Intonation Shifter

The Intonation Shifter is a Max for Live MIDI device created by Stephen Black for composers, producers, and sound designers interested in non-standard intonation, microtonality, and alternative tuning systems within Ableton Live.

This device allows for flexible tuning control by offering:

Base Pitch Adjustment: Redefine concert pitch from A = 440 Hz down to A = 400 Hz, enabling use of tunings such as A = 432 Hz, A = 415 Hz, or any custom reference frequency.

Custom Octave Division: Select how many notes make up an octave (from 1 to 24 divisions). Supports Equal Divisions of the Octave (EDO), microtonal subdivisions, and experimental temperaments.

Includes a responsive visual display using rotating geometric shapes that reflect the selected octave division and intonation ratio. The visuals are tempo-synced to Ableton Live's transport for intuitive feedback. (this is something i plan on doing a lot with in the next update which will include frequency ratios built upon tempo).

This tool is useful for exploring:

- Microtonal composition
- Non-Western tuning systems
- Just intonation, EDO systems (e.g., 19-TET)
- A = 432 Hz ambient or meditative music
- Experimental sound design.

Works well with mono and polyphonic synths and modular integrations.