The October 2021 tonality of the month is PentaBlue, a tritone or blues pentatonality.
PentaBlue — short sound sample — June 2020 — 0:40 loop
The tonality of the month of October 2021 is PentaBlue, a tritone or blues tonality and extra pentatonality. It is the root of the Tonalibus group of tritone or blues tonalities. This group leads from PentaBlue via HexaBlue to PhrygBlue, MinBlue, and BlueMix. These are all present in the Tonalibus catalogue, along with BlueUp, a Reg(ressive) tritone or blues tonality. Now, BlueMin just qualified as a coming addition to this group.
Keep going — home
You always get somewhere, if only you go far enough! Sometimes one may feel or get lost on the way. But especially then, the same applies. Keep going! Go further, and you will get somewhere. Trust and confidence carry on and on. Stopping brings demise in most cases. However, most everyone likes to have a place to call home, to stay and return to after explorations. Fortunately though, the world is round. If you go all the way, you will come around back home — but from the opposite side than from which you left it. Thus it will look different. But if it’s really your home, you will recognize it and not pass by.
An inspiring quote
“It is the man who thinks he may live as freely as his unconsidered desires prompt him who does not see the reckoning of such an attitude. He is binding his life to a hollow dream if he persists in this thought. If he has had the experience of knowing his true self, there will never be any hatred for another.” — The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, Books One and Two, Paul Twitchell, p. 198
Sound mantra
You may enjoy a sound sample loop, such as the one of the tonality of the month, as sound mantra for contemplation or meditation, for upliftment, focusing, or simply for relaxation and regeneration as soothing background sound. Further, you could hum or chant along, for example using Ōṁ / Aum ॐ, HU, or another mantra syllable, and tune yourself to the fundamental.
Illumination before sunrise over a horizon of Alpine mountains — September 2021 — Grächwil, Switzerland
This September 2021 Tonalibus update presents a new personal sound sample and a few select short sound samples of tonalities that are in the process of appearing in the Tonalibus catalogue. This massive expansion of the tonalities catalogue has been explained in the last Tonalibus update. The current update gives more details, also about tonality name adjustments and components. Finally, in closing, it touches on choice and trust.
A new personal sound sample
“Na track” — Na(tural harmonics) in action — for M.
TetraNa with a touch of Mixolydian — double 8-string guitar, gong, singing saw — August 2021 — 10:31
A few selected new tonality sound samples
These tonalities are part of the ones currently in the process of being added to the catalogue.
HexaLocorMin — short sound sample, rhythmic — 8-string guitar — August 2021 — 2:27LydAeolian / HeptaNa — short sound sample, calm — 8-string guitar — August 2021 — 2:18 HexaBluMaj — short sound sample, rhythmic — 8-string guitar — August 2021 — 1:12NaUploReach — short sound sample, calm — 8-string guitar — August 2021 — 2:55
Tonalities catalogue expansion
As explained in the recent August update, a massive expansion of the Tonalibus catalogue is currently under way. Seventeen additional tonalities are in the process of appearing in the catalogue of anchored tonalities. They are all present and integrated in overview and detail tables and in all structures. However individual detail information still awaits completion to some extent. This brought the total number of distinct tonalities in the catalogue to seventy. Plus this week, already two more distinct tonalities began emerging!
To more directly reflect their structure and pattern, several hexatonalities have received a new name, and some pentatonalities an additional name. These names consistently use key syllables that stand for specific pitch relationships. Such syllables may refer to the entirety of a given tonality. Or they first reflect the lower and second the upper tetrachord. The Tonalibus glossary already defines a few such syllables, e.g., Reach (augmented second), Cor(e), Pro(gressive), Reg(ressive), and Na(tural harmonics). Others are quite self-explanatory, e.g., Hepta, Hexa, Penta, and Tetra. Or Maj(or), Mix(olyd), and Min(or), as well as Phryg and other abbreviations of diatonic tonality names like Eol, Dor, Mixolyd, Ion, and Lyd. More definition is to come into the glossary for these and further such syllables, e.g., Bal, Up and Lo including Locor, Lolo, and Uplo, or Blu and La.
