Acoustic phi: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Interval
{{Infobox Interval
| Ratio = \varphi {{=}} \frac{ 1 + \sqrt{5} }{2}
| Ratio = \varphi = \frac{ 1 + \sqrt{5} }{2}
| Cents = 833.0902963567409
| Cents = 833.0902963567409
| Name = acoustic phi
| Name = acoustic phi
}}
}}
[[Phi]] taken as a musical ratio (ϕ*f where f=1/1) is about 833.1 cents. This [[metastable]] interval is sometimes called '''acoustic phi''', or the phi neutral sixth. It is wider than a [[12edo]] [[minor sixth]] (800 cents) by about a [[sixth-tone]] (33.3... cents).
ϕ taken as a [[frequency ratio]] (ϕ⋅''f'' where {{nowrap|''f'' {{=}} 1/1}}) is about 833.1 [[cent]]s. This [[metastable]] interval is sometimes called '''acoustic phi''', or the ''phi neutral sixth''. It is wider than a [[12edo]] minor sixth (800 cents) by about a sixth-tone (33.3… cents).


Phi is the most difficult interval to approximate by rational numbers, as [[wikipedia:Golden_ratio#Continued_fraction_and_square_root|its continued fraction]] consists entirely of 1's. The [[wikipedia:Convergent (continued fraction)|convergents]] (rational number approximations, obtained from the continued fractions) are the ratios of successive terms of the Fibonacci sequence converge on phi, the just intonation intervals 3/2, [[5/3]] (~884.4¢), [[8/5]] (~814.7¢), [[13/8]] (~840.5¢), [[21/13]] (~830.3¢), ... converge on ~833.1 cents.
ϕ is the most difficult interval to approximate by rational numbers, as {{w|Golden ratio #Continued fraction and square root|its continued fraction}} consists entirely of 1's. The {{w|Convergent (continued fraction)|convergents}} (rational number approximations, obtained from the continued fractions) are the ratios of successive terms of the Fibonacci sequence converge on ϕ, the just intonation intervals 3/2, [[5/3]] (~884.4¢), [[8/5]] (~814.7¢), [[13/8]] (~840.5¢), [[21/13]] (~830.3¢), converge on ~833.1 cents.


[[Erv Wilson]] accordingly described phi as "the worstest of the worst — and yet somehow with divinity imbued, Lord have mercy!", inspiring the term [[merciful intonation]].
[[Erv Wilson]] accordingly described ϕ as "the worstest of the worst — and yet somehow with divinity imbued, Lord have mercy!", inspiring the term [[merciful intonation]].


Acoustic phi is not to be confused with [[logarithmic phi]], which is 741.6¢.
Acoustic phi is not to be confused with [[logarithmic phi]], which is 1941.6¢ (741.6¢ octave-reduced).


== Additional reading ==
== See also ==
* [[833 Cent Golden Scale (Bohlen)]]
* [[833 Cent Golden Scale (Bohlen)]]
* [[Phi as a Generator]]
* [[Edφ]], tunings created by dividing acoustic phi into equally sized smaller steps
* [[Phi as a generator]]
* [[sqrtphi]], a temperament based on the square root of phi (~416.5 cents) as a generator.
* [[sqrtphi]], a temperament based on the square root of phi (~416.5 cents) as a generator.
* [[photosynthesis]], a temperament using phi as a “prime” in its subgroup


[[Category:Golden ratio]]
[[Category:Golden ratio]]
[[Category:Supraminor sixth]]