The Arithmophone is a thing that turns numbers in to sounds. Its name is derived from the ancient Greek words ἀριθμός (arithmos; number) and φωνή (phone; sound).
The Arithmophone currently exists as a family of software keyboards. You can use these to turn your touchscreen device into a musical instrument, as a source of melodic and harmonic inspiration or a way to explore familiar and unfamiliar tuning systems.
The Arithmophone web apps are software instruments that you can play from any phone, tablet or computer. You can play them straight from your browser, or you can install them as standalone apps, which provide a nice full screen experience and are also available when you’re not online.
The Arithmophone 7 provides seven different keyboard layouts, each of which uses a different tuning system. All of these systems have their own possibilities and limitations and their own specific sonic signature. One of the key purposes of the Arithmophone is to make these different tuning systems available for easy exploration and direct comparison. To start playing the Arithmophone 7, just hit the button below. The Quickstart Guide explains everything you need to know to get started.
The Arithmophone Korale is an easy-to-play instrument that is well suited for beginners and for the smaller screens on mobile devices. It offers a carefully curated selection of diatonic and pentatonic scales in just intonation tuning, and direct access to its sound-shaping parameters. To start playing the Arithmophone Korale, just hit the button below. The Quickstart Guide explains everything you need to know to get started.
The Arithmophone O/U is a four-octave keyboard that uses a scale made of pure harmonics and subharmonics. It is based on an idea by the wonderful instrument designer Bart Hopkin. Like the Korale, the Arithmophone O/U is easy to play and well suited for smaller screens. To start playing, just hit the button below. The Quickstart Guide explains everything you need to know to get started.
Most of the keyboards that are featured in the Arithmophone 7 are also available in Midi versions, so you can use them to control your own hardware or software instruments. Visit the Arithmophone Midi page to find out more.
For details about the acoustic principles and design philosophy behind the Arithmophone instruments, links to previous versions of the Arithmophone and more, please visit these pages.
Arithmophone concept, design and development by Chiel Zwinkels © 2024