User:Lhearne/Extra-Diatonic Intervals: Difference between revisions

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~~Extra-diatonic~~ interval names ~~are~~ an ~~attempt~~ to ~~formalise an~~ interval naming system ~~that~~ is ~~seeing occasion informal~~ and ~~undefined use~~ in the ~~description of Xenharmonic music~~, in ~~an attempt~~ to improve pedagogy and communication. ~~They have thus~~ far ~~been applied~~ to ~~equal temperaments~~ and ~~rank~~-~~two temperaments~~, ~~but should allow further application~~.~~This exposition begins with~~ the ~~original premise~~, ~~after which~~ the ~~original scheme is put forward~~, ~~before~~ an ~~alternative second scheme built from~~ the ~~first is described~~. ~~Examples are given along~~ the ~~way~~.

Today a small under of competing interval naming schemes exist for the description of microtonal music. More common than any particular defined standard are certain tendencies for microtonal interval naming, or names for specific intervals. While risking the creation of simply another competing standard, an effort is made to develop a scheme that is able to take the best aspects of the existing standards and apply them in a formal interval naming system built on common undefined practice. Such a system is developed, where in addition to the standard diatonic interval name qualifiers - 'M', 'm', 'P', 'A' and 'd', only the three most commonly used microtonal qualifies, 'N', 'S' and 's' are used, along with interval-class degrees. Using this system all intervals in each equal temperament between up to 29, and several larger commonly used equal temperaments can be named such that 'S' and 's' correspond to a displacement of an interval up or down a single interval of the ET, respectively. Many commonly used MOS scales may also be described using this scheme such that these scales' interval names are consistent expression in any tuning that supports them. The resultant scheme can also be easily mapped to any of the current naming standards, and may even facilitate translation between. The resulting scheme should improve pedagogy and communication in microtonal music.

== Background ==

[[File:Mesopotamian interval names table.jpg|thumb|500x500px|Mesopotamian interval names, from http://www.historyofmusictheory.com/?page_id=130, accessed October 7, 2018.]]

=== The origin of diatonic interval names ===

Music theory describing the use of hepatonic-diatonic scales, including interval names, has been traced back as far as 2000BC, deciphered from a Sumerian cuneiform tablet from Nippur by Kilmer (1986). From Kummel (1970) we know that 'the names given to the seven tunings/scales were derived from the specific intervals on which the tuning procedure started' (Kilmer, 1986). This formed the basis of their musical notation ([http://www.jstor.org/stable/985853. Kilmer, 2016]). The table to the right following table displays the Ancient Mesopotamian interval names accompanied by their modern names.

Kilmer also writes that 'the ancient Mesopotamian musicians/“musicologists” knew what we call today the Pythagorean series of fifths, and that the series could be accomplished within a single octave by means of “inversion.” '. The Mesopotamian's music and theory was passed down through the Babylonians and the Assyrians to the Ancient Greeks, as well as their mathematics, particularly concerning musical and acoustical sound ratios (Ibid, [http://math-cs.aut.ac.ir/~shamsi/HoM/Hodgkin%20-%20A%20History%20of%20Mathematics%20From%20Mesopotamia%20to%20Modernity.pdf Hodgekin, 2005]).

Such mathematical and musical ideas are attributed to Pythagoras, who undoubtedly made them popular., although many scholars suggest he may have learned these ideas from his Babylonian and Egyptian mentors. None the less, Pythagoras' idea that that by dividing the length of a string into ratios of halves, thirds, quarters and fifths created the musical intervals of an octave, a perfect fifth, an octave again, and a major third form the basis of Ancient Greek music theory (http://www.historyofmusictheory.com/?page_id=20). His tuning of the diatonic scale by only octaves and perfect fifths (Pythagorean intonation) is influential through to today.

== Premise: ==

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-Extra-diatonic interval names are an attempt to formalise an interval naming system that is seeing occasion informal and undefined use in the description of Xenharmonic music, in an attempt to improve pedagogy and communication. They have thus far been applied to equal temperaments and rank-two temperaments, but should allow further application.This exposition begins with the original premise, after which the original scheme is put forward, before an alternative second scheme built from the first is described. Examples are given along the way.
+Today a small under of competing interval naming schemes exist for the description of microtonal music. More common than any particular defined standard are certain tendencies for microtonal interval naming, or names for specific intervals. While risking the creation of simply another competing standard, an effort is made to develop a scheme that is able to take the best aspects of the existing standards and apply them in a formal interval naming system built on common undefined practice. Such a system is developed, where in addition to the standard diatonic interval name qualifiers - 'M', 'm', 'P', 'A' and 'd', only the three most commonly used microtonal qualifies, 'N', 'S' and 's' are used, along with interval-class degrees. Using this system all intervals in each equal temperament between up to 29, and several larger commonly used equal temperaments can be named such that 'S' and 's' correspond to a displacement of an interval up or down a single interval of the ET, respectively. Many commonly used MOS scales may also be described using this scheme such that these scales' interval names are consistent expression in any tuning that supports them. The resultant scheme can also be easily mapped to any of the current naming standards, and may even facilitate translation between. The resulting scheme should improve pedagogy and communication in microtonal music.
+== Background ==
+[[File:Mesopotamian interval names table.jpg|thumb|500x500px|Mesopotamian interval names, from http://www.historyofmusictheory.com/?page_id=130, accessed October 7, 2018.]]
+=== The origin of diatonic interval names ===
+Music theory describing the use of hepatonic-diatonic scales, including interval names, has been traced back as far as 2000BC, deciphered from a Sumerian cuneiform tablet from Nippur by Kilmer (1986). From Kummel (1970) we know that 'the names given to the seven tunings/scales were derived from the specific intervals on which the tuning procedure started' (Kilmer, 1986). This formed the basis of their musical notation ([http://www.jstor.org/stable/985853. Kilmer, 2016]). The table to the right following table displays the Ancient Mesopotamian interval names accompanied by their modern names.
+Kilmer also writes that 'the ancient Mesopotamian musicians/“musicologists” knew what we call today the Pythagorean series of fifths, and that the series could be accomplished within a single octave by means of “inversion.” '. The Mesopotamian's music and theory was passed down through the Babylonians and the Assyrians to the Ancient Greeks, as well as their mathematics, particularly concerning musical and acoustical sound ratios (Ibid, [http://math-cs.aut.ac.ir/~shamsi/HoM/Hodgkin%20-%20A%20History%20of%20Mathematics%20From%20Mesopotamia%20to%20Modernity.pdf Hodgekin, 2005]).
+Such mathematical and musical ideas are attributed to Pythagoras, who undoubtedly made them popular., although many scholars suggest he may have learned these ideas from his Babylonian and Egyptian mentors. None the less, Pythagoras' idea that that by dividing the length of a string into ratios of halves, thirds, quarters and fifths created the musical intervals of an octave, a perfect fifth, an octave again, and a major third form the basis of Ancient Greek music theory (http://www.historyofmusictheory.com/?page_id=20). His tuning of the diatonic scale by only octaves and perfect fifths (Pythagorean intonation) is influential through to today.
 == Premise: ==