Generator: Difference between revisions

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Inthar (talk | contribs)
m todo: needs visualizations and more detailed explanation of the stacking-generators-up process
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The term '''generator''' has multiple senses.
The term '''generator''' has multiple senses.
== Generators in MOS ==
== Generators in MOS ==
In MOS theory, the '''generator''' of a MOS is an interval that you stack up and reduce by the [[period]] of the MOS to construct the MOS pattern within each period. For example:  
In MOS and rank-2 temperament contexts, the '''generator''' of a MOS or a rank-2 temperament is an interval that you stack up and reduce by the [[period]] of the MOS to construct the MOS pattern within each period. For example:  
* In [[meantone]], the (flattened) perfect fifth is a generator. Note that the perfect fourth and the perfect twelfth are also generators.
* In [[meantone]], the (flattened) perfect fifth is a generator. Note that the perfect fourth and the perfect twelfth are also generators.
* One example for a mode of limited transposition: for [[pajara]] (half-octave temperament), the perfect fifth (a tempered [[3/2]]) is a generator and the half-octave is the period.
* One example for a MOS with multiple periods per octave: for [[pajara]], the perfect fifth (a tempered [[3/2]]) is a generator and the half-octave is the period.
== Generators in math ==
== Generators in math ==
A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generating_set_of_a_group set of '''generators'''] for a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_%28mathematics%29 group] is a subset of the elements of the group which is not contained in any [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subgroup proper subgroup], which is to say, any subgroup which is not the whole group. If the set is a finite set, the group is called finitely generated. If it is also an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abelian_group abelian group], it is called a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finitely_generated_abelian_group finitely generated abelian group].
A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generating_set_of_a_group set of '''generators'''] for a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_%28mathematics%29 group] is a subset of the elements of the group which is not contained in any [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subgroup proper subgroup], which is to say, any subgroup which is not the whole group. If the set is a finite set, the group is called finitely generated. If it is also an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abelian_group abelian group], it is called a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finitely_generated_abelian_group finitely generated abelian group].