Tonality of the month: HexaNa

HexaNa — expanded sound sample, calm (a.k.a. “HexaNa Gita” — harmonic six-pack — with a touch ClusterPro / LydDorian) — 8-string guitar and tanpura — 3:19 — as loop on a separate tab (or via right-click, if available)

The tonality of the month of May 2023 is HexaNa — a prime Na tonality and hexatonality. Hexatonalities consist of six different pitches to the octave. One may see hexatonalities as heptatonalities with a missing pitch. This makes hexatonalities more or less ambiguous and positions them in between two or more other tonalities. Thus, they can facilitate modulations. HexaNa is equivalent to HeptaNa/LydAeolian or LydDorian/ClusterPro without a sixth, or to PentaNa/PentaPro with the tritone. Prime Na(tural harmonics) tonalities contain a more or less consecutive segment of the series of natural harmonics or overtones.

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 HU or Ōṃ / Aum ॐ, or another mantra syllable that suits you.

Tonality of the month: HexaNa — summary visualization of pitch and interval color relations, harmonic axes and anchors

March-April 2023 Tonalibus update

This March-April 2023 Tonalibus update highlights the upcoming concert on April 23 “Drawing circles, waves and spirals” near Bern and the March release of the albums “Tonalibus F, G, & H” and “Klanggeschichte: Nabelschnur”. Further, it announces the completion of playlist “Tonalibus I” and the start of “Tonalibus J” offering their most recent two audio recordings.

April 23 Tonalibus concert in Meikirch, Switzerland

March-April 2023 Tonalibus update

Concert on Sunday, April 23 starting at 5 PM in the Aula of the Gassacker School, Grächwilstr. 14, Meikirch. Ulrico will present a variety of meditative and healing sound improvisations, some with a blues touch, on various instruments.

March release of two albums

“Tonalibus F, G, & H” was released on March 2 on many music platforms. E.g. Spotify, Deezer, Boomplay, YouTube Music, Apple Music / iTunes, KKbox, Amazon, Tidal, NetEase, QQ Music, and many more. It spans three and a half hours with twenty-five pieces of original, mostly meditative music by Ulrico. Detailed info about this triple album, the music platforms used, and its pieces you find in the Fidibus shop under “Tonalibus F, G, & H“.

“Story and sound: Nabelschnur (umbilical cord)” was released on March 23. This “Klanggeschichte” is about connection, growth, and detachment. Written and presented in German by Philine Harte, along with sound by Ulrico, it spans ten chapters over sixty-three minutes of inspiring words and soothing sound. It is available in the Fidibus shop under “Story: Nabelschnur“. And also on Spotify, YouTube, Apple / iTunes, and Amazon.

“Umbilical” — sounds in silence — ReachMin or Phrygian dominant on 136 Hz — multiple 8-string guitar — 10:05 — derived from the sound recordings for “Klanggeschichte”, the “Story: Nabelschnur” about the development of the umbilical cord

March-April 2023 Tonalibus playlist update

Playlist Tonalibus I entitled “Step ahead into a new world” is now complete. It includes twelve pieces from January through March 2023 spanning ninety minutes of improvisations by Ulrico. One each is with Christina Braun, voice or violin, Philine Harte, voice, and Karin Gsöllpointner, voice.
Playlist Tonalibus J entitled “Welcome to relative freedom” starts with the improvised composition “Echoes of growing silence” — celebrating a new birth (below).

“Echoes of growing silence” — IonAeolian or ClusterBal (melodic major) — 8-string guitar w/sustained echo, bass — 6:14
March-April 2023 Tonalibus update
Spring sun breaking through clouds before setting — March 2023 — Grächwil, Switzerland

Tonality of the month: IonAeolian or ClusterBal

IonAeolian or ClusterBal — sound sample — 8-string guitar (with sustained echo) — 3:07 — as loop on a separate tab

The tonality of the month of April 2023 is IonAeolian or ClusterBal, a clustered or melodic heptatonality. The name IonAeolian indicates that the lower tetrachord is MixolydIonian and the upper PhrygAeolian. Its second name, ClusterBal, points to the overall balance in this fully anchored clustered tonality. Further names in use for it beyond Tonalibus are melodic major, Aeolian dominant, and minor over major (Min/Ma). A striking quality of this tonality is its overall balance and inherent symmetry. This is evident in the placement of its pitches, its intervals, and its two angeled axes. Its East and West halves mirror each other exactly. This results in a remarkable balance between regressive and progressive, major and minor flavors.

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 HU or Ōṃ / Aum ॐ, or another mantra syllable that suits you.

Tonality of the month: IonAeolian or ClusterBal
Tonality of the month: IonAeolian or ClusterBalsun and clouds, strong and clear — March 2023 — Grächwil, Switzerland

Tonalibus F, G, & H – the album

The global release date for the new triple album “Tonalibus F, G, & H” is March 2, 2023. On that day, it appears on Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer, Apple Music / iTunes, Amazon, and on many more music platforms around the world. This album features twenty-five spontaneous improvisations by Ulrico on various instruments, a few with voice. These pieces span three and a half hours of uplifting healing music. They have a more or less meditative character and at times a touch of blues. Detailed information about this new album you find under “Tonalibus F, G, & H — Album” in the Fidibus shop.

Tonalibus F, G, & H – the album
A splendid sunrise, another day — life is great!

Tonality of the month: ReachMix

ReachMix — meditative sound sample — 136 Hz 8-string guitar, tanpura — Feb. 2023 — 4:19 — as loop on a separate tab
ReachMix — meditative sound sample — 136 Hz 8-string guitar, big gong, tingsha cymbals, tanpura — Feb. 2023 — 4:19

The tonality of the month of March 2023 is ReachMix, a fully anchored Reach or harmonic tonality. Its name indicates that there is a regular Reach step or augmented second framed by half tone steps in the lower tetrachord. And the upper one is DorMixolydian, as in Dorian and Mixolydian. Basically, this tonaliy is Mixolydian with a minor instead of a major second, which gives it a slight Phrygian touch that can contrast beautifully with its otherwise predominant Mixolydian character.

Tuning for this ReachMix sample, the tonality of the month

Instead of standard A 440 Hz tuning, Tonalibus is usually tuning relative to A 438.2 Hz or C# 138 Hz. This is based on personal calculations and deductions made by Ulrico in his youth. However, the above ReachMix sound sample is relative to A 432 Hz or C# 136.1 Hz. Some associate the latter with the Earth or the heart chakra. Others call it the Om frequency. There are claims that this frequency was used throughout the ages, without evidence. Apparently musicologist Alexander John Ellis measured and documented ancient pipe organs and tuning forks. He found only one reference to 432 Hz (Verdi). Before standardization, the pitch A fluctuated heavily between 400 and 460 Hz.

Sound as mantra — a worthwhile notion

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 HU or Ōṃ / Aum ॐ, or another mantra syllable that suits you.

Tonality of the month: ReachMix
Roots and crowns, up and down, heaven to earth to heaven — February 2023 — San Carlo di Negrentino, Ticino