Category: Update

This May/June 2021 Tonalibus update presents new personal sound samples. It highlights the integration of another tonality into the Tonalibus catalogue. It provides an update on the Fidibus shop. And finally, it highlights Harmonic Experience, a massive book on harmony in music.

New personal sound samples

“Acoustic Scale Acceptance” — a previously rejected tonality

“Just Be, No More” — an unintended short PentaCor pūjā

“Journey Around the Sun” — a circular Core modulation

Another tonality: LydDorian or ClusterPro

A good year ago, during the initial evaluation of tonalities to become part of the Tonalibus catalogue of anchored tonalities, what is known as Lydian dominant or acoustic scale and other names, was rejected because of being only partially anchored and appearing insufficiently harmonious. However, recent study and experimenting with it, now led to its integration into the Tonalibus catalogue after all. Following the current Tonalibus naming convention, being a clustered or melodic heptatonality, its Tonalibus name is LydDorian or ClusterPro.

Recognizing its inherent harmonic intricacy went along with the discovery that its most contrasting two pitches, the tritone and minor seventh, appear more harmonious when initially approached from above, not from below. Then, after introducing them from above, they gradually become also more palatable when approached from below. It was not the tonality that was insufficiently harmonious, but not knowing how to use it harmoniously that caused its previous rejection.

Fidibus shop update

Following its suspension in May, the Fidibus shop is now again online. Current offers are sporadic mini-concert sessions and the CD A Symphony of Life and Love. However, Tonalibus exploration courses and individual sound mantras remain on hold for the time of their revision and eventual renewal.

Harmonic Experience by W. A. Mathieu

The full title of this big 563-page book is Harmonic Experience — Tonal Harmony from Its Natural Origins to Its Modern Expression. The first sentence of the introduction summarizes its contents: “Harmonic Experience describes the full range of harmony, from its fundamental gestures to its most complex expressions, by means of the unifying principle of resonance.” — p. 1

It appears that W. A. Mathieu indeed comprehensively presents and elaborates on some of the same or very similar fundamental concepts of harmony in music that Tonalibus is based upon. However, it will take some time to assess and confirm the extent of this. For now, to provide an initial taste of his approach, here are a few general statements from the introduction to Harmonic Experience:

“Every rule and formulation ever made burns away at the moment of music making. Ultimately everyone makes music intuitively; individual circumstances determine the point at which the music rises above the mind and the intuition takes over.” — p. 5

“The Sufi mystics say, ‘The mind is the willing slave of the heart.’ The key word is willing. The intellect that wills to be in the service of the intuition is powerful and mature — the kind of mind a musician needs in order not to be paralyzed by knowledge. …
You find the balance between heart and mind by asking your heart what it really needs to become musically complete. If the question is clear, your answer will be clear too. Then your mind is finally free to offer service.” — p. 6

“You can’t learn music linearly. Rather, you learn it all at once, a little at a time.” — p. 7

“Sound itself is the teacher of sound.” — p. 9

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.