31edo: Difference between revisions

Still attempting to compromise on the spiral thing
Bring back the paragraph about thirds
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== Theory ==
== Theory ==
31edo's [[3/2|perfect fifth]] is flat of just by 5.2{{c}}, as befits a tuning of [[meantone]]. The major third is less than a cent sharp of just [[5/4]], making it slightly sharp of [[quarter-comma meantone]]. 31edo's approximation of [[7/4]], a cent flat, is also very close to just. Because of the near-just 5/4 and 7/4, 31edo is relatively quite accurate in the [[7-limit]]. Many 7-limit JI scales are well-approximated in 31 (with tempering, of course).  
31edo's [[3/2|perfect fifth]] is flat of just by 5.2{{c}}, as befits a tuning of [[meantone]]. The major third is less than a cent sharp of just [[5/4]], making it slightly sharp of [[quarter-comma meantone]]. 31edo's approximation of [[7/4]], a cent flat, is also very close to just. Because of the near-just 5/4 and 7/4, 31edo is relatively quite accurate in the [[7-limit]]. Many 7-limit JI scales are well-approximated in 31 (with tempering, of course).  
31edo splits the category of thirds into five different intervals: subminor, minor, neutral, major, supermajor. The minor and major thirds represent the 5-limit intervals [[6/5]] and 5/4, the subminor and supermajor thirds represent the 7-limit intervals [[7/6]] and [[9/7]], and the neutral third represents 11/9 and (slightly less accurately) 16/13. This overall relation is called [[myna]] temperament.


Prime 11 is somewhat less accurate, making intervals like [[11/8]] off by about 9 cents. However, intervals like [[11/9]] and [[11/6]] are approximated quite well because the errors cancel out. This makes 31edo a very tone-efficient melodic approximation of the [[11-limit]] (and specifically the [[11-odd-limit]]), although it conflates [[9/7]] with [[14/11]] and [[11/8]] with [[15/11]]. It also maps most [[15-odd-limit]] intervals [[consistent]]ly, the exceptions being [[13/9]], [[13/11]], and their [[octave complement]]s.
Prime 11 is somewhat less accurate, making intervals like [[11/8]] off by about 9 cents. However, intervals like [[11/9]] and [[11/6]] are approximated quite well because the errors cancel out. This makes 31edo a very tone-efficient melodic approximation of the [[11-limit]] (and specifically the [[11-odd-limit]]), although it conflates [[9/7]] with [[14/11]] and [[11/8]] with [[15/11]]. It also maps most [[15-odd-limit]] intervals [[consistent]]ly, the exceptions being [[13/9]], [[13/11]], and their [[octave complement]]s.