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Intonation
Most modern western music uses what is known as equal temperament. This means that the
interval between each semitone of the 12‐tone octave is precisely the same as every other
semitone. However, many different intonation intervals have evolved over the centuries and
across cultures and instruments, so equal temperament will not sound appropriate for certain
styles of music. The PC3K supplies you with 17 different factory intonation maps which are
useful for a range of different styles. By changing the value for this parameter, you select from
among the intonation maps stored in the PC3K's memory. You can further customize each map
or create your own by editing a map (see Editing Intonation Maps below.) Each of these maps
defines different intervals between each of the semitones in a single octave (used for all octaves)
by setting pitch offsets for each note in cents.
Scroll through the list of Intonation maps, and listen for the differences between semitones.
Some of the intervals between semitones may be quite different from equal temperament, but
you'll notice that all notes are precisely tuned with notes that are an octave apart. This is because
the intonation maps set the intervals within a single octave, and apply those intervals to each
octave.
Like many instruments before the adaptation of equal temperament, most of these intonation
maps were designed to sound best in one specific key. Though some may have historically been
in a different key, all of the PC3Ks factory intonation maps are set to root note C by default. You
can change the root key of the current intonation map by using the Int.Key parameter (see the
Intonation Key (Int.Key) section below.)
List and Description of Intonation Maps
0 None
1 Equal
2 Classic Just
3 Just Flat 7th
4 Harmonic
5 Just Harmonic
6 Werkmeister
7 1/5th Comma
8 1/4th Comma
9 Indian Raga
10 Arabic
11 BaliJava1
12 BaliJava2
13 BaliJava3
14 Tibetan
15 CarlosAlpha
16 Pyth/aug4
17 Pyth/dim5
No intonation map is used, intonation is equal but cannot be edited.
No detuning of any intervals. The standard for modern western music.
Tunings are defined based on the ratios of the frequencies between intervals.
The original tuning of Classical European music.
Similar to classic Just, but with the Dominant 7th flatted an additional 15 cents.
The perfect 4th, Tritone, and Dominant 7th are heavily flatted.
Approximation of a historical intonation.
Named for its inventor, Andreas Werkmeister. It's fairly close to equal
temperament, and was developed to enable transposition with less dissonance.
Approximation of a historical intonation based on the comma system.
Approximation of a historical intonation based on the comma system.
Based on the tunings for traditional Indian music.
Oriented toward the tunings of Mid-Eastern music.
Based on the pentatonic scale of Balinese and Javanese music.
A variation on 1Bali/Java, slightly more subtle overall.
A more extreme variation.
Based on the Chinese pentatonic scale.
Developed by Wendy Carlos, an innovator in microtonal tunings, this intonation
map flats each interval increasingly, resulting in an octave with quarter-tone
intervals.
This is a Pythagorean tuning, based on the Greek pentatonic scale. The tritone
is 12 cents sharp.
This is a Pythagorean tuning, based on the Greek pentatonic scale. The tritone
is 12 cents flat.
Master Mode
MAPS
11-7
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