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Hermode Tuning

The Hermode tuning system is a commercial adaptive tuning scheme created by Werner Mhorlok in 1988. It is a type of adaptive tuning program for music with its own algorithms that runs automatically to correct different types of music. It is currently the only adaptive tuning scheme that has gained a broader dissemination, including applications in church organs and add-ins for software packages, e.g. CubaseTM. Rather than determining the chordal root, the Hermode tuning system modifies the intervals between adjacent tones of a chord instantaneously to just ratios. Meanwhile, the algorithms also tunes the global pitch in a manner that reduces the difference to the usual equal temperament substantially. This minimises the negative frequency shifts among subsequent chords whilst maintaining a global optimised frequency scale for maximum efficiency output. Meanwhile, the Hermode tuning also functions to recompense for pitch drift.

The Hermode tuning strives not to make perfect intonations. Instead, it aims to provide the optimal intonation for any musical instruments that it analyses so that it would be perfect for any human ear to hear. This is because a perfect intonation is believed to be less pleasant than an optimised intonation, and less interesting to both artists and audience. The Hermode tuning system also opens the possibility to have music that is made electronically have a human’s touch. This means the modified music will not be “perfect”. It main contain some small unnoticeable errors, but on the other side it will sound more realistic and resonating to audience rather than being a perfect robotic music piece. To achieve this, the Hermode algorithms modifies each note or chord in realtime and makes small deviations to meet a desired pitch alterations, similarly to what a musician would do in a live performance. Therefore, Hermode tuning can combine the pure sound of just intonation while still provide the volatility of emotionalism. In the near future, the technologies that are in a similar fashion to Hermode may lead to the substitution of the omnipresent equal tempered scale with an advanced method that removes compromising.

The name Hermode comes from the Deutch word harmonischer modus, which roughly translates to "modes of just intonation".

The main purpose of the Hermode tuning system is to create music that is more natural whilst being a computer based re-tuning system by making sure the notes and sound are subtly modified whilst still having that human touch. The Hermode tuning system works by using its predefined intervals and chords that has up to 6 chords so that it can work in real time to identify intervals and chords, it also re-tunes them to create music that incorporates both non-perfect intonations as well as common sequential chords.

It is also classified as a rule based performance knowledge system that is classified as a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) with custom analysis.

Computer Expressive Performance’

Expressive performance is the idea of humans being able to play an instrument that allows them to change certain aspects such as tempo and vibrato to be unique in every live performance as opposed to a computer generating music that is considered a "perfect" performance that lacks these certain characteristics that makes them sound bad altogether. The main concern that users are so inclined on making sure that their music is expressed the same as how a live performance sound is that in the past, adaptive tuning schemes were not as commendable as they are now and was limited to adjust only certain aspects such as tone. At the same time, it also lacked the expressive performance that present adaptive tuning systems can offer.

CSEMP

The Hermode tuning system is under the classification as a "semiautomated computer systems for expressive music performance (CSEMP for short)". A CSEMP is a system that allows music that is made through a computer system, have a more realistic playback and therefore have an expressive performance. Whilst some tuning systems focuses more on timing and dynamics. The Hermode tuning system focuses and strives to make the intonation aspect as expressive as it can be whilst being able to run in real time to help make music that has been re-tuned by a computer still have that living intonation only found in live orchestras or instrumentalists.Therefore, through using different algorithms and typesetting, Hermode can easily adapt computer generated music to express emotions, change of dynamics and tempo and performance articulation (for expressive vibrato to timbre).

The Hermode tuning systems being a CSEMP therefore, can work with a very simple instrument model such as a soundcard in your pc or a media player. Subsequently, Hermode also regards having the ability to generate non-monophonic music. This means it can have multiple notes being generated at one given time and is beneficial to maintain a more expressive music. It is said that if composers or instrumentalist perform in perfect intonation at all times, "it would sound less pleasant" compared to performance that have been optimised expressively. Therefore, Hermode's main algorithms strives to create optimal intonation rather than perfect intonations in general.

