Frequency ratio: Difference between revisions

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Conversion: added sections for ratio to cents and ratio to monzo, rewrote the other sections
Conversions: the other conversion are in Cent and Monzo pages
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In the context of just intonation, ratios are almost always used to label and identify intervals and chords. However, the use of ratios to identify intervals and chords in tempered scales is also common - in these cases, it is implied that the notes are in the ''approximate'' ratio indicated. For example, a common shorthand expression might be "4:6:7:9:11 chords in [[17edo]]", which really means "the chords in which the notes are in the approximate ratio of 4:6:7:9:11 in 17edo".
In the context of just intonation, ratios are almost always used to label and identify intervals and chords. However, the use of ratios to identify intervals and chords in tempered scales is also common - in these cases, it is implied that the notes are in the ''approximate'' ratio indicated. For example, a common shorthand expression might be "4:6:7:9:11 chords in [[17edo]]", which really means "the chords in which the notes are in the approximate ratio of 4:6:7:9:11 in 17edo".


== Conversions ==
== Conversion ==
 
=== Ratio to monzo ===
Factor both the numerator and the denominator into primes. Express the entire ratio as a product of primes, each raised to an exponent. For primes appearing in the denominator, these exponents will be negative. (A prime never appears in both the numerator and the denominator.) Arrange the primes in ascending order. Enter the exponents into the monzo.
 
<math>\displaystyle 15/8 = (3 \cdot 5) / (2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2) = 2^{-3} \cdot 3^{1} \cdot 5^{1} = </math> {{monzo|-3 1 1}}
 
If any primes smaller than the largest prime don't appear, include them using a zero exponent.
 
<math>\displaystyle 28/27 = (2 \cdot 2 \cdot 7) / (3 \cdot 3 \cdot 3) =  2^{2} \cdot 3^{-3} \cdot 7^{1} = 2^{2} \cdot 3^{-3} \cdot 5^{0} \cdot 7^{1} = </math> {{monzo|2 -3 0 1}}
 
=== Monzo to ratio ===
=== Monzo to ratio ===
To find the ratio '''r''' for an interval of [[monzo]] '''m''' = {{monzo| a b c … }}, apply
To find the ratio ''r'' for an interval of monzo '''m''' = {{monzo| ''m''<sub>1</sub> ''m''<sub>2</sub> ''m''<sub>3</sub> … }}, apply
 
<math>\displaystyle r = 2^{a} \cdot 3^{b} \cdot 5^{c} \ldots </math>


=== Ratio to cents ===
<math>\displaystyle r = 2^{m_1} \cdot 3^{m_2} \cdot 5^{m_3} \cdot \ldots</math>
To find the cents '''c''' for a ratio '''r''', apply
 
<math>\displaystyle c = 1200 \cdot log(r) / log(2)</math>
 
Logarithms of any base (base 10, base 2, base ''e'', etc.) can be used.
 
<math>\displaystyle c = 1200 \cdot ln(r) / ln(2)</math>


=== Cents to ratio ===
=== Cents to ratio ===
To find the ratio '''r''' for an interval of '''c''' [[cent]]s, apply
To find the ratio ''r'' for an interval of ''s'' cents, apply
 
<math>\displaystyle r = 2^{c/1200}</math>


The result will be in decimal form, and will only be as exact as '''c''' is. For example, 702 cents yields 1.500038989.., which is approximately 1.5, which is 3/2.
<math>\displaystyle r = 2^{s/1200}</math>


== Extended frequency ratio (EFR) ==
== Extended frequency ratio (EFR) ==