Meantone: Difference between revisions

Lériendil (talk | contribs)
ArrowHead294 (talk | contribs)
mNo edit summary
Line 8: Line 8:


== History ==
== History ==
Meantone was the dominant tuning used in Europe from around late 15th century to around early 18th century, after which various [[well temperament]]s and eventually [[12edo|12-tone equal temperament]] won in popularity. However, even today, the vast majority of common-practice Western music theory is based exclusively on meantone.
Meantone with fifths flatter than 700{{c}} were the dominant tuning used in Europe from around late 15th century to around early 18th century, after which various [[well temperament]]s and eventually [[12edo|12-tone equal temperament]] won in popularity. However, even today, the vast majority of common-practice Western music theory is based exclusively on meantone, as 12-tone equal temperament is itself a meantone tuning.


== Theory and classification ==
== Theory and classification ==
Meantone temperaments are based on two generating intervals; the octave and the fifth, from which all pitches are composed. This qualifies it as a [[Regular Temperaments|rank-2 temperament]]. The octave is typically pure or close to pure, and the fifth is a few [[cents]] narrower than pure. The rationale for narrowing the fifth is to temper out the [[syntonic comma]]. This means that stacking four fifths (such as C–G–D–A–E) results in a major third (C–E) that is close to just.
Meantone temperaments are based on two generating intervals; the octave and the fifth, from which all pitches are composed. This qualifies it as a [[Regular Temperaments|rank-2 temperament]]. The octave is typically pure or close to pure, and the fifth is a few [[cents]] narrower than pure. The rationale for narrowing the fifth is to temper out the [[syntonic comma]]. This means that stacking four fifths (such as {{dash|C, G, D, A, E|hair|med}}) results in a major third (C–E) that is close to just.


[[Meantone intervals|Intervals in meantone]] have standard names based on the number of steps of the diatonic scale they span (this corresponds to the [[val]] {{val| 7 11 16 }}), with a modifier {…"double diminished", "diminished", "minor", "major", "augmented", "double augmented"…} that tells you the specific interval in increments of a chromatic semitone. Note that in a general meantone system, all of these intervals are distinct. For example, a diminished fourth is a different interval from a major third.
[[Meantone intervals|Intervals in meantone]] have standard names based on the number of steps of the diatonic scale they span (this corresponds to the [[val]] {{val| 7 11 16 }}), with a modifier {…"double diminished", "diminished", "minor", "major", "augmented", "double augmented"…} that tells you the specific interval in increments of a chromatic semitone. Note that in a general meantone system, all of these intervals are distinct. For example, a diminished fourth is a different interval from a major third.
Line 61: Line 61:


; Notable eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) tunings
; Notable eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) tunings
* [[1/2-comma meantone]] with eigenmonzo [[10/9]]
* [[1/2-comma meantone]] – with eigenmonzo [[10/9]]
* [[1/3-comma meantone]] with eigenmonzo [[5/3]]
* [[1/3-comma meantone]] – with eigenmonzo [[5/3]]
* [[2/7-comma meantone]] with eigenmonzo [[25/24]]
* [[2/7-comma meantone]] – with eigenmonzo [[25/24]]
* [[Quarter-comma meantone|1/4-comma meantone]] with eigenmonzo [[5/4]]
* [[Quarter-comma meantone|1/4-comma meantone]] – with eigenmonzo [[5/4]]
* [[1/5-comma meantone]] with eigenmonzo [[15/8]]
* [[1/5-comma meantone]] – with eigenmonzo [[15/8]]
* [[1/6-comma meantone]] with eigenmonzo [[45/32]]
* [[1/6-comma meantone]] – with eigenmonzo [[45/32]]
* [[Ratwolf|Ratwolf tuning]]
* [[Ratwolf|Ratwolf tuning]]


Line 86: Line 86:
| Weil || CWE: ~3/2 = 696.6512¢
| Weil || CWE: ~3/2 = 696.6512¢
|-
|-
| Equilateral || CEE: ~3/2 = 696.8947¢<br>[[Eigenmonzo basis|Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis]]: 2.1875 (4/17-comma tuning)
| Equilateral || CEE: ~3/2 = 696.8947¢<br />[[Eigenmonzo basis|Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis]]: 2.1875 (4/17-comma tuning)
|-
|-
| Skewed-equilateral || CSEE: ~3/2 = 696.4534¢<br>Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.48828125/3 (11/43-comma tuning)
| Skewed-equilateral || CSEE: ~3/2 = 696.4534¢<br />Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.48828125/3 (11/43-comma tuning)
|-
|-
| Benedetti/Wilson || CBE: ~3/2 = 697.3738¢<br>Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 25 36 }} (36/169-comma tuning)
| Benedetti/Wilson || CBE: ~3/2 = 697.3738¢<br />Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 25 36 }} (36/169-comma tuning)
|-
|-
| Skewed-Benedetti/Wilson || CSBE: ~3/2 = 696.7868¢<br>Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 5 31 }} (31/129-comma tuning)
| Skewed-Benedetti/Wilson || CSBE: ~3/2 = 696.7868¢<br />Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 5 31 }} (31/129-comma tuning)
|}
|}


Line 104: Line 104:
| Weil || CWE: ~3/2 = 696.6562¢
| Weil || CWE: ~3/2 = 696.6562¢
|-
|-
| Equilateral || CEE: ~3/2 = 696.8843¢<br>Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 1 4 10 }}
| Equilateral || CEE: ~3/2 = 696.8843¢<br />Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 1 4 10 }}
|-
|-
| Skewed-equilateral || CSEE: ~3/2 = 696.7248¢<br>Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.4117715/9
| Skewed-equilateral || CSEE: ~3/2 = 696.7248¢<br />Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.4117715/9
|-
|-
| Benedetti/Wilson || CBE: ~3/2 = 697.0147¢<br>Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 1225 1764 2250 }}
| Benedetti/Wilson || CBE: ~3/2 = 697.0147¢<br />Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 1225 1764 2250 }}
|-
|-
| Skewed-Benedetti/Wilson || CSBE: ~3/2 = 696.6306¢<br>Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 -3290 3171 7215 }}
| Skewed-Benedetti/Wilson || CSBE: ~3/2 = 696.6306¢<br />Eigenmonzo (unchanged-interval) basis: 2.{{monzo| 0 -3290 3171 7215 }}
|}
|}


Line 117: Line 117:


{| class="wikitable center-all left-4"
{| class="wikitable center-all left-4"
! Edo<br>Generator
! Edo<br />Generator
! [[Eigenmonzo|Eigenmonzo<br>(Unchanged-interval)]]
! [[Eigenmonzo|Eigenmonzo<br />(Unchanged-interval)]]
! Generator<br>(¢)
! Generator<br />(¢)
! Comments
! Comments
|-
|-