Chirality: Difference between revisions
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A scale is called '''chiral''' if reversing the order of the steps results in a different scale. The two scales form a '''chiral pair''' and are right/left-handed. Handedness is determined by writing both scales in their canonical mode and then comparing the size of both. The smallest example of a chiral pair in an [[EDO]] is 321/312, with the former being right-handed and the latter being left-handed. | A scale is called '''chiral''' if reversing the order of the steps results in a different scale. The two scales form a '''chiral pair''' and are right/left-handed. Handedness is determined by writing both scales in their canonical mode{{clarify}} and then comparing the size of both. The smallest example of a chiral pair in an [[EDO]] is 321/312, with the former being right-handed and the latter being left-handed. | ||
Scales for which this property does not hold are called '''achiral'''. For example, the diatonic scale is achiral because 2221221 reverses to 1221222, which is identical to the original scale up to cyclical permutation. | Scales for which this property does not hold are called '''achiral'''. For example, the diatonic scale is achiral because 2221221 reverses to 1221222, which is identical to the original scale up to cyclical permutation. | ||