Diaschisma: Difference between revisions

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m Example: Mention value / computation of diaschisma first time it is mentioned in the explanation
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Inthar (talk | contribs)
m Example: Explain where the 600 interval is
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In the progression, the bassline moves as follows: D-(up 5/4)-F#-(down 4/3)-C#-(down 4/3)-G#-(up 5/4)-C-(up 4/3)-G-(up 3/2)-D (*). If we ignore octaves, the first three steps (cumulatively D to G#) moves us up by the tritone [[45/32]], and the last three steps (cumulatively G# to D) are the same moves as the first three, thus it moves us up by the tritone 45/32 a second time. In pure JI, since 45/32 is flat of 600c, each cycle of this progression (*) would shift the tonic down by the diaschisma, which is (2/1) / (45/32)^2 = 2048/2025. The fact that the D we come back to is exactly the same as the first D, indicates that the basic 5-limit intervals, 5/4 and 3/2, are adjusted, or tempered, such that a stack of two 45/32 tritones is sharpened up to the octave 2/1. In temperament contexts, we see this as equivalent to saying that their difference, the diaschisma, is tempered out.
In the progression, the bassline moves as follows: D-(up 5/4)-F#-(down 4/3)-C#-(down 4/3)-G#-(up 5/4)-C-(up 4/3)-G-(up 3/2)-D (*). If we ignore octaves, the first three steps (cumulatively D to G#) moves us up by the tritone [[45/32]], and the last three steps (cumulatively G# to D) are the same moves as the first three, thus it moves us up by the tritone 45/32 a second time. In pure JI, since 45/32 is flat of 600c, each cycle of this progression (*) would shift the tonic down by the diaschisma, which is (2/1) / (45/32)^2 = 2048/2025. The fact that the D we come back to is exactly the same as the first D, indicates that the basic 5-limit intervals, 5/4 and 3/2, are adjusted, or tempered, such that a stack of two 45/32 tritones is sharpened up to the octave 2/1. In temperament contexts, we see this as equivalent to saying that their difference, the diaschisma, is tempered out.


This also implies that there is an interval that is equal to exactly half of an octave‚ namely the tempered 45/32 tritone. Thus all edos (such as [[12edo]], [[22edo]], [[34edo]] and [[46edo]]) and MOS scale structures (such as the MOS scales of [[diaschismic family|diaschismic]] and [[pajara]]) that temper out the diaschisma split the octave into two equal parts; in particular, all diaschismic edos are even-numbered edos.
This also tells us that if a system tempers out the diaschisma, it has an interval that is equal to exactly half of an octave‚ namely the tempered 45/32 tritone. Thus all edos (such as [[12edo]], [[22edo]], [[34edo]] and [[46edo]]) and MOS scale structures (such as the MOS scales of [[diaschismic family|diaschismic]] and [[pajara]]) that temper out the diaschisma split the octave into two equal parts; in particular, all diaschismic edos are even-numbered edos.


== See also ==
== See also ==