2024 tonal Archives – Page 2 of 3

This March 2024 Tonalibus update announces two new Tonalibus developments, whistle breath and the beginning correlation of tonalities in the catalogue with Indian ragas. Further it touches on two recent concerts and provides an update on sounds and playlists.

Whistle breath and starting raga correlation

During extremely soft mantra chanting, so soft it is more breathing than chanting, in a flowing transition from the syllable HU to OM, a faint, largely involuntary whistle sound can become apparent, whistle breath! This is very subtle but powerful and can aide in finding one’s fundamental pitch. The piece “Breath of life chant” is based on whistle breath.

Tonalibus started correlating Indian ragas with its catalogue of tonalities. A first fruit of that is the correspondence of the Bairagi Bhairav raag with ReachMin / Phrygian dominant.

“Breath of life chant” — the answer within — PentaMin / PentaEol on G# (207 Hz) — whistle breath, fretted vichitra veena, tanpura — 8:03

“Bairagi Bhairav raag” — a first raga interpretation — Bairagi Bhairav pakad, a derivative of ReachMin / Phrygian dominant on C# (138 Hz) — 8-string guitar, tanpura — 11:32

Two recent concerts with Tonalibus Ulrico

“Kulturzimmer Heimlich” in Bern on 2/17 attrached some thirty folks and resulted in two live concert recordings:
— “Fearless floating” — in the flow of life and love
— “Open door and heart” — an opportunity to step out

“Open door and heart” — an opportunity to step out — Ionian (diatonic major) on C# (138 Hz) — 8-string guitar, tanpura — 5:55 recorded live

“Hallo Stille” on 3/1 at the festival Stilles Zürich assembled some twenty individuals. All gradually opened up to the experience of silence led by Nicole Keller of Visionshaus. This was supported by gentle 8-string guitar sounds.

March 2024 Tonalibus playlists & sounds update

Jan-Feb 2024 sounds and playlist N “Opening of white light” are now complete with among other new recordings:
— “Embraced in silence” — so close, and yet so far
— “Know what you know” — very and nothing special
— “Gently rotating fifth wheel” — a plea for peace

March 2024 sounds and playlist O “Balance of life and love” (part of the new set “O, P & Q”) are now starting with:
— “Inner and outer connecting point” — culture fusion

“Inner and outer connecting point” — culture fusion — ReachMin / Phrygian dominant with a touch of Bairagi Bhairav, on C# (138 Hz) — 8-string guitar, tanpura — 10:32

Best wishes, with love from the heart!

February 23, 2024February 23, 2024

Tonality of the month: ReachMin

The tonality of the month is ReachMin or Phrygian dominant — a Reach or harmonic heptatonality.

ReachMin on C# — meditative / contemplative sound sample — December 2022 — 5:05 — as loop on a separate tab — (a.k.a. “Never give up, let go completely” — a miracle of nature)

ReachMin or Phrygian dominant, a fully anchored Reach heptatonality, is the tonality of this month of March 2024. It combines a PhrygAeolian upper with a regular Reach lower tetrachord. That is the interval of an augmented second from its minor second to its major third. Thus, it juxtaposes strong but well rounded anchored contrasts. Among its notes, the major third is contrasting. The enriching, uplifting, and assertive quality of this pitch arises from being one of the first harmonics of the tonic. While the minor second and minor sixth give ReachMin its distinct Phrygian character.

ReachMin and raga Bairagi Bhairav (with Sa re ma Pa ni)

What triggered ReachMin to come forth again at this time is that it is the closest in the Tonalibus catalogue to what constitutes the basis of Bairagi Bhairav, a raga in Hindustani classical music that apparently has been considered to be one of if not the most important raga for centuries. A current effort of Tonalibus is to correlate its catalogue of tonalities with Indian ragas. This now appears to become a most fruitful undertaking. A first gem thus discovered is this raga, Bairagi Bhairav. Its feel is close to and its pitches identical to ReachMin without its third and sixth. Thus a new pentatonality with striking harmonic qualities emerges that is so far not in the Tonalibus catalogue and at least a fascinating derivative of ReachMin. More on the correlation of Tonalibus and ragas to come.

You may enjoy a sound sample or tonality loop as sound mantra for contemplation or meditation. This can help with upliftment, purification, and focusing. Or it could simply be used as soothing background sound for relaxation and regeneration. If you care to hum, chant, or sing along, you could use a spiritually charged syllable like Ōṃ / Aum ॐ, or HU, or another mantra syllable that suits you.

