MIDI has intrinsic limitations that have held back the development of flexible microtunable systems. I evaluate previous solutions and address the problem of pervasive microtuning in MIDI networks within the context of the general weaknesses and underusage of MIDI technology. I then describe my prototyped and patent-pending solution called U-Tune, which involves implementing pervasive microtuning over a MIDI network.
Web Extra: The following audio files are recording from a synthesizer using U-Tune for real-time microtuning. All the files are recorded from a synthesizer using U-Tune for realtime microtuning.
Fourinone.wav is a scale of quarter-tones from D to E dividing the whole tone into four intervals.
Here are two more files of the beginning of a popular theme used in Egyptian wedding parties, but this one is used as a wedding song.
Oshakelnabiorig.wav is the melody as it should sound with 3/4 tone intervals. The scale used in this song is a classic Arabic music scale, called Huzam.
Oshakelnabisemi.wav is the same melody when 3/4 tone intervals are unavailable. The resulting scale is a very different one. Although the melody wouldn't sound as harsh and bad as the previsous example when played in a different scale, still, if you're a paid musician you're guaranteed to have eggs and tomatoes thrown on you if you play it this way.
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