way we produce and create music, I think our classy DAW deserves a chance to lead the way into the future of xenharmonic music by giving us that additional level of freedom.

It would be a good thing indeed that Logic would expand its tuning interval capabilities to higher than 100cents... Will we see that some day?

Another thing I'd love see implemented, is a Tuning Global track.

 

I know that there probably isn't a magical and intuitive Xenharmonic piano roll or visualization method for writing non-12-tone music hiding up the dev team's sleeves, but that's okay. The piano roll we have is already quite good, and I don't mind moving mislabeled notes up or down a piano role if it means that I have an easy way to divide my octave into 19 even (or uneven) parts (or however many parts). Even just white lines or something, I get that logic is generally pretty polished compared to most of the other DAWs but there could be a solution like removing note labels (and switching to midi note numbers) and making just all one color keys up the roll. That would still look and feel clean, and allow the division without misrepresented data.

Have you tried customising the Step Editor. Not exactly the Piano Roll, but definitely it offers some interesting customization features.

 

With MIDI 2.0 coming maybe this could be something that capitalizes on the new standard, as I know the companies making the expressive midi controllers (Like ROLI and Linn) already offer an intuitive hardware solution to making microtonal music tangible and possible, and I really want this to be the DAW that gets it right or at least started right.

What lies ahead only promises to be enticing...

 

Please destroy my ideas to pieces with criticism and suggestions.

Hoping not have massacred too much your well crafted post...

+1 to add a distinct user tuning folder with a dedicated (dynamically sizing) dropdown menu to select custom or imported scales.

BTW, what is AMA?

 

AMA was just an abbreviation there for Audio Music Apps (Folder) lol, sorry

 

It would be a good thing indeed that Logic would expand its tuning interval capabilities to higher than 100cents... Will we see that some day?

Another thing I'd love see implemented, is a Tuning Global track.

 

Absolutely! Even just being able to shift the project's cent value in a global track would be a good start.

 

Have you tried customising the Step Editor. Not exactly the Piano Roll, but definitely it offers some interesting customization features.

 

This is almost exactly what I would want the piano roll to eventually function like, but a little bit more automated than the step editor is now. Or maybe keep the piano roll like it is and have the step editor "step in" and fill the role whenever logic knows a non-12-tone scale appears.

 

Hoping not have massacred too much your well crafted post...

 

Not at all, thank you so much for the input. I mostly wish to stir the community dialectic and discourse.