Porcupine: Difference between revisions
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'''Porcupine''' is a [[linear temperament]] in the [[porcupine family]] that tempers out [[250/243]], the porcupine [[comma]], and whose generator is somewhere around 160–165 cents. It can be thought of as a 5-[[Harmonic Limit|limit]], 7-limit, or 11-limit temperament, or a 2.3.5.11 [[subgroup temperament]]. It is one of the best temperaments in the 2.3.5.11 subgroup, with a unique combination of efficiency and accuracy. | '''Porcupine''' is a [[linear temperament]] in the [[porcupine family]] that tempers out [[250/243]], the porcupine [[comma]], and whose generator is somewhere around 160–165 cents. It can be thought of as a 5-[[Harmonic Limit|limit]], 7-limit, or 11-limit temperament, or a 2.3.5.11 [[subgroup temperament]]. It is one of the best temperaments in the 2.3.5.11 subgroup, with a unique combination of efficiency and accuracy. | ||
The basic 5-limit harmonic structure of porcupine can be understood simply by noting that tempering out 250/243 makes (4/3)<sup>2</sup> equivalent to (6/5)<sup>3</sup>. In perhaps more familiar musical terms, this means two "perfect fourths" equals three "minor thirds". As a consequence of this, 4/3 is divided into 3 equal parts, and 6/5 is divided into 2 of those same equal parts. This is obviously in stark contrast to [[12edo | The basic 5-limit harmonic structure of porcupine can be understood simply by noting that tempering out 250/243 makes (4/3)<sup>2</sup> equivalent to (6/5)<sup>3</sup>. In perhaps more familiar musical terms, this means two "perfect fourths" equals three "minor thirds". As a consequence of this, 4/3 is divided into 3 equal parts, and 6/5 is divided into 2 of those same equal parts. This is obviously in stark contrast to [[12edo]], and to meantone, in which neither 4/3 nor 6/5 can be divided into any number of equal parts. The "equal tetrachord" formed by dividing 4/3 into 3 equal parts is a characteristic feature of many porcupine scales. | ||
[[File:porcupinesymmetricminor22edo.mp3]] | [[File:porcupinesymmetricminor22edo.mp3]] | ||
Porcupine symmetric minor scale, containing two equal tetrachords with a major wholetone between them | Porcupine symmetric minor scale, containing two equal tetrachords with a major wholetone between them ([[22edo]] tuning). | ||
[[File:porcupine.png]] | [[File:porcupine.png]] | ||
== Interval chain == | == Interval chain == | ||
{{Main| Porcupine intervals }} | |||
{{Main|Porcupine intervals}} | |||
{| class="wikitable center-all right-2 left-3 right-6 left-7" | {| class="wikitable center-all right-2 left-3 right-6 left-7" | ||
| Line 146: | Line 145: | ||
| M3 | | M3 | ||
|} | |} | ||
The specific tuning shown is the full 11-limit [[POTE tuning]], but of course there is a range of acceptible porcupine tunings that includes generators as small as 160 cents ([[15edo | The specific tuning shown is the full 11-limit [[POTE tuning]], but of course there is a range of acceptible porcupine tunings that includes generators as small as 160 cents ([[15edo]]) and as large as 165.5 cents ([[29edo]]). (However, the 29edo patent val does not support 11-limit porcupine proper, since it does not temper out [[64/63]].) | ||
[[12/11]], [[11/10]], and [[10/9]] are all represented by the same interval, the generator. This makes chords such as 8:9:10:11:12 exceptionally common and easy to find. | [[12/11]], [[11/10]], and [[10/9]] are all represented by the same interval, the generator. This makes chords such as 8:9:10:11:12 exceptionally common and easy to find. | ||
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|- | |- | ||
| 8:9:10:11:12 chord, in just intonation. <br> All intervals are slightly different. | | 8:9:10:11:12 chord, in just intonation. <br> All intervals are slightly different. | ||
| Porcupine-tempered 8:9:10:11:12 chord, in [[22edo | | Porcupine-tempered 8:9:10:11:12 chord, in [[22edo]]. <br> Except the first, the intervals are the same. | ||
