Tour of regular temperaments: Difference between revisions

Each temperament has two names: a traditional name and a [[Color notation|color name]]. The traditional names are [[Temperament Names|arbitrary and ideosyncratic]], but the color names are systematic and rigorous, and the comma can be deduced from the color name. Wa = 3-limit, yo = 5-over, gu = 5-under, zo = 7-over, and ru = 7-under. See also [[Color notation/Temperament Names|Color Notation/Temperament Names]].

[[Equal-step tuning|Equal temperaments]] (abbreviated ET or tET) and [[EDO|equal divisions of the octave]] (abbreviated EDO or ED2) are similar concepts, although there are distinctions in the way these terms are used. A p-limit ET is simply a p-limit temperament that uses a single generator, making it a rank-1 temperament, which thus maps the set of n-limit JI intervals using one-dimensional coordinates. An ET thus does not have to be thought of as an "equal division" of any interval, let alone the octave, and in fact many ETs do not divide the pure octave at all. On the other hand, an n-EDO is a division of the octave into n equal parts, with no consideration given to mapping of JI intervals. An EDO can be treated as an ET by applying a temperament mapping to the intervals of the EDO, typically by using a val for a temperament supported by that EDO, although one can also use unsupported vals or poorly-supported vals to achieve "fun" results. The familiar 12-note equal temperament, or 12edo, reduces the size of the perfect fifth (about 701.955 cents) by 1/12 of the Pythagorean comma, resulting in a fifth of 700.0 cents, although there are other temperaments supported by 12-ET.