March 2021 Tonalibus Update

This March 2021 Tonalibus, Spiritualibus, and Fidibus update presents an overview of new sound samples including some audio highlights. Then, along with quoting ancient Chinese wisdom, it refers to a clarification of Tonalibus purpose. Finally it presents some news on Fidibus shop offerings and two new photos. But to start, recent weeks brought a flurry of well over twenty new sound samples, including the integration of three further tonalities, as touched on below.

New sound samples (and tonalities)

First of all, a few new sound sample highlights

“Flowing Upward” — 8-string guitar — 13:24 soundscape — modulation path: PentaMin/PentaEol, Phrygian, ReachMin (alternate possibility: PhrygReach), ReachBal, MajReach (alternate possibility: ReachMaj), Ionian, and a touch of PentaProLa/PentaIon
“Over- and Under-Tone Presents” — triple fujara and tenor recorder — 2:31
“ReachUpMix with the Four Corners of the Sound Temple” — 8-string guitar and four gongs — 8:23 — contains low sounds

The new, growing Spring 2021 collection includes so far

  • “Flowing Upward” — calm, uplifting modulation path — 13:24 — 8-string guitar — audio above
  • “A Touch of Grace” — 3:52 — fretted vichitra veena
  • “Plain Guggis Chirping” — 3:02 — 7-sting guitar with elongated bridge
  • “Over- and Under-Tone Presents” — 2:31 — triple fujara and tenor recorder — audio above
  • “First Baby Angel Steps” — 1:40 — double-strung harp

The Winter 2020-2021 collection concluded with

  • “Ionian Prayer in Gratitude for the Golden Heart” — 4:44 — 8-string guitar
  • “ReachUpMix with the Four Corners of the Sound Temple” — 8:23 — 8-string guitar and four gongs — audio above

New Cooperation 2021 sound sample

  • “Waves Concluding a Sound Temple Visit” — 1:52 — breathing voice waves by Christina Braun — 8-string guitar, crotales, and a touch of large gong by Ulrico

New tonality-specific sound samples and three additional tonalities

Three additional Reach heptatonalities found their way into the Tonalibus catalogue as sufficiently harmonious, though somewhat challenging to use. This brought about the subdivision between fully and partially anchored Reach tonalities. The distinguishing characteristic of the new additions is the shifted up Reach step in their lower tetrachord along with the lowered initial step (minor second).

  • LoReachUp, LoReachUpMin, and LoReachUpMix — two scale and two short sound samples for each of these newly integrated, partially anchored Reach heptatonalities
  • PentaMin / PentaEol — 1:02 — additional short sound sample, calm with one blue touch
  • Phrygian — 2:36 and 3:50 — two additional sound samples, rhythmic and calm
  • PentaProLa / PentaIon — 0:58 and 1:17 — two additional short sound samples, rhythmic and calm
IMG_3961 xc compd - March 2021 Tonalibus Update
Winter birch welcoming and leaning into the winds announcing the coming of spring — March 2021 — Grächwil / Meikirch

Tonalibus purpose clarification

“A being receives true value by the fact that it is able to shine in its own light as a result of its contact with the depths of the fundamental essence of existence. … Genuine light does not first need the recognition of people, indeed it is almost ashamed of its radiance.”
— from the introduction of the
Tao Te Ching 道德经 by Lao Tzu (1972 Diederichs edition, p. 20)

The purpose of Tonalibus is expressed on the Start page. Now this has been expanded with a link to a clarification of purpose. Thus, this clarification expresses that I, Ulrico, really do not want to pursue any egocentric goals. But, with Tonalibus, I simply hope and aim to provide a useful reference of tonalities and to potentially inspire and motivate you to look at and work in your own individual ways with sound and harmony, anchored in spiritual freedom.

Fidibus shop news

At this time, the offerings of the Fidibus shop have been scaled back. Thus, open mini-concert sessions are offered sporadically for specific dates, no longer on a regular basis. Further, the offers of individual sound mantra attunements and Tonalibus exploration courses are on hold for now. Besides some personal considerations, the main reason for this is to free energy and time for ongoing Tonalibus research efforts. Therefore, the Fidibus Shop currently has two offers:

The CD “A Symphony of Life and Love” — However, CD orders are processed through an independent distributor and all proceeds go to a Swiss non-profit organization.

Private or personal as well as occasionally some open mini-concert sessions

IMG_3935 xc - March 2021 Tonalibus Update
Never ending fascination with daybreak and sunrise — February 2021 — Grächwil, Switzerland

February 2021 Tonalibus Update

This February 2021 Tonalibus, Spiritualibus, and Fidibus update includes a brief purpose poem and references new sound samples below.

Recent weeks brought some challenges. For example, Tonalibus experienced and fended off many thousands of hacker attacks from all around the globe. Still, the refinement of this website continues steadily. Also, references to spiritual teachings have been removed based on a specific request.