| Porcupine-tempered 8:9:10:11:12 chord, in [[29edo | | Porcupine-tempered 8:9:10:11:12 chord, in [[29edo]]. <br> Except the first, the intervals are the same. | ||
|} | |} | ||
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== Chords == | == Chords == | ||
{{ | {{Main| Chords of porcupine }} | ||
== Scales == | == Scales == | ||
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{| class="wikitable center-all" | {| class="wikitable center-all" | ||
! | ! Edo<br>Generator | ||
! [[ | ! [[Eigenmonzo|Eigenmonzo<br>(Unchanged Interval]]) | ||
! | ! Generator (¢) | ||
! | ! Comments | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
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{| class="wikitable center-all" | {| class="wikitable center-all" | ||
! | ! Edo Generator | ||
! | ! Eigenmonzo<br>(Unchanged Interval) | ||
! | ! Generator (¢) | ||
! | ! Comments | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
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== History == | == History == | ||
Porcupine temperament/scales were discovered by [[Dave Keenan]], but | Porcupine temperament/scales were discovered by [[Dave Keenan]], but did not have a name until [[Herman Miller]] mentioned that his Mizarian Porcupine Overture in 15et had a section that pumps the 250/243 comma. Although this music did not use a porcupine mos or [[modmos]] (which would have 7 or 8 notes), the name was adopted for such scales as well, once the essentially one-to-one relationship between vanishing commas and sequences of [[DE]] scales was fully evident. It was clear that even though Herman's piece was in 15edo, 22edo was a porcupine tuning par excellence, and that was an interesting development in itself. | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
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* [[Porcupine Album Project]] | * [[Porcupine Album Project]] | ||
== | == Music == | ||
* ''[https://sites.google.com/site/teamouse/home#TOC-Mizarian-music Mizarian Porcupine Overture]'', [[Herman Miller]], 1999. (15EDO, namesake of the temperament) | * ''[https://sites.google.com/site/teamouse/home#TOC-Mizarian-music Mizarian Porcupine Overture]'', [[Herman Miller]], 1999. (15EDO, namesake of the temperament) | ||
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928093239/http://66.98.148.43/~xenharmo/mp3/erlich/glassic.mp3 Glassic]'', [[Paul Erlich]], [[22edo|22EDO]] (at least the beginning part is in porcupine). | * ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928093239/http://66.98.148.43/~xenharmo/mp3/erlich/glassic.mp3 Glassic]'', [[Paul Erlich]], [[22edo|22EDO]] (at least the beginning part is in porcupine). | ||
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* [https://cityoftheasleep.bandcamp.com/track/second-breakfast-15edo Second Breakfast (15EDO)] by [[Igliashon Jones]] | * [https://cityoftheasleep.bandcamp.com/track/second-breakfast-15edo Second Breakfast (15EDO)] by [[Igliashon Jones]] | ||
== | == Diagrams == | ||
[[File:porcupine8.jpg]] | [[File:porcupine8.jpg]] | ||
Revision as of 18:26, 7 February 2023
Porcupine is a linear temperament in the porcupine family that tempers out 250/243, the porcupine comma, and whose generator is somewhere around 160–165 cents. It can be thought of as a 5-limit, 7-limit, or 11-limit temperament, or a 2.3.5.11 subgroup temperament. It is one of the best temperaments in the 2.3.5.11 subgroup, with a unique combination of efficiency and accuracy.
The basic 5-limit harmonic structure of porcupine can be understood simply by noting that tempering out 250/243 makes (4/3)2 equivalent to (6/5)3. In perhaps more familiar musical terms, this means two "perfect fourths" equals three "minor thirds". As a consequence of this, 4/3 is divided into 3 equal parts, and 6/5 is divided into 2 of those same equal parts. This is obviously in stark contrast to 12edo, and to meantone, in which neither 4/3 nor 6/5 can be divided into any number of equal parts. The "equal tetrachord" formed by dividing 4/3 into 3 equal parts is a characteristic feature of many porcupine scales.
