Category: Fidibus

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

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

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

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

Cooperation samples

An introspective sample

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:

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:

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.

New Tonalibus, Spiritualibus, and Fidibus developments —

This December 2020 Tonalibus update highlights: The new glossary, winter sounds, the first few revamped tonality pages with additional sound samples, renewed Spiritualibus blog pages and post formats, Fidibus shop updates on individual sound mantra steps, mini-concert sessions, and Tonalibus exploration courses; and finally, the general Tonalibus image collection.

Tonalibus updates

Under About you now find a Glossary with short definitions in an alphabetic listing of basic and unique terms and names used by Tonalibus – for each languages of the site, in English, German, French, and Italian.

New under Sounds is the page Winter 2020/2021 with a growing collection of new personal sound samples that explore diverse possibilities and reflect the character of the time.

First examples of renewed individual tonality pages include Reachmix, Bluemix, and Hexablue. Each features a new calm, more contemlative or meditative sound sample to complement the other more rhythmic sound sample. These samples are also available as loop on adjunct pages, Reachmix sound loops, Bluemix sound loops, and Hexablue sound loops.    

Spiritualibus blog updates

The Spiritualibus blog page was revamped for clarity and to accommodate the growing number of posts. The category Omnibus marks relevant highlight posts. New secondary post pages offer listings of recent posts and separately of Tonalibus posts, Spiritualibus posts, and Fidibus posts. A mono- and quadri-lingual Spoken Word experiment you find in the poetic post “Dear God”.   

Fidibus shop updates

Tools for preparing an individual sound mantra (ISM) emerged in three steps and pages on the Tonalibus site. Individuals requesting an ISM will sequentially receive the required passwords to work these steps. Step-1 includes some basic questions to qualify a request for an ISM. Step-2 provides an exercise to find one’s own fundamental sound and a few initial sets of tonalities to individually evaluate. Based on Step-2 results, individuals receive specific directions, which of the comprehensive tonality groups offered or specific tonalities in Step-3 to focus on and to evaluate.  

At this time of the global pandemic, open Tonalibus mini-concert sessions continue albeit with very small attendances of friends. Going forward we plan such sessions on various days of the week.

The start of the current three-session Tonalibus exploration course had to be postponed by roughly a month due to the current Coronavirus pandemic.

Tonalibus general images collection

You find this collection of general Tonalibus photos and key images under About.

Via this December 2020 Tonalibus update I wish you happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year! — Ulrico

Tonalibus in English, German, French, and Italian —

The Tonalibus website is now available also in French and Italian, besides German and the original English. It appears by default in the language of your system settings or your geographic region. You can manually set the language on the bottom left of the screen by selecting the small American, Swiss, French or Italian flag.

It took a lot of fine-tuning to have these languages reasonably well aligned. Actually it was surprising how inconsistent and often inaccurate automatic translation engines still are. One of the supposedly best of them provided the initial translations of the Tonalibus website and continues to dynamically translate elements on this site. Therefore, the previous warning remains in full force: When in doubt about a statement on this website, please refer to the original English version.

Individual sound mantras, exploration courses, and mini-concert sessions

We have formalized the first several steps of individual sound mantra creation. These steps are now available on password-protected Tonalibus website pages to those requesting a sound mantra.

A custom-tailored Tonalibus exploration course series is starting. Its language is Swiss-German. The first of the three-sessions presents a condensed introduction to some key Tonalibus concepts. The second session focuses on determining the personal, fundamental sound and individual tonalities. And the third session is dedicated to practical work with tonality applications and improvisations.

After a short break, due to the current pandemic, open mini-concert sessions resume in December with only half of the few seats in the studio available. Mini-concert session program samples are now accessible on the Tonalibus website in PDF format.

Fidibus shop offerings of Tonalibus continue to develop as they come into more practical use.

An encouraging note received just now, Nov. 19, 2020

Good Morning Uli 
I thought you might like to know that I am enjoying your creation this 
morning. I am currently listening to PentaProLa / Pentaion. Thanks for creating this... 
very nice to listen to while I work. 
Warm Regards
[a friend in California - Pentaion sound sample page]

Tonalibus insights keep evolving — a glimpse ahead…