February 9, 2024February 10, 2024

February 2024 Tonalibus update

Two concerts

BluNa / Mid tonalities

Playlists & sounds

New album I, J & K

This February 2024 Tonalibus update announces two concerts coming up in the coming weeks and the addition of BluNa / Mid hexatonalities to the Tonalibus catalog. Further, it provides an update on sounds, playlists, and the new album I, J & K.

Two concerts with Tonalibus Ulrico coming up

“Kulturzimmer Heimlich” in Bern, February 17, 19:30 at a private residence, for more info if interested e-mail ulrico@tonalibus.ch

“Hallo Stille” — Erfahrungsreise zur Stille, am Festival Stilles Zürich, “Hello Silence” — an experiential journey to silence, at the festival Stilles Zürich, with Nicole Keller, musically accompanied by Ulrico, March 1, 16:30, Erkerzimmer, Karl der Grosse, Kirchgasse 14, Zurich

“Hallo Stille” by Nicole Keller, voice by Karin Gsöllpointner, 8-string guitar by Ulrico (Mixolydian) — August 2021 — 5:09

New BluNa / Mid tonalities and derivatives

Contrary to recent notions of refraining from adding further tonalities to the Tonalibus catalogue and considering new and especially hexatonalities mostly as derivatives, seven BluNa and Mid hexatonalities recently qualified for the catalogue with new MidReach heptatonalities being their derivatives. They include both the minor and major third plus a Reach step (augmented second) from the major third to the quint (over the middle of the octave, with one older exception: HexaBluNa or HexaLolo). BluNa but not Mid tonalities further have an initial Reach step up from the fundamental.

New are: HexaBluNaMin, HexaBluNaReach, HexaBluNaMix, HexaBluNaMaj, HexaMidLa, HexaMid, and HexaLoMid; plus the derivative MidReach heptatonalities (not detailed in the catalogue): LoMidReachMin, LoMidReach, LoMidReachMix, LoMidReachMaj, MidReachMin, MidReach, MidReachMix, and MidReachMaj. — Tap the overview on the left to enlarge it.

“This side of the other side” — illusion and reality — HexaBluNaReach on C# — 8-string guitar, bass, voice, gong — 6:58

February 2024 Tonalibus playlists & sounds update

The new Jan-Feb 2024 sounds and playlist Tonalibus N entitled “Opening of white light” present latest Tonalibus recordings:
— “This side of the other side” — illusion and reality (above)
— “Home turf roots” — swingin’ on a star (below)
— “Gently rotating fifth wheel” — a plea for peace
— “Know what you know” — very and nothing special

“Home turf roots” — swingin’ on a star — Aeolian on F# — 7-string guitar, tingsha cymbal pair, gong, tanpura — 7:59

“Tonalibus I, J & K” — the new triple album

The new triple album “Tonalibus I, J & K”, released globally on many music platforms on January 29, experienced usage in its first week of already over 300 streams alone on Spotify. This is a small number compared with releases of popular musicians. However for Tonalibus this is a new record — most encouraging and appreciated!

May you hear harmonious sound within and without!

January 29, 2024January 29, 2024

Tonalibus I, J & K – the album

The new album “Tonalibus I, J & K” appears globally on many music platforms on January 29, 2024 — on Spotify, Deezer, Boomplay, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more. This album offers 29 meditative improvisations by Ulrico in 3½ hours of uplifting music, often with a touch of blues. Two of the pieces feature the voice of a guest, of Philine Harte and Karin Gsöllpointner. More detailed information you find under Tonalibus I, J & K — Album in the Fidibus shop.

January 24, 2024January 24, 2024

Tonality of the month: HexaBluNaReach

The tonality of the month is HexaBluNaReach — a BluNa / (Lo)Mid hexatonality.

HexaBluNaReach on C# — extra sound sample, calm — 8-string guitar — January 2024 — 3:29
(more HexaBluNaReach as sound samples, as loops, or as composition “This side of the other side”)

HexaBluNaReach is the tonality of this month of February 2024. It is one of several most recent additions to the Tonalibus catalogue of anchored tonalities. Its name indicates that there are three Reach steps. The initial one off the fundamental leads to the minor third, and the second one over the middle of the scale leads from the major third to the quint. These are characteristic of BluNa tonalities. Plus there is a regular Reach step in the upper tetrachord. A Reach step spans three half steps, a.k.a augmented second.

HexaBluNaReach offers a fascinating symmetry of individual half steps framing each Reach step. There are no whole steps. This tonality is part of the BluNa / (Lo)Mid group of hexatonalities that newly qualified for the Tonalibus catalogue. From them spin off MidReach and LoMidReach heptatonality derivatives. These are more delicate to balance and use. As derivatives, they are not detailed in the catalogue but listed in the table below.