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Primer for 19edo: Difference between revisions

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{{Main article|19edo}}
{{Breadcrumb|19edo}}


== Background ==
== Background ==
[[19edo]] can be an easy tuning for those with a little music theory background, but no xenharmonic experience.  Standard notation can be used (just be vigilant with spelling and watch enharmonic equivalents), and there are only 7 more notes than 12edo (making it the edo with the fewest notes more than 12 where standard notation can be used without new accidentals).
[[19edo]] can be an easy tuning for those with a little music theory background, but no xenharmonic experience.  Standard notation can be used (just be vigilant with spelling and watch enharmonic equivalents), and there are only 7 more notes than 12edo (making it the edo with the fewest notes more than 12 where standard notation can be used without new accidentals).


Music in what is essentially 19edo ({{frac|1|3}}-[[81/80|comma]] [[meantone]]) dates back to the 16th century, contemporary with the initial proposals for [[12edo]]. Major and minor thirds and sixths in 19edo are more blended and consonant than in 12edo, due to being closer to common just intervals, and the perfect fourth and fifth are only slightly less clear than 12edo.   
Music in what is essentially 19edo ({{frac|1|3}}-[[81/80|comma]] [[meantone]]) dates back to the 16th century, contemporary with the initial proposals for [[12edo]]. Major and minor thirds and sixths in 19edo are more concordant than in 12edo, due to being closer to common just intervals, and the perfect fourth and fifth are only slightly less clear than 12edo.   


Longer scale fretted instruments like guitar and bass guitar have fret placements that don't require major modification of playing techniques, and isometric keyboard instruments can represent this tuning ergonomically with three rows of keys or buttons.  Due to the close relationship with other classical temperaments, some wind instruments can be played with alternative fingerings to approximate 19edo.   
Longer scale fretted instruments like guitar and bass guitar have fret placements that don't require major modification of playing techniques, and isometric keyboard instruments can represent this tuning ergonomically with three rows of keys or buttons.  Due to the close relationship with other classical temperaments, some wind instruments can be played with alternative fingerings to approximate 19edo.   
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| A1/bb2
| #1/bb2
| Augmented unison, diminished second
| Augmented unison, diminished second
|  
|  
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| Abb
| Abb
|-
|-
| #7/d8
| #7/b8
| Augmented seventh, diminished octave
| Augmented seventh, diminished octave
|  
|  
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| do
| do
|-
|-
| A1/bb2
| #1/bb2
| Augmented unison, diminished second
| Augmented unison, diminished second
|  
|  
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| ti
| ti
|-
|-
| #7/d8
| #7/b8
| Augmented seventh, diminished octave
| Augmented seventh, diminished octave
|  
|  
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For viola or 'cello, or mandola or mandocello, you will need to offset the C string only if the reference tone is not C standard.  For A standard, tune C 16 cents sharp.
For viola or 'cello, or mandola or mandocello, you will need to offset the C string only if the reference tone is not C standard.  For A standard, tune C 16 cents sharp.


== Major Scale ==
== Major scale ==
The major scale in 19edo is the same as it is in 12edo, with the notation above in mind. So, C major scale is spelled C D E F G A B C. G major scale is G A B C D E F# G. D major scale is D E F# G A B C# D, and so forth. The difference, again, is in the number of accidentals necessary to account for the extra keys possible and all of the additional notes.  In 12edo, the key of F# is the same as the key of Gb, but in 19edo, F# and Gb are not even the same tone.
The major scale in 19edo is the same as it is in 12edo, with the notation above in mind. So, C major scale is spelled C D E F G A B C. G major scale is G A B C D E F# G. D major scale is D E F# G A B C# D, and so forth. The difference, again, is in the number of accidentals necessary to account for the extra keys possible and all of the additional notes.  In 12edo, the key of F# is the same as the key of Gb, but in 19edo, F# and Gb are not even the same tone.


Often times in music theory, a scale will be spelled out by its degrees instead of by letters. For example, the major scale is "1 2 3 4 5 6 7."  Now 1 is whichever note you use as a root or "tonic" note, and the rest of the scale follows a formula. This is useful for communicating musical ideas without having to specify the key of the song. So, C major is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, or Gb major is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, or any major scale is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.
Often times in music theory, a scale will be spelled out by its degrees instead of by letters. For example, the major scale is "1 2 3 4 5 6 7."  Now 1 is whichever note you use as a root or "tonic" note, and the rest of the scale follows a formula. This is useful for communicating musical ideas without having to specify the key of the song. So, C major is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, or Gb major is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, or any major scale is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.


The major scale can be mapped out mentally as whole and half steps: WWHWWWH. In 12edo H is one quantum (the minimum distance between tones) and W is two. In 19edo, H is two quanta and W is three. In more complex tuning systems, one has to be more careful to account for the fact that the whole steps and half steps can vary in size between intervals, but not in 19edo; a half step is always two minimum steps (keys or buttons or frets, etc.), and a whole step is three.
The major scale can be mapped out mentally as whole and half steps: WWHWWWH. In 12edo H is one quantum (the minimum distance between tones) and W is two. In 19edo, H is two quanta and W is three. In more complex tuning systems, one has to be more careful to account for the fact that the whole steps and half steps can vary in size between intervals, but not in 19edo; a half step is always two minimum steps (keys or buttons or frets, etc.), and a whole step is three.


