Harmonotonic tuning: Difference between revisions

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Other arithmetic tunings can be found by changing the step size. For example, if you vary the overtone series to have a step size of 3/4 instead of 1, then you get the tuning <math>1, 1\frac 34, 2\frac 24, 3\frac14</math>, which is equivalent to <math>\frac 44, \frac 74, \frac{10}{4}, \frac{13}{4}</math>, or in other words, a class iii [[isoharmonic_chords|isoharmonic]] tuning with starting position of 4. We call this the otonal sequence of 3 over 4, or OS3/4.

If the new step size is irrational, the tuning is no longer JI, so we use a different acronym to distinguish it: AFS, for arithmetic frequency sequence. For example, if we wanted to move by steps of φ — 1, 1+φ, 1+2φ, 1+3φ, etc. — we could have the AFSφ.

If the new step size is irrational, the tuning is no longer JI, so we use a different acronym to distinguish it: AFS, for arithmetic frequency sequence. For example, if we wanted to move by steps of φ, like this: <math>1, 1+φ, 1+2φ, 1+3φ...</math> etc. we could have the AFSφ.

OS and AFS are equivalent to taking an overtone series and adding (or subtracting) a constant amount of frequency. By doing this, the step sizes remain equal in frequency, but their relationship in pitch changes. For a detailed explanation of this, see Derivation of OS.

OS and AFS are equivalent to taking an overtone series and adding (or subtracting) a constant amount of frequency. By doing this, the step sizes remain equal in frequency, but their relationship in pitch changes. For a detailed explanation of this, see the later section on the [[Monotonic tunings#Derivation of OS|derivation of OS]].

The same principles that were just described for frequency are also possible for length~~. By~~ varying the undertone series step size to some rational number you can produce a utonal sequence (US), and varying it to an irrational number you can produce an arithmetic length sequence (ALS). ~~Analogously~~, by shifting the undertone series by a constant amount of string length, the step sizes remain equal in terms of length, but ~~alter~~ their relationship in pitch.

The same principles that were just described for frequency are also possible for length: by varying the undertone series step size to some rational number you can produce a utonal sequence (US), and varying it to an irrational number you can produce an arithmetic length sequence (ALS). In other words, by shifting the undertone series by a constant amount of string length, the step sizes remain equal in terms of length, but their relationship in pitch changes.

=== Divisions ===

If an arithmetic tuning ~~has~~ equal step sizes of some kind of quantity, then ~~an arithmetic tuning~~ can ~~also~~ be produced by taking an interval and equally dividing it according to that kind of quantity.

So far we've looked at arithmetic tunings produced by sequencing a single step repeatedly. But if an arithmetic tuning is defined by having equal step sizes of some kind of quantity (frequency, pitch, or length), then it also follows that they can be produced by taking a larger interval and equally dividing it according to that kind of quantity.

The most common example of this type of tuning is 12-EDO, standard tuning, which takes the interval of the octave, and equally divides its pitch into 12 parts. For long, we could call this 12-EDPO, for 12 equal divisions of the pitch of the octave~~. Whenever~~ pitch is the ~~pertinent~~ kind of quality, we can assume it, and skip pointing it out~~. That~~'s why 12-EDO is the better name.

The most common example of this type of tuning is 12-EDO, standard tuning, which takes the interval of the octave, and equally divides its pitch into 12 parts. For long, we could call this 12-EDPO, for 12 equal divisions of the '''pitch''' of the octave (whenever pitch is the chosen kind of quality, we can assume it, and skip pointing it out; that's why 12-EDO is the better name).

But it is also possible to — instead of equally dividing the octave in 12 equal parts by pitch — divide it into 12 equal parts by frequency, or length. In the former case, you will have 12-EFDO, and in the latter case, you will have 12-ELDO. However, that's not exactly ideal because, as with arithmetic sequences, different acronyms are used to distinguish rational (JI) tunings from irrational (non-JI) tunings, and so EFD and ELD are typically reserved for irrational tunings, such as 12-EFDφ.

But it is also possible to — instead of equally dividing the octave in 12 equal parts by pitch — divide it into 12 equal parts by '''frequency''', or '''length'''. In the former case, you will have 12-EFDO, and in the latter case, you will have 12-ELDO. However, that's not exactly ideal because, as with arithmetic sequences, different acronyms are used to distinguish rational (JI) tunings from irrational (non-JI) tunings, and so EFD and ELD are typically reserved for irrational tunings, such as 12-EFDφ. So it would be more appropriate to name these two tunings 12-ODO and 12-UDO, for otonal divisions of the octave and utonal divisions of the octave, respectively.

