Delta-rational chord: Difference between revisions

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A '''delta-rational''' ('''DR''') chord is a [[chord]] that has integer ratios between frequency ''differences'' of some pair of ~~dyads~~, called '''deltas''', with the ~~dyads~~ in question assumed to be between successive notes (Δ, capital delta, is often used to denote "difference")~~. Here ''dyad'' refers not to a [[Dyad|chord of two pitch classes]], but to an interval between two notes~~.

A '''delta-rational''' ('''DR''') chord is a [[chord]] that has integer ratios between frequency ''differences'' of some pair of intervals, called '''deltas''', with the intervals in question assumed to be between successive notes (Δ, capital delta, is often used to denote "difference").

DR chords ~~generalize~~ JI chords, in which all frequency differences of ~~dyads~~ are exactly integer ratios. But unlike JI chords, a DR chord need not have integer ratios between frequencies of notes. For example, the [[13edo]] chord {{dash|0, 3, 8, 10|med}}\13 ({{dash|0¢, 277¢, 738¢, 923¢|med}}) is close to being delta-rational, because the frequency difference of the ~~dyad~~ 8–10\13 is 0.994 times the frequency difference of the ~~dyad~~ 0–3\13. (In the exactly DR chord {{dash|0\13, 3\13, 8\13, 924.159¢|med}}, the 3rd and 4th notes have exactly the same frequency difference as the ~~dyad~~ 0–3\13.)

DR chords are a generalization of JI chords, in which all frequency differences of intervals are exactly integer ratios. But unlike JI chords, a DR chord need not have integer ratios between frequencies of notes. For example, the [[13edo]] chord {{dash|0, 3, 8, 10|med}}\13 ({{dash|0¢, 277¢, 738¢, 923¢|med}}) is close to being delta-rational, because the frequency difference of the interval 8–10\13 is 0.994 times the frequency difference of the interval 0–3\13. (In the exactly DR chord {{dash|0\13, 3\13, 8\13, 924.159¢|med}}, the 3rd and 4th notes have exactly the same frequency difference as the interval 0–3\13.)

[[JI]] chords and chords that are subsets of [[Delta-rational chord#Isodifferential chord|isodifferential chord]]s (these correspond to all chords of the form α : {{nowrap|α + ''k''1}} : ... : {{nowrap|α + ''k''''n''}} for any positive (possibly irrational) number α and integers ''k''1, ..., ''k''''n'') are special cases of delta-rational chords, but in these chords ''all'' ~~dyads~~ are rationally related in frequency space, which we call '''fully delta-rational''' (FDR).

[[JI]] chords and chords that are subsets of [[Delta-rational chord#Isodifferential chord|isodifferential chord]]s (these correspond to all chords of the form α : {{nowrap|α + ''k''1}} : ... : {{nowrap|α + ''k''''n''}} for any positive (possibly irrational) number α and integers ''k''1, ..., ''k''''n'') are special cases of delta-rational chords, but in these chords ''all'' intervals are rationally related in frequency space, which we call '''fully delta-rational''' (FDR).

Delta-rational chords provide a non-JI-based approach to concordance, since chords that are delta-rational with simple ratios between ~~dyads~~ (when measured as absolute frequency differences) tend to be perceived as more concordant than other chords. This acoustic effect is thought to be caused by synchronized interference beating among the fundamentals and among lower harmonics of the fundamentals; the effect may be more or less pronounced depending on register, timbre, the complexity of the linear relationship, etc. For example, the delta-rational acoustic effect is expected to be weaker in chords with wider voicings, as well as chords played in timbres with loud higher harmonics (because the higher harmonics would make the delta-rational relationships less obvious). The justification for only considering ~~dyads~~ between adjacent notes is that the resulting notes within the ~~dyads~~ could psychoacoustically interfere with the beating of the ~~dyads~~.

Delta-rational chords provide a non-JI-based approach to concordance, since chords that are delta-rational with simple ratios between intervals (when measured as absolute frequency differences) tend to be perceived as more concordant than other chords. This acoustic effect is thought to be caused by synchronized interference beating among the fundamentals and among lower harmonics of the fundamentals; the effect may be more or less pronounced depending on register, timbre, the complexity of the linear relationship, etc. For example, the delta-rational acoustic effect is expected to be weaker in chords with wider voicings, as well as chords played in timbres with loud higher harmonics (because the higher harmonics would make the delta-rational relationships less obvious). The justification for only considering intervals between adjacent notes is that the resulting notes within the intervals could psychoacoustically interfere with the beating of the intervals.

