CR1

CR1 is a twelve-tone / twelve-color framework built on the equation C = Red = 1. Each number maps directly to a musical pitch, a fundamental color, and a place in the chromatic wheel. From this simple structure emerge full modal families, chord sets, and octave/timbre variations that mirror musical practice in color.

The system has been documented across forty-nine handwritten volumes, distilled into plates and prototypes, and tested in hundreds of paintings. Its most important tool is the Mode Dial: a device with a chromatic base plate and interchangeable discs representing eight modal families. Paired with color-coded piano labels, it allows anyone to play and see 659 distinct color scales without advanced theory.

The next step is public testing. In 2026 I will run perceptual experiments inspired by Temperley & Tan (2013), asking participants to arrange sets of paintings translated from musical modes. If consistent patterns emerge, it will be the first empirical evidence that color can function as modality. From there, CR1 will be released as a free PDF with resources, while tools such as the Mode Dial will be available for artists, musicians, and scientists. The long-term goal is to see the system validated through science — for example, measuring galvanic skin response under controlled color-mode conditions — and to establish CR1 as a cultural language bridging art, music, and psychology.