Techniques

The Hermode tuning systems is comprised of different techniques that are commonly found in adaptive tuning systems. This makes the hermode combine the advantages of those techniques while differentiating itself from them. Whilst differing in some aspects, the main aspect is that the Hermode tuning system works around self-tuning music that uses the just intonation technique but at the same time making sure that it still sounds as though a person is playing the instrument and not have that realistic feeling removed by its automated adaptive tuning system unlike other self-tuning systems that aim at perfection. It also combines it with the temperament to be more versatile and thus allow to eliminate some compromise aspects.

Just Intonation

Main article: Just intonation

The Hermode tuning system is designed to use just intonation to help with its automated adjustment when tuning any musical aspects. Another use of it is to tune a synthesizer in realtime. With a purpose to offer a beat less and consonant sound, Hermode Tuning designs a model to calculate and modify musical intervals in accordance to just intonation. Nevertheless, this method does not take into account beats less intervals that are not consistent with just intonation when the partials of sounds are inharmonic. Combined with being able to tune in real time, the main purpose of using just intonation is to promote that it works in more of a small whole ratios and frequency rather than adjusting in subdivided numbers. As a matter of fact, common musical instruments would not make harmonic spectrums that are theoretically perfect. Hence, just Intonation is a model that can merely be verified by static electronic sounds that are not vivid and interesting in the eyes of music producers. The downside of using this type of tuning is that it cannot work on inharmonic sound spectrums, which however can be solved by further technological advances in the near future.

Equal Temperament

Main article: Equal temperament

The hermode tuning system also works around with equal temperament to adaptively tune wind and string instruments so that the pitches are as close to zero when detuning it from their equal-tempered pitch because Hermode is capable to identify and adjust all notes simultaneously rather than having each chord be played and re-tune it one at a time. The Equal Temperament difference is minimised when fine tuning with the use of Hermode tuning system as it adjusts the overall pitch difference.This subsequently allows the chords to be shifted whilst reducing the maximum disturbing frequency.

Modes

The Hermode tuning system has different modes that it can operate freely at any given time. These modes provide alternative ways to make sure that whilst it is re-tuning different notes, it will remain close to the original sound. It is also an efficient way to operate certain predefined levels that are most commonly use by singers, composers, musicians and orchestral personnel. It also provides an easier access when using the program in softwares that includes the Hermode tuning system.

Some common modes are:

1. "A mode that only adjusts thirds and fifths"
2. "A mode that includes adaption of sevenths"
3. "A mode that considers the harmonic centre of a piece"

In other modes, chords are played and is tracked by the Hermode tuning system so that it analyses each interval that it has. In one mode, by analysing the last ten chords that is played, it can analyse where the harmonic centre is.

nd chords that are being played back in real time. MIDI is a popular interface that allows the integration of devices that create sound and those that control sound to interweave in a digital space so that users are able to analyse and change music to however they want to change it into.

iSymphonic Orchestra 2 is another software that applies the latest Hermode tuning system, which allows users to tune the pitch by varying the cents little by little for each instrument, which has been popular since its implementation.

Previously, the Hermode tuning system can be found used in a software that is dated back to the early 2000s for the windows xp/2000. A synthesizer called CAKEWALKZ3ta+ that allows the chords to be dynamically adjusted in individual notes.

Disadvantages

There are also advantages of the Hermode tuning system. First of all, pitch drift is one of the problems that arises when using any self-tuning systems. This means the original pitch centre of that note could be deviated because of the notes being re-tuned by an automated tuning system. Each chord is also being rewritten as they get re-tuned because of it being common to one another therefore, it could be time consuming to some extent.

Secondly, three or four cents is audible when notes are being re-tuned from one chord to the other even as little as having different positions in each chord.

Meanwhile, there are other tuning systems that works similarly to the Hermode tuning system such as Muditulib that allows a different configuration for users and another variety of modes that certain users will feel more inclined to use when their work is closely related to those existing predefined modes.