Tone Row
The Tone Row is the basis for Misha’s sequencing functions. One can record and play
back such a sequence of pitches either manually or in an automated manner.
What is a Tone Row?
Traditionally, a “Tone Row” is an ordered series of twelve notes in the standard Western
chromatic scale, without any note repeated. In other words, each note is only played
once within the twelve note sequence. The Tone Row is a technique used in serial
composition, generally attributed to the composer Arnold Schoenberg, who developed it
in the 1920’s. In serial music, the note series of the Tone Row then becomes a “motif”
that is then used in various ways throughout the work.
In Misha’s Tone Row mode, the user creates a Tone Row by pressing interval buttons.
Misha partially automates the creation process by making sure that the next pitch hasn’t
been played already. Misha also extends the concept of the Tone Row by allowing a Tone
Row to be created in any scale, not only the traditional twelve-tone (chromatic) scale.
(As an example, one can create a Tone Row using the 20 note equal tempered scale).
There are 2 stages to Tone Row Mode: recording and playback. Once the Tone Row is
recorded, the user can play back the Tone Row either manually - by pressing interval
buttons (or sending in remote commands via MIDI, USB keyboard or CV Inputs) - or
automatically, if there is an internal or external clock running.
Recording:
Pressing the
button turns Tone Row on and off. In Tone Row mode the
LED lights RED while you fill up a Tone Row by pressing the interval buttons. When the
Tone Row is completely populated the LED turns off and the
LED lights up green.
When creating the Tone Row, if the interval button you have pressed would result in a
note already used in the series then the next unused pitch (in the direction of that
interval) is chosen. (Bear in mind that the repetition of a note in a different octave is also
generally not allowed - i.e., if you already have F#4 in the series you cannot also have
F#5. However, in Setup/Tone Row Octaves one can choose an option to allow repeats in
another octave.)
Note also that while recording a Tone Row, some features are disabled, including
changing of key or scale, and also going into the settings menu. If you wish to leave the
recording stage and abandon the creation of the Tone Row, simply press
a second
time to cancel out of it.
Misha will switch into the PLAY stage of Tone Row mode when the sooner of these
occurs: either all the notes of the scale have been used up, or the
button is
pressed to create a Tone Row prematurely, i.e. with fewer than the total number of
notes of the scale.
20