Inversions and revoicings of DR chords may not be DR, unlike the case with JI chords where inversions and revoicing of JI chords stay JI. However, unlike the case with most JI chords, a 2/1-equivalent [[MOS scale]] can tune a DR chord exactly, provided that the chord's delta signature specifies two integer entries.

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=== Delta signature ===

A delta-rational chord is determined by two things:

* The ~~dyad~~ formed by its lowermost two notes;

* The interval formed by its lowermost two notes;

* Its ''delta signature'' which has integer ratios, i.e. a list of (scaled) frequency increases between successive notes, their ratios showing the simple rational relationships, with a + before each increase. Note that it is whether the deltas are rationally related ''to each other'' that defines DR, not whether the deltas are related to the frequency of the root. If we divide every term by the first term to make the first term 1, the result is called a ''normalized delta signature''.

* Two delta signatures are equivalent if one can be obtained from the other by scaling by a positive real number. For example, +2+e+3 is equivalent to +2φ+eφ+3φ, and both signatures imply a delta-rational chord.

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For example, a chord with a +1+2+1 delta signature is ''a'':({{nowrap|''a'' + 1}}):({{nowrap|''a'' + 3}}):({{nowrap|''a'' + 4}}) for some possibly irrational ''a''.

Deltas that are ''free'', i.e. not required to be related to any other deltas are indicated with +?. For example, saying that a tetrad is "{{nowrap|+1 +? +1}}" means the first two notes and the last two notes have almost equal frequency difference (thus the ratio between the differences is 1/1), but the middle two notes are not in any simple relationship with the two outer ~~dyads~~. The example 13edo chord is approximately {{nowrap|+1 +? +1}}.

Deltas that are ''free'', i.e. not required to be related to any other deltas are indicated with +?. For example, saying that a tetrad is "{{nowrap|+1 +? +1}}" means the first two notes and the last two notes have almost equal frequency difference (thus the ratio between the differences is 1/1), but the middle two notes are not in any simple relationship with the two outer intervals. The example 13edo chord is approximately {{nowrap|+1 +? +1}}.

If you have some sets of deltas related to each other but not to other sets of increments, you could write the related sets with variables a, b, c or use one fewer letter by writing one set with positive integers without variables: an {{nowrap|+a +b +a +b}} chord can also be written {{nowrap|+1 +c +1 +c}} where {{nowrap|c {{=}} b/a}}.

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== Mathematical definitions ==

# A chord C = α1:...:α''n'' is ''delta-rational'' (DR) or ''partially delta-rational'' (PDR) when the chord has two distinct ~~dyads~~ α''k''1:α''k''2 and α''k''3:α''k''4, such that the real intervals (α''k''1, α''k''2) and (α''k''3, α''k''4) are disjoint and (α''k''2 − α''k''1)/(α''k''4 − α''k''3) is rational. Equivalently, a chord is delta-rational if it has a delta signature with some integers showing up.

# A chord C = α1:...:α''n'' is ''delta-rational'' (DR) or ''partially delta-rational'' (PDR) when the chord has two distinct intervals α''k''1:α''k''2 and α''k''3:α''k''4, such that the real intervals (α''k''1, α''k''2) and (α''k''3, α''k''4) are disjoint and (α''k''2 − α''k''1)/(α''k''4 − α''k''3) is rational. Equivalently, a chord is delta-rational if it has a delta signature with some integers showing up.

# When all ~~dyads~~ are linearly related, equivalently when the chord has a delta signature with all entries integers, we call the chord ''fully delta-rational'' (FDR)

# When all intervals are linearly related, equivalently when the chord has a delta signature with all entries integers, we call the chord ''fully delta-rational'' (FDR)

