SeaGL 2025

GNU/Linux Loves All
2025-11-08 , Room 145

GNU/Linux Loves All is a project that makes microtonal music accessible through FLO software. Microtonal means anything beyond 12edo (standard tuning). FLO stands for Free/Libre/Open. It means anything that respects and supports our Human Tech Rights. We can use FLO technology to be free to access the harmonic series and everything in between two notes.

This performance includes ancient notes from harmonics 3, 5, 7, 11, and higher. These tones from modern keyboards and violin are processed through FLO software on a GNU/Linux laptop.


11/8 is an ancient musical interval. This interval falls halfway in between two notes of standard 12edo tuning. From the perspective of a standard 12edo tuner, 11/8 is as out-of-tune as possible. Not only is 11/8 an acceptable note of ancient tradition and modern non-Western tradition, it sounds good to modern Western ears as well. This is because it comes from the harmonic series. A 12edo tuner is not made for harmonics. This is why it calls 11/8 out-of-tune. Limiting possible pitches to only 12edo excludes access to the harmonic series. The harmonic series is how the ear perceives music on an unconscious level. The harmonic series is how humans know what instrument is playing, whose voice is talking or sing, and the quality of tones and music.

While 11/8 is ancient, the Western standard of 12edo makes it seem modern. The midi standard makes 12edo simple while making other tunings less accessible. 11/8 is not on a standard piano or keyboard. For-profit companies like to offer modern proprietary software as a "solution" to experience ancient notes on a computer or keyboard. This is quite simply not acceptable. Everyone needs to have open access to ancient notes. We should not need to turn to modern proprietary software to experience notes that are millennia old. Instead, we should use FLO software.


Project URL:

https://gnulinux.love

Timmy James Barnett is passionate about the philosophy of FLO (Free/Libre/Open) software. He is happy to be using GNU/Linux and FLO software he wrote for his performances with GNU/Linux Loves All and !mindparade. His music is inspired by FLO technologies including GNU/Linux, Matthew Autry's skip-fretting, Kite guitar, and Jim Snow's mosaichord. These technologies have connected him with older notes that have been covered up by modern standard tuning. Rather than being limited to just one tuning, Timmy's music is inspired by both the harmonic series and various edos beyond 12edo (known as standard tuning). He finds a unique sound from the intersection between ancient tuning theory, modern music technology, and a FLO philosophy.