David B. Doty

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David B. Doty (born 1950) is an American composer and authority on just intonation. He is the author of The Just Intonation Primer (1993, 1994, 2002).

Inspired in part by the work of Harry Partch Doty began composing in 1970 and co-founded the San Francisco based ensemble Other Music, with Henry S. Rosenthal and Dale S. Soules, in 1975. After Doty studied intonation with Lou Harrison, members of Other Music built an American Gamelan based on a 14-tone-per-octave just tuning designed by Doty and Soules. Other Music performed extensively in Northern California using these instruments during the years 1977–1981. Three of Doty's compositions from this period were featured on Other Music's 1980 LP Prime Numbers. Other Music ceased performing publicly in 1981, but recorded and released a studio album, Incidents Out of Context, which featured compositions combining gamelan with synthesizers and other acoustic and electro-acoustic instruments, in 1983.

After the dissolution of Other Music in 1983, Doty began composing for MIDI instruments and sequencers, which activity he continues at the time of this writing (12/2007). Seven of Doty's compositions in just intonation for this medium are recorded on his 1998 solo CD Uncommon Practice, on Syntonic Records.

In 1984, Doty cofounded the Just Intonation Network along with a number of other Northern California just intonation composers and theorists. He served as the editor of the network's journal, 1/1, from its inception in 1985 until 2006.

Doty has also been a technical writer and editor, author of computer books, and an environmental activist.