Logharmonic series
introduction

A logharmonic series is a variation of the harmonic series. Like the harmonic series, it is an infinitely long series of pitches from which scales can be drawn. But where the harmonic series is a linear series of pitches, with the formula [math]\displaystyle{ f(n) = n }[/math], the formula for a b-logharmonic series is:
[math]\displaystyle{ \qquad f(n) = log_b{n} }[/math]
If a natural number is chosen as [math]\displaystyle{ b }[/math], the resulting series will be a superset of the harmonic series, inserting extra pitches. For example, the 2-logharmonic series inserts an extra step in between the fundamental and the 2nd harmonic, so that it takes [math]\displaystyle{ 2^1 = 2 }[/math] steps to reach the 2nd harmonic instead of one. Then it inserts 3 extra steps in between the 2nd harmonic and 3rd harmonic so that it takes [math]\displaystyle{ 2^2 = 4 }[/math] steps instead of one. Then 7 extra steps before the 4th harmonic so it takes [math]\displaystyle{ 2^3 = 8 }[/math] steps instead of one.
| 2-logharmonic series | harmonic series | ||||||||||
| pitch # | frequency multiplier (definition) | frequency multiplier (decimal) | pitch (¢) | pitch Δ (¢) | octave reduced pitch (¢) | pitch # | frequency multiplier (definition) | frequency multiplier (decimal) | pitch (¢) | pitch Δ (¢) | octave reduced pitch (¢) |
| 2 | log22 | 1.00000000 | 0.00 | - | 0.00 | 1 | 1 | 1.000000 | 0.00 | - | 0.00 |
| 3 | log23 | 1.584962501 | 797.34 | 797.34 | 797.34 | ||||||
| 4 | log24 | 2.00000000 | 1200.00 | 402.66 | 0.00 | 2 | 2 | 2.000000 | 1200.00 | 1200.00 | 0.00 |
| 5 | log25 | 2.321928095 | 1458.39 | 258.39 | 258.39 | ||||||
| 6 | log26 | 2.584962501 | 1644.17 | 185.78 | 444.17 | ||||||
| 7 | log27 | 2.807354922 | 1787.05 | 142.88 | 587.05 | ||||||
| 8 | log28 | 3.00000000 | 1901.96 | 114.90 | 701.96 | 3 | 3 | 3.000000 | 1901.96 | 701.96 | 701.96 |
| 9 | log29 | 3.169925001 | 1997.34 | 95.38 | 797.34 | ||||||
| 1 | log210 | 3.321928095 | 2078.43 | 81.09 | 878.43 | ||||||
| 11 | log211 | 3.459431619 | 2148.64 | 70.22 | 948.64 | ||||||
| 12 | log212 | 3.584962501 | 2210.35 | 61.71 | 1010.35 | ||||||
| 13 | log213 | 3.700439718 | 2265.24 | 54.89 | 1065.24 | ||||||
| 14 | log214 | 3.807354922 | 2314.55 | 49.31 | 1114.55 | ||||||
| 15 | log215 | 3.906890596 | 2359.23 | 44.68 | 1159.23 | ||||||
| 16 | log216 | 4.00000000 | 2400.00 | 40.77 | 0.00 | 4 | 4 | 4.000000 | 2400.00 | 498.04 | 0.00 |
| 17 | log217 | 4.087462841 | 2437.45 | 37.45 | 37.45 | ||||||
| 18 | log218 | 4.169925001 | 2472.03 | 34.58 | 72.03 | ||||||
| 19 | log219 | 4.247927513 | 2504.11 | 32.09 | 104.11 | ||||||
| 20 | log220 | 4.321928095 | 2534.01 | 29.90 | 134.01 | ||||||
| 21 | log221 | 4.392317423 | 2561.98 | 27.97 | 161.98 | ||||||
| 22 | log222 | 4.459431619 | 2588.23 | 26.25 | 188.23 | ||||||
| 23 | log223 | 4.523561956 | 2612.95 | 24.72 | 212.95 | ||||||
| 24 | log224 | 4.584962501 | 2636.29 | 23.34 | 236.29 | ||||||
| 25 | log225 | 4.64385619 | 2658.39 | 22.10 | 258.39 | ||||||
| 26 | log226 | 4.700439718 | 2679.35 | 20.97 | 279.35 | ||||||
| 27 | log227 | 4.754887502 | 2699.29 | 19.94 | 299.29 | ||||||
| 28 | log228 | 4.807354922 | 2718.29 | 19.00 | 318.29 | ||||||
| 29 | log229 | 4.857980995 | 2736.43 | 18.14 | 336.43 | ||||||
| 30 | log230 | 4.906890596 | 2753.77 | 17.34 | 353.77 | ||||||
| 31 | log231 | 4.95419631 | 2770.38 | 16.61 | 370.38 | ||||||
| 32 | log232 | 5.00000000 | 2786.31 | 15.93 | 386.31 | 5 | 5 | 5.000000 | 2786.31 | 386.31 | 386.31 |
matharmonic series
The e-logharmonic series can be approximated by pitches taken from the mathematical harmonic series (as opposed to the musical harmonic series):
[math]\displaystyle{ \qquad H(1) = 1 \\ \qquad H(2) = \frac{3}{2} = 1 + \frac{1}{2} \\ \qquad H(3) = \frac{11}{6} = 1 + \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{3} \\ \qquad H(4) = \frac{25}{12} = 1 + \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{4} \\ \qquad … }[/math]
We can call this approximating series the matharmonic series.
