Last updated 2026 Mar 18

Studio J: John deLaubenfels' Just Intonation project

Steganography: Stegmeister







Head Demagnetizers in 32 bars

Before you listen, be sure to read our message debunking the alleged danger of listening to music tuned in Just Intonation.
Chords used in these examples here.

01_cho21c_5437
02_cho21c_6410
03_cho21c_5564
04_cho21c_5558
05_cho21c_5834
06_cho21c_6325
07_cho21c_5743
08_cho21c_5488
09_cho21c_6525
10_cho21c_5749
11_cho21c_6097
12_cho21c_6572
13_cho21c_6448
14_cho21c_6155
15_cho21c_6054
16_cho21c_5450
17_cho21c_6513
18_cho21c_6083
19_cho21c_6114
20_cho21c_6271
21_cho21c_6453
22_cho21c_6027
23_cho21c_6586
24_cho21c_5473
25_cho21c_5566
26_cho21c_5912
27_cho21c_6400
28_cho21c_6454
29_cho21c_6380
30_cho21c_6021
31_cho21c_6301
32_cho21c_5532
33_cho21c_6237
34_cho21c_6416

Chords used in above examples



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Project Retune: the retuning of General MIDI files to adaptive quasi-Just Intonation (qJI).

Warning: the tunings presented here are unauthorized by the original composers.

Basic tuning theory
Basic tuning math
My spring method
Calculated Optimum Fixed Tuning (COFT)
Working details of tuning program
Message to parents


Hardware requirements: to play the following files, you need General MIDI (GM) capability. Most computer sound cards made in the last five years have this, as do most stand-alone modules in the same time period. If in doubt, give one of the tuned files a try. If notes are missing, you probably don't have GM. If notes seem poorly tuned, see below.


Results using "melodic springs":

Gershwin "Rhapsody in Blue" (2-hand piano reduction), sequenced by Gary D. Lloyd:
rh-n-blum.zip Positive, negative, and zero-strength melodic springs with 7-limit adaptive tuning.

Chopin "Fantaisie-Impromptu", Op. 66, sequenced by Larry Ellis:
lechi4jm.zip Positive, negative, and zero-strength melodic springs with 5-limit adaptive tuning.

David J. Finnamore "Romantic Sixth Chords Experiment", sequenced by David J. Finnamore, copyright (c) 2001 David J. Finnamore.
Rmtcsixt.zip

Chopin "Fantaisie-Impromptu", Op. 66, sequenced by Larry Ellis:
lechi4j.zip Original and some tunings
lechi4jx.zip More tunings

Bach/Busoni "Chaconne in D-", sequenced by Bunji Hisamori, with chorus commands removed:
b-b-bj.zip

Mozart Sonata No.2 in F, K.280, sequenced by F. Raborn.
wamk280.zip
wamk280es2.zip

Here's some multi-voice stuff I've been doing:
caravan.zip
pearls.zipA String of Pearls"
KeyedSeqs.zipKeyed instruments restricted in tuning.
verk-nac2.zip:Monz's sequence of Schoenberg's "Verklarte Nacht", 01-06-01




Having trouble with these sequences: do they sound badly out of tune? You might have a different pitch bend range. Try downloading this to check your bend range; you should hear E, F#, and D. Try downloading this to fix the problem. Send me e-mail and let me know how it goes...


And now for something completely different:
Political rants


JIRelay sits between a midi keyboard and a General Midi synth, and adaptively tunes in real-time.

Download JI Relay for Windows