Perfect fourth: Difference between revisions

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#redirect [[4/3]]
''This page is about the interval region. For the just perfect fourth, see [[4/3]].''
 
 
A perfect fourth is an interval that is near 500 [[Cent|cents]] in size, distinct from augmented fourths (a type of [[tritone]], about 600 cents). A rough tuning range for the perfect fourth is about 450 to 550 [[cents]], though this is extremely wide; some might prefer to restrict it to around 470-530 cents.
 
"Perfect fourth" may also refer to the [[diatonic perfect fourth]], which is a tempered fourth used to generate the diatonic scale, and is not the subject of this article.
 
== In just intonation ==
The only "perfect" fourth in JI is the '''Pythagorean perfect fourth''' of [[4/3]], about 498 cents in size, which corresponds to the MOS category of the diatonic perfect fourth and is the octave complement of the perfect fifth of [[3/2]]. However, various "out of tune" fourths exist, such as the '''Pythagorean wolf fourth''' [[177147/131072]], which is sharp of 4/3 by one [[Pythagorean comma]], and is about 522 cents in size.
 
Other "out of tune" fourths in higher limits include:
 
* The 5-limit '''acute fourth''' is a ratio of 27/20, and is about 520 cents
* The 7-limit '''subfourth''' is a ratio of 21/16, and is about 471 cents.
* The 11-limit '''augmented fourth''' is a ratio of 15/11, and is about 537 cents.
** There is also an 11-limit '''grave fourth,''' which is a ratio of 33/25, and is about 480 cents.
* The 13-limit '''infrafourth''' is a ratio of 13/10, and is about 454 cents, but it might be better analyzed as an [[Major third|ultramajor third]]. Despite that, it is also here for completeness.
 
== In tempered scales ==
The following table lists the best tuning of 4/3, as well as other fourths if present, in several significant EDOs.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!EDO
!4/3
!Other fourths
|-
|5
|480c
|
|-
|7
|514c
|
|-
|12
|500c
|
|-
|15
|480c
|
|-
|16
|525c
|450c ≈ 13/10
|-
|17
|494c
|
|-
|19
|506c
|
|-
|20
|480c
|540c ≈ 15/11
|-
|22
|491c
|545c ≈ 15/11
|-
|24
|500c
|450c ≈ 13/10, 550c ≈ 15/11
|-
|25
|480c
|528c ≈ 27/20
|-
|26
|508c
|462c ≈ 21/16, 13/10
|-
|27
|489c
|533c ≈ 15/11
|-
|28
|514c
|471c ≈ 21/16
|-
|29
|496c
|455c ≈ 13/10, 537c ≈ 15/11
|-
|31
|503c
|464c ≈ 21/16, 541c ≈ 15/11
|-
|32
|488c
|525c ≈ 27/20, 450c ≈ 13/10
|-
|34
|494c
|458c ≈ 13/10, 529c ≈ 27/20, 15/11
|-
|41
|498c
|468c ≈ 21/16, 526c ≈ 27/20
|-
|53
|498c
|452c ≈ 13/10, 476c ≈ 21/16, 521c ≈ 27/20, 543c ≈ 15/11
|}
 
== In temperaments ==
The following list goes over the use of 4/3 in temperaments.
 
=== Temperaments with 4/3 as a generator ===
 
* [[Compton]], the temperament of the Pythagorean comma, equivalent to 12edo
** The 3-limit [[Circular temperament|circular temperaments]] in general
* [[Archy]], the temperament flattening 4/3 such that three 4/3s stack to [[6/5|7/6]]
* [[Meantone]], the temperament sharpening 4/3 such that three 4/3s stack to [[6/5]]
* [[Mavila]], the temperament sharpening 4/3 such that three 4/3s stack to [[6/5|5/4]]
* Various historical [[Well temperament|well temperaments]] generated by tempered 4/3s or 3/2s, equivalent to 12edo as compton and meantone