In some cases also the absence of such a key syllable can have significance. E.g., La is used to indicate the presence in the upper tetrachord of the major sixth, called La in the solfège system. This pitch is also the La(st) one of the twelve-tone system to appear in the harmonic or overtone series. The absence of the syllable La in corresponding hexa- or pentatonality names indicates that the minor seventh is present instead of the major sixth, that La as pitch is absent.
A possible choice
Yes, it works! Thank God and spirit. The expansion of consciousness continues moment to moment. Every system though brings an element of closure in itself. Thus, definition and organization give structure that may be more or less flexible and corresponding with reality and the flow of spirit. This will determine sustainability, survival or demise. This gives a choice. Close up or remain open!
Trusting is really, really hard
“Trusting your own self, as well as giving full trust to others, is really, really hard.”
“To forget oneself is, with knowledge, to give up your human way of perceiving things, and give more room to see what is actually happening to your own self and to all other existence. When you forget your small self the whole universe appears.”
“In this busy, heated, fast society we often feel helpless in our effort to trust people and situations. We need to remember our trust doesn’t depend on outside circumctances. Over and over again we encourage ourselves to fully trust others and feel satisfied instead of worrying about some kind of return from the other end. This has something to do with determination that no matter what the others’ condition is, you decide to continue to trust. Looking closely, we understand that there is a deep satisfaction in trusting others. Perhaps this involves ignorance, so-called ‘blind trust’ given toward others. It goes only one way.”
— Embracing Mind, The Zen talks of Kobun Chino Otogawa, pp. 28-30
Fare well!
Illumination before sunrise over a horizon of Alpine mountains — September 2021 — Grächwil, Switzerland
It all starts with an anchor-point From there, others can be found First next ones, some neighbors Then, expand further out and out Into the constellations one by one Recognizing one after the other On the vast curved firmament Free of continual straight lines But proportions and patterns To be discovered as realities The view of a simple human Truth of the given moment This helps one’s orientation For more of these will come To quickly identify the stars In the vastness of the skies Sparkling brilliantly at night As clouds allow one to see Likely recognize ever more One by one leading further In harmony – like in music Tonalities that open doors Bridges from here to now All ways anew renewing This flow of life and love Or be left behind a while If ossifying before dying Best remain supple fluid In a golden heart of love.
TetraNa — tonality of the month of September 2021 — short sound sample, rhythmic — 1:44
Another anchor-point
“In spite of living in this suffering world I continue to believe that nothing can stain the purity of each existence. That is my understanding… that, in an absolute sense, no one can harm your life.”
— Embracing Mind, The Zen talks of Kobun Chino Otogawa, p. 8
Manifested anchor-point — home-grown spirals of Romanesco — August 2021 — Grächwil, Switzerland
The September 2021 tonality of the month is TetraNa, a Na tonality and tetratonality.
1) TetraNa — short sound sample, rhythmic — August 2021 — 1:44 loop 2) TetraNa — short sound sample, calm — August 2021 — 1:51 loop 3) TetraNa with a touch of Mixolydian — double 8-string guitar, gong, singing saw — August 2021 — 10:31
The tonality of this month of September is TetraNa, a Na(tural harmonics) tonality and exceptional tetratonality. Because it is the only tetratonality currently in the Tonalibus catalogue, it is listed along with pentatonalities. It is the first, most fundamentally pure Na tonality because it contains only the first four natural overtones. Na tonalities are uniquely harmonious and ideally span over multiple octaves, preferably three or four. They follow the sequence of natural harmonics or overtones and eventually form an arch with secondary harmonics turning into tertiary ones (or reciprocals) and thus lead to more commonly known tonalities. TetraNa is the entry point to this progression. Na(tural harmonics) tonalities will soon appear in the Tonalibus catalogue.
You may enjoy a sound sample loop, such as the one of the tonality of the month, as sound mantra for contemplation or meditation, for upliftment, focusing, or simply for relaxation and regeneration as soothing background sound. Further, you could hum or chant along, for example using HU or another mantra syllable, and tune yourself to the fundamental.