Porcupine symmetric minor scale, containing two equal tetrachords with a major wholetone between them (22edo tuning).
Interval chain
| # | Cents | Ratios | Ups and Downs notation |
# | 2/1 inverse | Ratios | Ups and Downs notation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0.00 | 1/1 | P1 | 0 | 1200.00 | 2/1 | P8 |
| 1 | 162.75 | 12/11, 11/10, 10/9 | vM2 = ^^m2 | -1 | 1037.25 | 9/5, 20/11, 11/6 | ^m7 = vvM7 |
| 2 | 325.50 | 6/5, 11/9 | ^m3 = vvM3 | -2 | 874.50 | 18/11, 5/3 | vM6 = ^^m6 |
| 3 | 488.25 | 4/3 | P4 | -3 | 711.75 | 3/2 | P5 |
| 4 | 651.00 | 16/11, 22/15 | v5 = ^^d5 | -4 | 549.00 | 15/11, 11/8 | ^4 = vvA4 |
| 5 | 813.75 | 8/5 | ^m6 = vvM6 | -5 | 386.25 | 5/4 | vM3 = ^^m3 |
| 6 | 976.50 | 7/4, 16/9 | m7 | -6 | 223.50 | 9/8, 8/7 | M2 |
| 7 | 1139.25 | 48/25, 160/81 | v8 = ^^d8 | -7 | 60.75 | 81/80, 25/24 | ^1 = vvA1 |
| 8 | 102.00 | 16/15, 21/20 | ^m2 = vvM2 | -8 | 1098.00 | 40/21, 15/8 | vM7 = ^^m7 |
| 9 | 264.75 | 7/6 | m3 | -9 | 935.25 | 12/7 | M6 |
| 10 | 427.50 | 14/11 | v4 = ^^d4 | -10 | 772.50 | 11/7 | ^5 = vvA5 |
| 11 | 590.25 | 7/5 | ^d5 = vv5 | -11 | 609.75 | 10/7 | vA4 = ^^4 |
| 12 | 753.00 | 14/9 | m6 | -12 | 447.00 | 9/7 | M3 |
The specific tuning shown is the full 11-limit POTE tuning, but of course there is a range of acceptible porcupine tunings that includes generators as small as 160 cents (15edo) and as large as 165.5 cents (29edo). (However, the 29edo patent val does not support 11-limit porcupine proper, since it does not temper out 64/63.)
12/11, 11/10, and 10/9 are all represented by the same interval, the generator. This makes chords such as 8:9:10:11:12 exceptionally common and easy to find.
| 8:9:10:11:12 chord, in just intonation. All intervals are slightly different. |
Porcupine-tempered 8:9:10:11:12 chord, in 22edo. Except the first, the intervals are the same. |
Porcupine-tempered 8:9:10:11:12 chord, in 29edo. Except the first, the intervals are the same. |
The 11/9 interval, usually considered a "neutral third", is in porcupine identical to the 6/5 "minor third". This means that the 27/20 "acute fourth" of the JI diatonic scale is equivalent to 11/8 (rather than becoming 4/3 as in meantone).
The characteristic small interval of porcupine, which is 60.75 cents in this tuning but can range from <50 to 80 cents in general, represents both 25/24 and 81/80.
