2026 tonal Archives

October 13, 2026

Tonalibus U – the album

Dedicated to Metta and Paloma, the new album Tonalibus U — “Heartfelt tears of joy” appears globally on many music platforms on October 16, 2026 — on Spotify, YouTube Music, YouTube Channel, Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, etc. It offers nine meditative improvisations by Ulrico from early this year in a good hour of uplifting music, at times with a faint touch of blues.

The first three minutes
of the new album
“Tonalibus U”

Start the music and
activate the video wind.

More detailed information you find in the Fidibus shop under Tonalibus U — Album.

Tonalibus U – the album — album cover of Tonalibus U — “Heartfelt tears of joy”

The enlightened nature of hearing

“I began with a practice based on the enlightened nature of hearing. First I redirect my hearing inward in order to enter the current of the sages. Then external sounds disappeared. With the direction of my hearing reversed and with sounds stilled, both sounds and silence ceased to arise. So it was that, as I gradually progressed, what I heard and my awareness of what I heard came to an end. Even when that state of mind in which everything had come to an end disappeared, I did not rest. My awareness and the objects of my awareness were emptied, and when that process of emptying my awareness was wholly complete, then even that emptying and what had been emptied vanished. Coming into being and ceasing to be themselves ceased to be. Then the ultimate stillness was revealed.”

— The Śūraṅgama Sūtra, A New Translation, Buddhist Text Translation Society, pp. 234-235 Avalokiteśvara / Guanshiyin 觀世音

September 20, 2026September 20, 2026

Tonality of the moment: HexaMin

The tonality of the moment for autumn-winter 2026 is HexaMin.

HexaMin on C# (rel. A 438 Hz) — 8-string guitar — “Neither same nor different — base” — 3:54 — as loop on a separate tab

HexaMin, a fully anchored hexatonality, is the tonality of the moment. It is the equivalent to Aeolian or natural minor without a sixth. Or PentaMin / PentaEol or pentatonic minor with the major second. The absence of the sixth and the presence of the major second produce a subtle openness and flexibility, all depending on the angle of harmonic perspective or scalar approach. This is a rather common an aspect in harmony and also in life.

The above sound sample exists also in a polyphonic version as “Neither same nor different — it just is”. Plus further, HexaMin surfaces in the Tonalibus recordings “Śūraṅgama mantra beginner’s blues — all 554 lines” from September 2026, in “J’en ai marre — How much is too much?” from June 2026, and in “Pulsating through life — lead on!” from August 2023, among others.

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.

May you and I, and all, may we always abide in a harmonious perspective!

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026

Neither nor it is – the single

On August 1, 2026, the new Tonalibus single “Neither nor it is” appears globally on many music platforms, on Spotify, YouTube Music, YouTube Channel, Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, etc. This 4:46 spacious 8-string guitar meditation by Ulrico is in HexaReMix (a derivative tonality) on C# (rel. A 438 Hz) and will be part of the future album “Tonalibus U” with the thematic title:

Heartfelt tears of joy

The first two minutes
of the new single
“Neither nor it is”

Start the music
and light the fire.

Information about the future album “Tonalibus U” should come about later this year.

The sound of silence

“I notice the kind of background sound which I refer to as the sound of silence, a resonating vibratory sound… a high-pitched kind of vibration that’s always present. … When you recognize this sound of silence your thinking process stops — you can rest in this stream. It’s like a stream. It isn’t like ordinary sound that rises and ceases or begins and ends. … Behind that, behind all other sounds is this sound of silence. … It’s always present, it’s just there whether I notice it or not.”

— The Sound of Silence, Ajahn Sumedho, pp. 65-66

May 6, 2026August 22, 2026

Tonality of the moment: HexaReMix

The tonality of the moment for late spring and summer 2026 is HexaReMix.

HexaReMix (a derivative tonality) on C# (rel. A 438 Hz) — 8-string guitar — May 2026 — 4:46 — (loop via right-click, if available)

This HexaReMix sound sample is also available under the title “Neither nor it is”. Another piece using this tonality derivative is “Future memory past now” on the new album “Tonalibus R, S & T“.

HexaReMix, the tonality of this moment, is a hexatonality derivative, with six pitches to the octave. It is fully anchored with its quart and fifth. Then, as its name indicates, the lower tetrachord contains Re, the major second. And the upper is analogous to Mix(olydian) with the major sixth and minor seventh. Of particular interest is that this derivative does not include a third, neither minor nor major. This gives it a uniquely balanced character. Particularly in Western music, a primary distinction is drawn between major and minor tonalities, which this derivative entirely relinquishes. Further, upper and lower tetrachords each show symmetrical balance in themselves. This provides HexaReMix an almost crystalline quality of striking equilibrium.

The Tonalibus catalogue of tonalities does not fully document derivatives. However, HexaReMix shows up in the overview table of anchored hexatonalities (see below).

May the sound of silence embrace our hearts — always!

April 29, 2026April 29, 2026

Tonalibus R, S & T – the album

The new triple album “Tonalibus R, S & T” appears globally on many music platforms on May 1, 2026 — on Spotify, YouTube Music, YouTube Channel, Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, etc. It offers 27 meditative improvisations by Ulrico from the past year in three hours of uplifting music, at times with a touch of blues. They originate from the following three thematic groups: