The Book of Xenomes

Xenomes are a richly encoded naming system that I developed for musical scales, or more specifically, 12-tone equal temperament (12-TET) pitch-class sets (which can be intervals, chords, or scales). This book explains the system and provides numerous examples. Foreword by Canadian composer Ian Ring.

Qid Love eschews random colonization of the pitch universe, and has instead developed a system of naming that encodes each scale’s structure in a meaningful form. Each musical scale is represented as a compact notation – a “xenome” – that functions like an acronym for the scale’s identity. Xenomes allow musicians to recognize and work with pitch-class sets intuitively, without needing to engage with the deeper mathematical calculations typically associated with set theory. The approach empowers musicians to bring the insights of xenomes directly into their practice, in a format that feels accessible and memorably simple. Notably, thinking of pitch-class sets as xenomes illuminates certain symmetries that will spice up your scalar vocabulary.

There is no expectation that the reader will already know set theory, hexadecimal notation, binary or modulo arithmetic. Qid explains each concept so clearly that both seasoned theorists and beginners alike will find the system intuitive and engaging.

Whether you’re hoping to deepen your grasp of musical set theory or are simply curious about an innovative approach to scale identification, this book offers a refreshing take. Qid Love bridges the gap between the highly theoretical world of pitch class set naming and the everyday reality of making music. A gift to musicians and theorists alike: a practical, accessible way to explore one of music’s more enigmatic subjects. - Ian Ring