A first person completed his personal tonalities’ evaluations and work on his fundamental pitch. Based on that, some improvisations came about for that person to listen to and use as he sees fit. This is the service the Fidibus shop offers as individual sound mantra. Besides a simple exercise to find one’s fundamental pitch, this includes a systematic, efficiently focused approach to determine what tonalities resonate most personally. This requires considerable effort by the individual. Then, in the end, we use the results of those efforts musically to create one or more improvisations in the individual’s harmonic context. The word mantra may well invoke a somewhat spiritual connotation. After all, Tonalibus considers harmony and sound as sacred qualities, akin to divine love.

My fundamental aim

My fundamental aim
Consistently was and is to be
Inclusive and not exclusive

Absolute dogma is contrary
To spiritual freedom
Unfoldment and love

To divine spirit and harmony
If ever a leader, then to that

Here and now present
Inner and outer, both
Shedding all holds for good

Grateful for the love
I wish us God speed!

New sound samples now on Tonalibus

Tonality samples

BlueMix Syntropy”— multiple 8-string guitar — January 2021 — 5:54 — also available as loop
MinReach with Guggisberg Melody” — calm sound sample expanded — double 8-string guitar, bass, and crotales — January 2021 — 9:24 — also available as loop
Dorian — expanded, meditative/contemplative sound sample — raised 8-string guitar — February 2021 — 2:34 — available also as loop
PentaMin / PentaEol — expanded sound sample — 8-string guitar — February 2021 — 2:15 — available also as loop

Cooperation samples

“Blue Wrap Rap” — voice by Christina Braun — bass by Ulrico — February 2021 — 2:50 — PentamMin / PentaEol
“Reach and Mix, Carried by the Wind” — voice by Christina Braun — 8-string guitar by Ulrico — February 2021 — 6:30 — ReachMix
“Stroll along Soul’s River Bank” — voice by Christina Braun — cymbals, bowls, crotales, and gongs by Ulrico — February 2021 — 8:53 — soundscape

An introspective sample

“Sooner Rather than Later” — double tenor recorder, Nepali and Tibetan (tingsha) cymbal pairs, and voice — January 2021 — 6:13 — soundscape — also available as loop
it's been a long way - February 2021 Tonalibus Update
It’s been a long haul! — Thank you for everything.

January 2021 Tonalibus Update

Tonalibus, Spiritualibus, and Fidibus news —

Holidays and a new dimension of sound sample recordings —

No matter one’s culture or religion, many see Holidays, holy days, as an opportunity to give and receive. Tonalibus recently received a pair of high-quality (entry-level Neumann) microphones. This opened an all new dimension of recording possibilities and settings. Here are some first fruits of this:

“Louder Call for Peace” — Triple and quadruple fujara — January 2020 — 2:40 — (under Winter 2020/2021 available as loop)
“Remembering Boudhanath” — Double tenor recorder, singing saw, genuine Tibetan tingsha cymbals — January 2021 — 3:42 — (under Winter 2020/2021 available as loop)
“Gateway to Heaven and Hell” — Nepali and Tibetan cymbal pairs, gongs — December 31, 2020 — 6:39 soundscape — needs a sound system capable of low sounds. Available as loop and with further instruments under Winter 2020/2021

New format in the catalogue of anchored tonalities

All anchored tonalities in the Tonalibus catalogue now offer easy navigation options. Images of their harmonic properties and sound samples appear first. The laborious capture of their characteristics in words comes last. A growing number of sound sample loops are on a separate page associated with each tonality. Already last month we announced first such additions for ReachMix, BlueMix, and HexaBlue. Since then, a more extensive, multi-track addition came about for PenatProLa / PentaIon:

“Little Balloon” — PentaProLa / PentaIon — multiple 8-string guitar and bass — January 2021 — 3:29 — (available as loop under PentaProLa / PentaIon sound loops or Winter 2020/2021 — also, see associated Spiritualibus blog post “Little Balloon

Spiritualibus and Fidibus update

Consistent with our current times, there has been a flurry of new Spiritualibus blog posts. On the other hand, Fidibus shop activities appear at a minimum.

The Tonalibus course currently in progress with one individual triggered a new harmonic insight touched on in the blog post “Generational interplay of harmony” and anchors in the quint cycle.

The Tonalibus approach to creating individual sound mantras was further refined, including steps accessible on password-protected pages. The key to creating an individual sound mantra, finding one’s fundamental pitch and fitting tonalities, is that — as much as possible — one has to do it themselves. Musically, Tonalibus offers to facilitate and built upon an individual’s own findings.

Grächwil Feb. 2020 - January 2021 Tonalibus Update
Best wishes from the heart — at the forest’s edge, mountains greet — Grächwil, Switzerland — February 2020