== Other Scales ==
== Other scales ==
The minor scales all work exactly the same as they do in 12edo. So, the A minor scale is the same as the C major scale, just starting and ending on A instead of on C. In fact, all of the "church modes" also known as the "classical modes," are the same. All of the altered scales are the same, too. Just account for the spellings of notes with accidentals carefully and you are all set.
The minor scales all work exactly the same as they do in 12edo. So, the A minor scale is the same as the C major scale, just starting and ending on A instead of on C. In fact, all of the "church modes", also known as the "classical modes", are the same. All of the altered scales are the same, too. Just account for the spellings of notes with accidentals carefully and you are all set.


Spelling scales out with degrees works the same way as it does in 12edo, too. The natural minor scale (in the key of A minor) is A B C D E F G, and is spelled with degrees (in any key) as 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7.
Spelling scales out with degrees works the same way as it does in 12edo, too. The natural minor scale (in the key of A minor) is A B C D E F G, and is spelled with degrees (in any key) as 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7.


To review some scale formulas (in degrees) from regular old 12edo:
To review some scale formulas (in degrees) from regular old 12edo:
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Just how the staff and letter names of notes from 12edo can carry over into 19edo with a simple shift in mindset, roman numeral chord notation can be used in pretty much the same way it was used in 12edo.  Only the relationships between enharmonic equivalent chords are changed.
Just how the staff and letter names of notes from 12edo can carry over into 19edo with a simple shift in mindset, roman numeral chord notation can be used in pretty much the same way it was used in 12edo.  Only the relationships between enharmonic equivalent chords are changed.


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Scale degree
! Name
! Major chord
! Minor chord
|-
| 1
| Tonic
| I
| i
|-
| bb2
| Supertonic
| bbII
| bbii
|-
| b2
| Supertonic
| bII
| bii
|-
| 2
| Supertonic
| II
| ii
|-
| #2/bb3
|
| #II / bbIII
| #ii / bbiii
|-
| b3
| Mediant
| bIII
| biii
|-
| 3
| Mediant
| III
| iii
|-
| #3/b4
|
| #III / bIV
| #iii / biv
|-
| 4
| Subdominant
| IV
| iv
|-
| #4
| Subdominant
| #IV
| #iv
|-
| b5
| Dominant
| bV
| bv
|-
| 5
| Dominant
| V
| v
|-
| #5
| Dominant
| #V
| #v
|-
| b6
| Submediant
| bVI
| bvi
|-
| 6
| Submediant
| VI
| vi
|-
| bb7/#6
|
| bbVII / #VI
| bbvii / #vi
|-
| b7
| Subtonic
| bVII
| bvii
|-
| 7
| Subtonic
| VII
| vii
|-
| #7
| Subtonic
| #VII
| #vii
|}


Again, there are sometimes, confusingly, other notation conventions.  For example, in common practice, the chords in the natural minor scale are i - ii° - bIII - iv - v - bVI - bVII, but since the minor scale is sometimes assumed, some people use the notation "i - ii° - III - iv - v - VI - VII" without the accidentals.  This is not expressly incorrect, but many consider it confusing.  In the case of xenharmonic music, it is recommended to use the accidental marks whenever possible to avoid the confusion introduced by notation that doesn't specify them, compounded by the complication of having more accidentals for which to account.
Again, there are sometimes, confusingly, other notation conventions.  For example, in common practice, the chords in the natural minor scale are i - ii° - bIII - iv - v - bVI - bVII, but since the minor scale is sometimes assumed, some people use the notation "i - ii° - III - iv - v - VI - VII" without the accidentals.  This is not expressly incorrect, but many consider it confusing.  In the case of xenharmonic music, it is recommended to use the accidental marks whenever possible to avoid the confusion introduced by notation that doesn't specify them, compounded by the complication of having more accidentals for which to account.
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== Onward ==
== Onward ==
19edo can be used as an alternative to 12edo temperament and played un-xenharmonically, but, with the added tonal palette, there is much to discover xenharmonically as well. As a player develops broader skills by performing in 19edo as opposed to a 12-tone system, it should become easier to conceptualize the ideas that go into more complex tuning temperaments. 19edo is a fantastic stepping stone with that regard. But, just as 12edo offers near limitless possibilities with melody and harmony, 19edo offers even more, so it is possible to spend a lifetime with that temperament and still find new concepts.
19edo can be used as an alternative to 12edo temperament and played un-xenharmonically, but, with the added tonal palette, there is much to discover xenharmonically as well. As a player develops broader skills by performing in 19edo as opposed to a 12-tone system, it should become easier to conceptualize the ideas that go into more complex tuning temperaments. 19edo is a fantastic stepping stone with that regard. But, just as 12edo offers near limitless possibilities with melody and harmony, 19edo offers even more, so it is possible to spend a lifetime with that temperament and still find new concepts.


[[Category:Method]]
[[Category:Method]]
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