== Non-arithmetic tunings ==

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 Other arithmetic tunings can be found by changing the step size. For example, if you vary the overtone series to have a step size of 3/4 instead of 1, then you get the tuning <span><math>1, 1\frac 34, 2\frac 24, 3\frac14</math><span>, which is equivalent to <span><math>\frac 44, \frac 74, \frac{10}{4}, \frac{13}{4}</math></span>, or in other words, a class iii [[isoharmonic_chords|isoharmonic]] tuning with starting position of 4. We call this the otonal sequence of 3 over 4, or OS3/4.
-If the new step size is irrational, the tuning is no longer JI, so we use a different acronym to distinguish it: AFS, for arithmetic frequency sequence. For example, if we wanted to move by steps of φ — 1, 1+φ, 1+2φ, 1+3φ, etc. — we could have the AFSφ.
+If the new step size is irrational, the tuning is no longer JI, so we use a different acronym to distinguish it: AFS, for arithmetic frequency sequence. For example, if we wanted to move by steps of φ, like this: <span><math>1, 1+φ, 1+2φ, 1+3φ...</math></span> etc. we could have the AFSφ.
-OS and AFS are equivalent to taking an overtone series and adding (or subtracting) a constant amount of frequency. By doing this, the step sizes remain equal in frequency, but their relationship in pitch changes. For a detailed explanation of this, see Derivation of OS.
+OS and AFS are equivalent to taking an overtone series and adding (or subtracting) a constant amount of frequency. By doing this, the step sizes remain equal in frequency, but their relationship in pitch changes. For a detailed explanation of this, see the later section on the [[Monotonic tunings#Derivation of OS|derivation of OS]].
-The same principles that were just described for frequency are also possible for length. By varying the undertone series step size to some rational number you can produce a utonal sequence (US), and varying it to an irrational number you can produce an arithmetic length sequence (ALS). Analogously, by shifting the undertone series by a constant amount of string length, the step sizes remain equal in terms of length, but alter their relationship in pitch.
+The same principles that were just described for frequency are also possible for length: by varying the undertone series step size to some rational number you can produce a utonal sequence (US), and varying it to an irrational number you can produce an arithmetic length sequence (ALS). In other words, by shifting the undertone series by a constant amount of string length, the step sizes remain equal in terms of length, but their relationship in pitch changes.
 === Divisions ===
-If an arithmetic tuning has equal step sizes of some kind of quantity, then an arithmetic tuning can also be produced by taking an interval and equally dividing it according to that kind of quantity.
+So far we've looked at arithmetic tunings produced by sequencing a single step repeatedly. But if an arithmetic tuning is defined by having equal step sizes of some kind of quantity (frequency, pitch, or length), then it also follows that they can be produced by taking a larger interval and equally dividing it according to that kind of quantity.
-The most common example of this type of tuning is 12-EDO, standard tuning, which takes the interval of the octave, and equally divides its pitch into 12 parts. For long, we could call this 12-EDPO, for 12 equal divisions of the pitch of the octave. Whenever pitch is the pertinent kind of quality, we can assume it, and skip pointing it out. That's why 12-EDO is the better name.
+The most common example of this type of tuning is 12-EDO, standard tuning, which takes the interval of the octave, and equally divides its pitch into 12 parts. For long, we could call this 12-EDPO, for 12 equal divisions of the '''pitch''' of the octave (whenever pitch is the chosen kind of quality, we can assume it, and skip pointing it out; that's why 12-EDO is the better name).
-But it is also possible to — instead of equally dividing the octave in 12 equal parts by pitch — divide it into 12 equal parts by frequency, or length. In the former case, you will have 12-EFDO, and in the latter case, you will have 12-ELDO. However, that's not exactly ideal because, as with arithmetic sequences, different acronyms are used to distinguish rational (JI) tunings from irrational (non-JI) tunings, and so EFD and ELD are typically reserved for irrational tunings, such as 12-EFDφ.
+But it is also possible to — instead of equally dividing the octave in 12 equal parts by pitch — divide it into 12 equal parts by '''frequency''', or '''length'''. In the former case, you will have 12-EFDO, and in the latter case, you will have 12-ELDO. However, that's not exactly ideal because, as with arithmetic sequences, different acronyms are used to distinguish rational (JI) tunings from irrational (non-JI) tunings, and so EFD and ELD are typically reserved for irrational tunings, such as 12-EFDφ. So it would be more appropriate to name these two tunings 12-ODO and 12-UDO, for otonal divisions of the octave and utonal divisions of the octave, respectively.
 == Non-arithmetic tunings ==