# A chord that has a delta signature with all entries +1 is called ''isodifferential'' or ''linear''.

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-A '''delta-rational''' ('''DR''') chord is a [[chord]] that has integer ratios between frequency ''differences'' of some pair of dyads, called '''deltas''', with the dyads in question assumed to be between successive notes (Δ, capital delta, is often used to denote "difference"). Here ''dyad'' refers not to a [[Dyad|chord of two pitch classes]], but to an interval between two notes.
+A '''delta-rational''' ('''DR''') chord is a [[chord]] that has integer ratios between frequency ''differences'' of some pair of intervals, called '''deltas''', with the intervals in question assumed to be between successive notes (Δ, capital delta, is often used to denote "difference").
-DR chords generalize JI chords, in which all frequency differences of dyads are exactly integer ratios. But unlike JI chords, a DR chord need not have integer ratios between frequencies of notes. For example, the [[13edo]] chord {{dash|0, 3, 8, 10|med}}\13 ({{dash|0¢, 277¢, 738¢, 923¢|med}}) is close to being delta-rational, because the frequency difference of the dyad 8–10\13 is 0.994 times the frequency difference of the dyad 0–3\13. (In the exactly DR chord {{dash|0\13, 3\13, 8\13, 924.159¢|med}}, the 3rd and 4th notes have exactly the same frequency difference as the dyad 0–3\13.)
+DR chords are a generalization of JI chords, in which all frequency differences of intervals are exactly integer ratios. But unlike JI chords, a DR chord need not have integer ratios between frequencies of notes. For example, the [[13edo]] chord {{dash|0, 3, 8, 10|med}}\13 ({{dash|0¢, 277¢, 738¢, 923¢|med}}) is close to being delta-rational, because the frequency difference of the interval 8–10\13 is 0.994 times the frequency difference of the interval 0–3\13. (In the exactly DR chord {{dash|0\13, 3\13, 8\13, 924.159¢|med}}, the 3rd and 4th notes have exactly the same frequency difference as the interval 0–3\13.)
-[[JI]] chords and chords that are subsets of [[Delta-rational chord#Isodifferential chord|isodifferential chord]]s (these correspond to all chords of the form α : {{nowrap|α + ''k''<sub>1</sub>}} : ... : {{nowrap|α + ''k''<sub>''n''</sub>}} for any positive (possibly irrational) number α and integers ''k''<sub>1</sub>, ..., ''k''<sub>''n''</sub>) are special cases of delta-rational chords, but in these chords ''all'' dyads are rationally related in frequency space, which we call '''fully delta-rational''' (FDR).
+[[JI]] chords and chords that are subsets of [[Delta-rational chord#Isodifferential chord|isodifferential chord]]s (these correspond to all chords of the form α : {{nowrap|α + ''k''<sub>1</sub>}} : ... : {{nowrap|α + ''k''<sub>''n''</sub>}} for any positive (possibly irrational) number α and integers ''k''<sub>1</sub>, ..., ''k''<sub>''n''</sub>) are special cases of delta-rational chords, but in these chords ''all'' intervals are rationally related in frequency space, which we call '''fully delta-rational''' (FDR).
-Delta-rational chords provide a non-JI-based approach to concordance, since chords that are delta-rational with simple ratios between dyads (when measured as absolute frequency differences) tend to be perceived as more concordant than other chords. This acoustic effect is thought to be caused by synchronized interference beating among the fundamentals and among lower harmonics of the fundamentals; the effect may be more or less pronounced depending on register, timbre, the complexity of the linear relationship, etc. For example, the delta-rational acoustic effect is expected to be weaker in chords with wider voicings, as well as chords played in timbres with loud higher harmonics (because the higher harmonics would make the delta-rational relationships less obvious). The justification for only considering dyads between adjacent notes is that the resulting notes within the dyads could psychoacoustically interfere with the beating of the dyads.
+Delta-rational chords provide a non-JI-based approach to concordance, since chords that are delta-rational with simple ratios between intervals (when measured as absolute frequency differences) tend to be perceived as more concordant than other chords. This acoustic effect is thought to be caused by synchronized interference beating among the fundamentals and among lower harmonics of the fundamentals; the effect may be more or less pronounced depending on register, timbre, the complexity of the linear relationship, etc. For example, the delta-rational acoustic effect is expected to be weaker in chords with wider voicings, as well as chords played in timbres with loud higher harmonics (because the higher harmonics would make the delta-rational relationships less obvious). The justification for only considering intervals between adjacent notes is that the resulting notes within the intervals could psychoacoustically interfere with the beating of the intervals.
