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8. KEY (ROOT NOTE) SELECT
The KEY knob sets the root note of the scale you are playing. Turn the KEY knob and the display will
show a letter and a number, i.e. D 4. The letter will change as you turn. It will display the twelve notes
of the Western scale, with a decimal to indicate sharps:
C C. D D. E F F. G G. A A. B
This note will always play at the nearest and farthest points on the right sensor. For instance, if you set
KEY to "F.", then the nearest and farthest notes your right hand can find will always be F-Sharps. Which
F-Sharps depends on the OCTAvE NEAR and OCTAvE FAR settings.
9. SCALE (MODE) SELECT
The SCALE knob selects from one of a dozen pre-programmed scales, or modes. These scales are listed
on a label on the bottom of your Altura for easy reference. We have selected a variety of common and
not-so-common scales, including a couple of pentatonic scales popular with guitarists. We have also
included the Chromatic scale, which includes all twelve notes in the Western scale.
A "scale" is defined by the intervals between adjacent notes as you make your way up an octave from
one root note to the next. The following table describes the interval formulae we used in programming
the Altura. You can change this easily to add your own scale by hacking the open-source software. See
"Programming the Altura", below.
MODE
Ionian (Major)
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Aeolian (Natural Minor)
Locrian
Harmonic Minor
Major Pentatonic
Minor Pentatonic
Whole Tone
Chromatic
You cannot program non-Western pitches with the Altura. Each key on the piano has its own standard
MIDI number, ranging from 1 – 127. The pitches associated with each is a universal standard. To detune
these frequencies to match non-Western music can only be done inside a synthesizer or sometimes with
intermediate control software. It's probably easiest to change with "soft-synths": synthesizers that only
exist as software in your computer.
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