Tonalibus office and balcony before sunrise — August 2021 — Grächwil, Switzerland
This August 2021 Tonalibus update first touches briefly on the new album Tonalibus A, B, & C. Then it presents a new personal and two new cooperation sound samples. Further it highlights the current expansion of the tonalities catalogue. This is a work in progress and linked to ongoing research and experimentation with harmonics or overtones, including reciprocals, inverse and nested relations.
Tonalibus A, B, & C — the album released
The album Tonalibus A, B, & C with its thirty-one personal sound samples by Ulrico is available globally on many music platforms, e.g., Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, and more. You can find links to the main platforms and a detailed listing of the tracks in the Fidibus Shop entry for the album Tonalibus A, B, & C. May you enjoy these sounds — heart to heart, soul to soul!
New personal and cooperation sound samples
“Natural harmonics gateway” — first step in a Na tonality
Harmonics or overtones and resonance are fundamental to harmony. Therefore, Na tonalities are uniquely harmonious. Ideally, they span over multiple octaves, at least three or four. They follow the sequence of natural harmonics or overtones and form an arch with secondary harmonics turning into tertiary ones (or reciprocals). Thus they lead to more commonly known tonalities. Na(tural harmonics) tonalities and other additions will soon appear in the Tonalibus catalogue.
Finding these tonalities was like mining ore. New tonalities kept leading to others like in a main strand of ore. Plus there were also side strands leading to further tonalities outside the Na group qualifying to be added to the catalogue. Eventually though they all led to already existing tonalities, which strengthens the validity of the catalogue as it is.
In total, so far this brought forth close to twenty additional tonalities qualifying for the Tonalibus catalogue, including a few existing tonality name adjustments. Thus, PentaPro or PentaNa, the tonality of the current month of August, received its second name, PentaNa. And the group of clustered or melodic tonalities expands to include also two super-clustered tonalities with a step pattern of five consecutive whole steps and two consecutive half steps.
The following two visuals present the group of Na tonalities and their main modulation path that fully follows the natural harmonics series.
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities – 2023-11 – 82
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities – 2023-11 – 81
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities – 2023-11 – 83x
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities – 2021-08 – 75y
The numbers in the above visuals represent the halftone positions of a tonality’s pitches within their vertically, top-down depicted octave.
Reciprocal harmonics — fascinating relationships
Current Tonalibus research focuses among other things on reciprocal harmonics. These are mirror image or inverse harmonic relationships.
The most significant example of this is the quart (perfect fourth). It carries its fundamental octave as primary harmonic, its quint (perfect fifth). However, the quart itself is but the second last pitch of the occidental twelve-tone system to appear approximately in the harmonic or overtone series as the twenty-first harmonic or overtone and one of the four most deviating ones. Nevertheless, besides the quint, the quart is one of the two primary anchors of a tonality, as the tonality’s fundamental is its reciprocal quint.Tonalibus calls the quart the regressive tonality anchor, because it shows where a tonality comes from. The quart in a way creates the fundamental. But then it has to contend with being one of the least harmonious pitches in the resulting tonality’s harmonic series. This can be called the generational interplay of harmony, the theme of a previous blog post.
The above may lead one to look for and recognize corresponding relationships of harmony in life in other contexts beyond music. But this goes beyond the current scope of Tonalibus and you may contemplate this as you see fit.
Similarly fascinating harmonic relationships can be observed between the major sixth and major third, between the minor third and minor seventh, as well as between other pitches. Relationships of this kind go beyond mere concepts. They are based on physically measurable observations that can be reproduced. More about this may come out in future Tonalibus posts.
Best wishes to conclude this August 2021 Tonalibus update
„Schläft ein Lied in allen Dingen, [Sleeps a song in things abounding,] Die da träumen fort und fort, [that keep dreaming to be heard,] Und die Welt hebt an zu singen, [Earth’s tunes will start resounding,] Triffst du nur das Zauberwort. [if you but find the magic word.]“
— Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff, Wünschelrute, 1835
Forests, fields, a horizon of mountains, and the silhouette of a lonely birch — Grächwil/Meikirch, Switzerland
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