Generator-offset property: Difference between revisions

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* the scale is generated by two chains of generators separated by an offset, and the lengths of the chains differ by at most one.
* the scale is generated by two chains of generators separated by an offset, and the lengths of the chains differ by at most one.


The [[Zarlino]] (3L 2M 2S) JI scale is an example of an alt-gen scale, because it is built by stacking alternating 5/4 and 6/5 generators. 7-limit [[diasem]] (5L 2M 2S) is another example, with generators 7/6 and 8/7.
The [[Zarlino]] (3L 2M 2S) JI scale is an example of an AG scale, because it is built by stacking alternating 5/4 and 6/5 generators. 7-limit [[diasem]] (5L 2M 2S) is another example, with generators 7/6 and 8/7.


More formally, a cyclic word ''S'' (representing a [[periodic scale]]) of size ''n'' is '''alt-gen''' if it satisfies the following equivalent properties:
More formally, a cyclic word ''S'' (representing a [[periodic scale]]) of size ''n'' is '''AG''' if it satisfies the following equivalent properties:
# ''S'' can be built by stacking a single chain of generator-offsets ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub>, resulting in a circle of the form either ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ... ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>3</sub> or ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ... ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ''g''<sub>3</sub>.
# ''S'' can be built by stacking a single chain of generator-offsets ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub>, resulting in a circle of the form either ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ... ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>3</sub> or ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ... ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ''g''<sub>3</sub>.
# ''S'' is generated by two chains of generators separated by a fixed interval; either both chains are of size ''n''/2, or one chain has size (''n'' + 1)/2 and the second has size (''n''&nbsp;&minus;&nbsp;1)/2.
# ''S'' is generated by two chains of generators separated by a fixed interval; either both chains are of size ''n''/2, or one chain has size (''n'' + 1)/2 and the second has size (''n''&nbsp;&minus;&nbsp;1)/2.
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Choose a tuning where ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub> are both very close to but not exactly 1/2*''g''<sub>0</sub>, resulting in a scale very close to the mos generated by 1/2 ''g''<sub>0</sub>. (i.e. ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub> differ from 1/2*''g''<sub>0</sub> by ε, a quantity much smaller than the chroma of the ''n''/2-note mos generated by ''g''<sub>0</sub>, which is |''g''<sub>3</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub>|). Thus we have 4 distinct sizes for ''k''-steps:
Choose a tuning where ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub> are both very close to but not exactly 1/2*''g''<sub>0</sub>, resulting in a scale very close to the mos generated by 1/2 ''g''<sub>0</sub>. (i.e. ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub> differ from 1/2*''g''<sub>0</sub> by ε, a quantity much smaller than the chroma of the ''n''/2-note mos generated by ''g''<sub>0</sub>, which is |''g''<sub>3</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub>|). Thus we have 4 distinct sizes for ''k''-steps:
# ''a''<sub>1</sub>, ''a''<sub>2</sub> and ''a''<sub>3</sub> are clearly distinct.
# ''a''<sub>1</sub>, ''a''<sub>2</sub> and ''a''<sub>3</sub> are clearly distinct.
# ''a''<sub>4</sub> &minus; ''a''<sub>3</sub> = ''g''<sub>1</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub> != 0, since the scale is a non-degenerate alt-gen scale.  
# ''a''<sub>4</sub> &minus; ''a''<sub>3</sub> = ''g''<sub>1</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub> != 0, since the scale is a non-degenerate AG scale.  
# ''a''<sub>4</sub> &minus; ''a''<sub>1</sub> = ''g''<sub>3</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub> = (''g''<sub>3</sub> + ''g''<sub>1</sub>) &minus; (''g''<sub>2</sub> + ''g''<sub>1</sub>) != 0. This is exactly the chroma of the mos generated by ''g''<sub>0</sub>.
# ''a''<sub>4</sub> &minus; ''a''<sub>1</sub> = ''g''<sub>3</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub> = (''g''<sub>3</sub> + ''g''<sub>1</sub>) &minus; (''g''<sub>2</sub> + ''g''<sub>1</sub>) != 0. This is exactly the chroma of the mos generated by ''g''<sub>0</sub>.
# ''a''<sub>4</sub> &minus; ''a''<sub>2</sub> = ''g''<sub>1</sub> &minus; 2 ''g''<sub>2</sub> + ''g''<sub>3</sub> = (''g''<sub>3</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub>) + (''g''<sub>1</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub>) = (chroma ± ε) != 0 by choice of tuning.
# ''a''<sub>4</sub> &minus; ''a''<sub>2</sub> = ''g''<sub>1</sub> &minus; 2 ''g''<sub>2</sub> + ''g''<sub>3</sub> = (''g''<sub>3</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub>) + (''g''<sub>1</sub> &minus; ''g''<sub>2</sub>) = (chroma ± ε) != 0 by choice of tuning.


By applying this argument to 1-steps, we see that there must be 4 step sizes in some tuning, a contradiction. Thus ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub> must themselves be step sizes. Thus we see that an even-cardinality, unconditionally MV3, alt-gen scale must be of the form ''xy...xyxz''. But this pattern is not unconditionally MV3 if ''n'' ≥ 6, since 3-steps come in 4 sizes: ''xyx'', ''yxy'', ''yxz'' and ''xzx''. Thus ''n'' = 4 and the scale is ''xyxz''.
By applying this argument to 1-steps, we see that there must be 4 step sizes in some tuning, a contradiction. Thus ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub> must themselves be step sizes. Thus we see that an even-cardinality, unconditionally MV3, AG scale must be of the form ''xy...xyxz''. But this pattern is not unconditionally MV3 if ''n'' ≥ 6, since 3-steps come in 4 sizes: ''xyx'', ''yxy'', ''yxz'' and ''xzx''. Thus ''n'' = 4 and the scale is ''xyxz''.


In case 2, let (2, 1) &minus; (1, 1) = ''g''<sub>1</sub>, (1, 2) &minus; (2, 1) = ''g''<sub>2</sub> be the two generator-offsets. Let ''g''<sub>3</sub> be the leftover generator after stacking alternating ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub>. Then the generator circle looks like ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ... ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ''g''<sub>3</sub>. Then the generators corresponding to a step are:
In case 2, let (2, 1) &minus; (1, 1) = ''g''<sub>1</sub>, (1, 2) &minus; (2, 1) = ''g''<sub>2</sub> be the two generator-offsets. Let ''g''<sub>3</sub> be the leftover generator after stacking alternating ''g''<sub>1</sub> and ''g''<sub>2</sub>. Then the generator circle looks like ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ... ''g''<sub>1</sub> ''g''<sub>2</sub> ''g''<sub>3</sub>. Then the generators corresponding to a step are:
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# is not of the form ''mx my mz'',
# is not of the form ''mx my mz'',
# and is not of the form ''xyxzxyx'',
# and is not of the form ''xyxzxyx'',
then it is alt-gen. (a converse to Theorem 1 + Conjecture 2)
then it is AG. (a converse to Theorem 1 + Conjecture 2)
[[Category:Theory]]
[[Category:Theory]]
[[Category:AG scales| ]]<!--Main article-->
[[Category:AG scales| ]]<!--Main article-->