Intervallic Prism, by Pixel Archipelago

Intervallic Prism

by Pixel Archipelago

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1.	Red 05:30	info	buy track
2.	Orange 07:02	info	buy track
3.	Yellow 05:47	info	buy track
4.	Green 05:57	info	buy track
5.	Blue 08:52	info	buy track
6.	Indigo 08:50	info	buy track
7.	Violet 08:35	info	buy track

about

This album was recorded on a nylon-string Kite guitar, which is a 6-string guitar fretted to 41 equal divisions of the double-octave, i.e. every other note of 41edo. The instrument was fretted using cable ties, and I made a slight modification to the design by "offsetting" the frets by one degree of 41edo, which makes more consonances relative to open strings available lower down on the neck. I used a variety of different open-string tunings, which are given in the "Info" section of each track. On some songs I effectively removed the fretting offset by using a capo behind the first fret.

Each track explores some different harmonic terrain, sometimes focusing more on 5- and 7-limit harmony, sometimes extending up into the 11- and 13-limit, sometimes going as far as the 19-limit. Some tracks focus on diatonic-like scales, others on the harmonic series, and a few ignore "scale" entirely and just freely move around between all available pitches.

None of these tunings, nor the fretting offset approach, are necessarily recommended by the instrument's inventor; an isomorphic tuning where all strings are tuned in consecutive 5-limit major or minor 3rds is what is recommended. However, my playing style relies heavily on open strings and a static playing position, and does not fit well with the isomorphic approach. Thankfully changing tunings is easy, and I found that by varying open-string tunings, it's possible to drastically change the sonic possibilities of the instrument.

Out of all the open tunings I tried, the approximation to a 3:4:5:7:9:11 chord was my favorite. This tuning makes it very easy to access a wide range of harmonic series barre chords, and makes it quite easy to play melodies based on an 8:9:10:11:13:14:15:16:17:19:21 section of the harmonic series. The 5-limit tunings are fun, but 5-limit music sounds basically just as good in 19edo to my ears; what excites me is having accurately-intoned 19-limit harmony available on an instrument that is as ergonomic as my 21edo guitar. It's really a remarkable instrument and I'm just barely scratching the surface of its possibilities here!

To learn more, visit tallkite.com.

credits

released June 2, 2020

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about

Pixel Archipelago Portland, Oregon

Soothingly discombobulating broken lullabies and fragmented mantras.

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