Helmholtz–Ellis notation

Helmholtz-Ellis notation is a notation system for just intonation intervals up to the 47-limit. It consists of a set of accidentals defined by formal commas for each prime harmonic.

Further accidentals were designed by richie for primes up to the 89-limit; see richie's HEJI extensions.

Introductory materials

• The Helmholtz-Ellis JI Pitch Notation (HEJI) by Marc Sabat and Thomas Nicholson from Plainsound Music Edition – 2020 version with revised symbols for primes up to 47 entirely based on alterations of Pythagorean notes
• Extended Helmholtz-Ellis JI Pitch Notation by Marc Sabat and Wolfgang von Schweinitz from Plainsound Music Edition – deprecated 2004 version

Quick reference

Formal commas

Formal commas below 32-limit

Prime	Formal Comma
5	81/80
7	64/63
11	33/32
13	27/26
17	2187/2176
19	513/512
23	736/729
29	261/256
31	32/31

Prime harmonics

Prime	Just Ratio	Notation (assuming 1/1 is C)		Comments
		2020 version	2004 version
1	1/1			Default staff notation represents Pythagorean tuning
3	3/2			Default staff notation represents Pythagorean tuning
5	5/4
7	7/4
11	11/8
13	13/8
17	17/16			Definition of the accidental is revised from 256/255 to 2187/2176 in the 2020 version by Plainsound Music Edition
19	19/16
23	23/16
29	29/16	(todo)		Definition of the accidental is revised from 145/144 to 261/256 in the 2020 version by Plainsound Music Edition
31	31/16		(todo)	Definition of the accidental is revised from 1024/1023 to 32/31 in the 2020 version by Plainsound Music Edition

Helmholtz-Ellis glyphs

Todo: update Update the 29-limit comma.

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  Double flat lowered by three syntonic commas
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  Double flat lowered by two syntonic commas
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  Double flat lowered by one syntonic comma
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  Double flat
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  Double flat raised by one syntonic comma
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  Double flat raised by two syntonic commas
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  Double flat raised by three syntonic commas
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  Flat lowered by three syntonic commas
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  Flat lowered by two syntonic commas
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  Flat lowered by one syntonic comma
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  Flat
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  Flat raised by one syntonic comma
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  Flat raised by two syntonic commas
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  Flat raised by three syntonic commas
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  Natural lowered by three syntonic commas
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  Natural lowered by two syntonic commas
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  Natural lowered by one syntonic comma
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  Natural
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  Natural raised by one syntonic comma
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  Natural raised by two syntonic commas
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  Natural raised by three syntonic commas
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  Sharp lowered by three syntonic commas
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  Sharp lowered by two syntonic commas
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  Sharp lowered by one syntonic comma
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  Sharp
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  Sharp raised by one syntonic comma
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  Sharp raised by two syntonic commas
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  Sharp raised by three syntonic commas
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  Double sharp lowered by three syntonic commas
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  Double sharp lowered by two syntonic commas
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  Double sharp lowered by one syntonic comma
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  Double sharp
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  Double sharp raised by one syntonic comma
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  Double sharp raised by two syntonic commas
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  Double sharp raised by three syntonic commas
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  Lower by two septimal commas
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  Lower by one septimal comma
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  Raise by one septimal comma
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  Raise by two septimal commas
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  Lower by one undecimal quartertone
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  Raise by one undecimal quartertone
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  Lower by one tridecimal third tone
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  Raise by one tridecimal third tone
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  Combining lower by one 17-limit schisma
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  Combining raise by one 17-limit schisma
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  Combining lower by one 19-limit schisma
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  Combining raise by one 19-limit schisma
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  Combining lower by one 23-limit comma
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  Combining raise by one 23-limit comma
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  Combining lower by one 29-limit schisma (old)
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  Combining raise by one 29-limit schisma (old)
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  Combining lower by one 31-limit quartertone
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  Combining raise by one 31-limit quartertone

External links

• HEWM Notation (Helmholtz-Ellis-Wolf-Monzo) – Tonalsoft enyclopedia of microtonal music theory
• Plainsound Harmonic Space Calculator

See also

• Functional Just System (FJS) – a logical notation system for the entirety of just intonation
• Ben Johnston's notation