Chords
Scales
- [8/5 12/7] eigenmonzos
Tuning spectra
Porcupine
| Edo Generator |
Eigenmonzo (Unchanged Interval) |
Generator (¢) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13/12 | 138.573 | ||
| 13/11 | 144.605 | ||
| 12/11 | 150.637 | ||
| 13/10 | 151.405 | ||
| 6/5 | 157.821 | ||
| 15/13 | 158.710 | ||
| 18/13 | 159.154 | ||
| 2\15 | 160.000 | ||
| 8/7 | 161.471 | ||
| 14/11 | 161.751 | ||
| 7/5 | 162.047 | ||
| 5\37 | 162.162 | ||
| 11/8 | 162.171 | 13- and 15-odd-limit minimax | |
| 8\59 | 162.712 | ||
| 5/4 | 162.737 | 5- and 7-odd-limit minimax | |
| 15/14 | 162.897 | ||
| 7/6 | 162.986 | ||
| 3\22 | 163.636 | ||
| 9/7 | 163.743 | 9- and 11-odd-limit minimax | |
| 16/15 | 163.966 | ||
| 7\51 | 164.706 | ||
| 11/10 | 165.004 | ||
| 4\29 | 165.517 | ||
| 15/11 | 165.762 | ||
| 4/3 | 166.015 | ||
| 14/13 | 166.037 | ||
| 11/9 | 173.704 | ||
| 16/13 | 179.736 | ||
| 10/9 | 182.404 |
Porcupinefish
| Edo Generator | Eigenmonzo (Unchanged Interval) |
Generator (¢) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/11 | 150.637 | ||
| 6/5 | 157.821 | ||
| 2\15 | 160.000 | ||
| 18/13 | 160.307 | ||
| 15/13 | 160.860 | ||
| 8/7 | 161.471 | ||
| 13/12 | 161.531 | ||
| 14/11 | 161.751 | ||
| 7/5 | 162.047 | ||
| 14/13 | 162.100 | ||
| 13/10 | 162.149 | ||
| 5\37 | 162.162 | ||
| 11/8 | 162.171 | ||
| 16/13 | 162.322 | ||
| 13/11 | 162.368 | 13- and 15-odd-limit minimax | |
| 8\59 | 162.712 | ||
| 5/4 | 162.737 | 5- and 7-odd-limit minimax | |
| 15/14 | 162.897 | ||
| 7/6 | 162.986 | ||
| 3\22 | 163.636 | ||
| 9/7 | 163.743 | 9- and 11-odd-limit minimax | |
| 16/15 | 163.966 | ||
| 7\51 | 164.706 | ||
| 11/10 | 165.004 | ||
| 4\29 | 165.517 | ||
| 15/11 | 165.762 | ||
| 4/3 | 166.015 | ||
| 11/9 | 173.704 | ||
| 10/9 | 182.404 |
History
Porcupine temperament/scales were discovered by Dave Keenan, but did not have a name until Herman Miller mentioned that his Mizarian Porcupine Overture in 15et had a section that pumps the 250/243 comma. Although this music did not use a porcupine mos or modmos (which would have 7 or 8 notes), the name was adopted for such scales as well, once the essentially one-to-one relationship between vanishing commas and sequences of DE scales was fully evident. It was clear that even though Herman's piece was in 15edo, 22edo was a porcupine tuning par excellence, and that was an interesting development in itself.
See also
Music
- Mizarian Porcupine Overture, Herman Miller, 1999. (15EDO, namesake of the temperament)
- Glassic, Paul Erlich, 22EDO (at least the beginning part is in porcupine).
- Night on Porcupine Mountain, Gene Ward Smith and Modest Mussorgsky, 22EDO.
- being a, Andrew Heathwaite, 2010, 22EDO, mode 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 of Porcupine[8].
- Playing Gently with Miller's Porcupine by Chris Vaisvil
- 15 Porcupines in India, Sarangi, Tambura and Sitar improvisation by Chris Vaisvil
- 15 Quills piano solo by Chris Vaisvil
- Prickly Side of Love - rock band in Porcupine Temperament with vocals by Chris Vaisvil
- Porcupine Organ Composition by Chris Vaisvil
- Among Other Things 2 by Petr Pařízek
- Porcupine Comma Pump, by Jake Freivald
- Life on Mars by Omega9
- Flying Straight Down by John Moriarty
- Porcupine Lullaby by Ray Perlner
- Porcupine(7) Modal Fugues by Ray Perlner (playlist -- 6 of 7 complete)
- Porcupine Major Overture by Well-Tempered Fox
- Waltzing in Candyland by Well-Tempered Fox
- Porcupine by Jollybard
- Porcupeen by Jollybard
- Porcupine Experience by Löis Lancaster
- Porcupine Walk 22EDO by Cody Hallenbeck
- Second Breakfast (15EDO) by Igliashon Jones

