In the format for the C21MP Research Challenge the Rationale / Hypothesis section consists of the proposals by the practice research participants that outlines their initial ideas and approach.

Scott McLaughlin’s initial proposal

Title: Just intonation tuning for emergent feedback networks across strings

An electric guitar will be tuned in just intonation (JI): e.g. using only harmonics of the low E string could produce {E, G# (-14c), D (-31c), F# (+4c), A# (-49c), F (-2c)}. This will then be used to create feedback and manipulated only through movement of the guitar relative to the amplifier: this alters phase relationships and forces different harmonic nodes of the strings to become more or less susceptible to feedback. By using the right JI tuning, there will be more possible sympathetic resonances across the six strings, meaning that feedback energy can ‘migrate’ from string to string when there is sympathetic vibration. The research will explore what JI relations between strings afford grater movement of feedback across the strings (in response to movement only). The mostly prime number tuning shown above might not be the best as each string only relates to low-E, perhaps a tuning in pure 5ths would create more resonances? or will string tension play a greater role? Doing this on an ordinary guitar will be interesting, but I can also extend this using a hexaphonic pickup so that each string can feedback independently, but still influence each other through sympathetic resonance [that said, this version might make it difficult for someone to respond if they don’t also have a hexaphonic pickup].

James Gordon’s initial proposal

Non-conventional guitar tunings were a large part of my practice-based PhD – a portfolio that blended folk horror, acoustic rock, and prog elements – and I found one in particular to be a source of fascination and creative exploration. DADG#AD, a variation on the traditional DADGAD open tuning, makes use of a #4 (and the lack of a 3rd) to give it a distinct set of tonal possibilities and affordances.

My initial focus was on exploring the tuning as a distillation of the Hungarian Minor / Gypsy scales, though it has also been referred to as Lydian DADGAD / Lydian Sus4 and there are other possibilities inherent in the way it is setup.

I’d like to experiment further with this tuning and also with a more challenging variation of it. Adjusting two of the strings microtonally to: D A (quarter flat) D G (quarter sharp) A D led to a challenging set of new provocations for me as a songwriter and composer. The resulting track, ‘The Bleeding Tree’, became one of the more interesting pieces in my portfolio.