 Inversions and revoicings of DR chords may not be DR, unlike the case with JI chords where inversions and revoicing of JI chords stay JI. However, unlike the case with most JI chords, a 2/1-equivalent [[MOS scale]] can tune a DR chord exactly, provided that the chord's delta signature specifies two integer entries.
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 === Delta signature ===
 A delta-rational chord is determined by two things:
-* The dyad formed by its lowermost two notes;
+* The interval formed by its lowermost two notes;
 * Its ''delta signature'' which has integer ratios, i.e. a list of (scaled) frequency increases between successive notes, their ratios showing the simple rational relationships, with a + before each increase. Note that it is whether the deltas are rationally related ''to each other'' that defines DR, not whether the deltas are related to the frequency of the root. If we divide every term by the first term to make the first term 1, the result is called a ''normalized delta signature''.
 * Two delta signatures are equivalent if one can be obtained from the other by scaling by a positive real number. For example, +2+e+3 is equivalent to +2φ+eφ+3φ, and both signatures imply a delta-rational chord.
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 For example, a chord with a +1+2+1 delta signature is ''a'':({{nowrap|''a'' + 1}}):({{nowrap|''a'' + 3}}):({{nowrap|''a'' + 4}}) for some possibly irrational ''a''.
-Deltas that are ''free'', i.e. not required to be related to any other deltas are indicated with +?. For example, saying that a tetrad is "{{nowrap|+1 +? +1}}" means the first two notes and the last two notes have almost equal frequency difference (thus the ratio between the differences is 1/1), but the middle two notes are not in any simple relationship with the two outer dyads. The example 13edo chord is approximately {{nowrap|+1 +? +1}}.
+Deltas that are ''free'', i.e. not required to be related to any other deltas are indicated with +?. For example, saying that a tetrad is "{{nowrap|+1 +? +1}}" means the first two notes and the last two notes have almost equal frequency difference (thus the ratio between the differences is 1/1), but the middle two notes are not in any simple relationship with the two outer intervals. The example 13edo chord is approximately {{nowrap|+1 +? +1}}.
 If you have some sets of deltas related to each other but not to other sets of increments, you could write the related sets with variables a, b, c or use one fewer letter by writing one set with positive integers without variables: an {{nowrap|+a +b +a +b}} chord can also be written {{nowrap|+1 +c +1 +c}} where {{nowrap|c {{=}} b/a}}.
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 == Mathematical definitions ==
-# A chord C = α<sub>1</sub>:...:α<sub>''n''</sub> is ''delta-rational'' (DR) or ''partially delta-rational'' (PDR) when the chord has two distinct dyads α<sub>''k''<sub>1</sub></sub>:α<sub>''k''<sub>2</sub></sub> and α<sub>''k''<sub>3</sub></sub>:α<sub>''k''<sub>4</sub></sub>, such that the real intervals (α<sub>''k''<sub>1</sub></sub>, α<sub>''k''<sub>2</sub></sub>) and (α<sub>''k''<sub>3</sub></sub>, α<sub>''k''<sub>4</sub></sub>) are disjoint and (α<sub>''k''<sub>2</sub></sub> − α<sub>''k''<sub>1</sub></sub>)/(α<sub>''k''<sub>4</sub></sub> − α<sub>''k''<sub>3</sub></sub>) is rational. Equivalently, a chord is delta-rational if it has a delta signature with some integers showing up.
+# A chord C = α<sub>1</sub>:...:α<sub>''n''</sub> is ''delta-rational'' (DR) or ''partially delta-rational'' (PDR) when the chord has two distinct intervals α<sub>''k''<sub>1</sub></sub>:α<sub>''k''<sub>2</sub></sub> and α<sub>''k''<sub>3</sub></sub>:α<sub>''k''<sub>4</sub></sub>, such that the real intervals (α<sub>''k''<sub>1</sub></sub>, α<sub>''k''<sub>2</sub></sub>) and (α<sub>''k''<sub>3</sub></sub>, α<sub>''k''<sub>4</sub></sub>) are disjoint and (α<sub>''k''<sub>2</sub></sub> − α<sub>''k''<sub>1</sub></sub>)/(α<sub>''k''<sub>4</sub></sub> − α<sub>''k''<sub>3</sub></sub>) is rational. Equivalently, a chord is delta-rational if it has a delta signature with some integers showing up.
-# When all dyads are linearly related, equivalently when the chord has a delta signature with all entries integers, we call the chord ''fully delta-rational'' (FDR)
+# When all intervals are linearly related, equivalently when the chord has a delta signature with all entries integers, we call the chord ''fully delta-rational'' (FDR)
 # A chord that has a delta signature with all entries +1 is called ''isodifferential'' or ''linear''.