The difference between pitches of the e-logharmonic series and the matharmonic series approaches the Euler-Mascheroni constant, [math]\displaystyle{ ≈ 0.5772156649 }[/math], which represents the difference between the natural logarithm and the mathematical harmonic series.
| pitch # | e-logharmonic series | matharmonic series | difference between frequency multipliers | ||||||||
| frequency multiplier (definition) | frequency multiplier (decimal) | pitch (¢) | pitch Δ (¢) | octave reduced pitch (¢) | frequency multiplier (definition) | frequency multiplier (decimal) | pitch (¢) | pitch Δ (¢) | octave reduced pitch (¢) | ||
| 1 | ln(1) | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | H(1) | 1 | 0.00 | 701.96 | 0.00 | 1 |
| 2 | ln(2) | 0.6931471806 | -634.52 | - | 565.48 | H(2) | 1.5 | 701.96 | 347.41 | 701.96 | 0.8068528194 |
| 3 | ln(3) | 1.098612289 | 162.82 | 797.34 | 162.82 | H(3) | 1.833333333 | 1049.36 | 221.31 | 1049.36 | 0.7347210447 |
| 4 | ln(4) | 1.386294361 | 565.48 | 402.66 | 565.48 | H(4) | 2.083333333 | 1270.67 | 158.70 | 70.67 | 0.6970389722 |
| 5 | ln(5) | 1.609437912 | 823.87 | 258.39 | 823.87 | H(5) | 2.283333333 | 1429.37 | 121.97 | 229.37 | 0.6738954209 |
| 6 | ln(6) | 1.791759469 | 1009.65 | 185.78 | 1009.65 | H(6) | 2.45 | 1551.34 | 98.11 | 351.34 | 0.6582405308 |
| 7 | ln(7) | 1.945910149 | 1152.53 | 142.88 | 1152.53 | H(7) | 2.592857143 | 1649.45 | 81.51 | 449.45 | 0.6469469938 |
| 8 | ln(8) | 2.079441542 | 1267.44 | 114.90 | 67.44 | H(8) | 2.717857143 | 1730.96 | 69.37 | 530.96 | 0.6384156012 |
| 9 | ln(9) | 2.197224577 | 1362.82 | 95.38 | 162.82 | H(9) | 2.828968254 | 1800.33 | 60.14 | 600.33 | 0.6317436766 |
| 10 | ln(10) | 2.302585093 | 1443.91 | 81.09 | 243.91 | H(10) | 2.928968254 | 1860.47 | 52.92 | 660.47 | 0.626383161 |
| 11 | ln(11) | 2.397895273 | 1514.12 | 70.22 | 314.12 | H(11) | 3.019877345 | 1913.39 | 47.13 | 713.39 | 0.6219820721 |
| 12 | ln(12) | 2.48490665 | 1575.83 | 61.71 | 375.83 | H(12) | 3.103210678 | 1960.51 | 42.39 | 760.51 | 0.6183040284 |
| 13 | ln(13) | 2.564949357 | 1630.72 | 54.89 | 430.72 | H(13) | 3.180133755 | 2002.90 | 38.45 | 802.90 | 0.6151843977 |
| 14 | ln(14) | 2.63905733 | 1680.03 | 49.31 | 480.03 | H(14) | 3.251562327 | 2041.36 | 35.14 | 841.36 | 0.6125049969 |
| 15 | ln(15) | 2.708050201 | 1724.71 | 44.68 | 524.71 | H(15) | 3.318228993 | 2076.50 | 32.31 | 876.50 | 0.6101787921 |
| 16 | ln(16) | 2.772588722 | 1765.48 | 40.77 | 565.48 | H(16) | 3.380728993 | 2108.80 | 29.86 | 908.80 | 0.608140271 |
| 17 | ln(17) | 2.833213344 | 1802.93 | 37.45 | 602.93 | H(17) | 3.439552523 | 2138.67 | 27.74 | 938.67 | 0.6063391786 |
| 18 | ln(18) | 2.890371758 | 1837.51 | 34.58 | 637.51 | H(18) | 3.495108078 | 2166.40 | 25.88 | 966.40 | 0.6047363203 |
| 19 | ln(19) | 2.944438979 | 1869.59 | 32.09 | 669.59 | H(19) | 3.547739657 | 2192.28 | 24.23 | 992.28 | 0.603300678 |
| 20 | ln(20) | 2.995732274 | 1899.49 | 29.90 | 699.49 | H(20) | 3.597739657 | 2216.51 | 22.76 | 1016.51 | 0.6020073836 |
| 21 | ln(21) | 3.044522438 | 1927.46 | 27.97 | 727.46 | H(21) | 3.645358705 | 2239.27 | 21.45 | 1039.27 | 0.600836267 |
| 22 | ln(22) | 3.091042453 | 1953.71 | 26.25 | 753.71 | H(22) | 3.69081325 | 2260.73 | 20.27 | 1060.73 | 0.5997707969 |
| 23 | ln(23) | 3.135494216 | 1978.43 | 24.72 | 778.43 | H(23) | 3.734291511 | 2281.00 | 19.21 | 1081.00 | 0.5987972952 |
| 24 | ln(24) | 3.17805383 | 2001.77 | 23.34 | 801.77 | H(24) | 3.775958178 | 2300.21 | 18.24 | 1100.21 | 0.5979043474 |
| 25 | ln(25) | 3.218875825 | 2023.87 | 22.10 | 823.87 | H(25) | 3.815958178 | 2318.45 | 17.36 | 1118.45 | 0.5970823529 |
| 26 | ln(26) | 3.258096538 | 2044.84 | 20.97 | 844.84 | H(26) | 3.854419716 | 2335.82 | 16.56 | 1135.82 | 0.5963231782 |
| 27 | ln(27) | 3.295836866 | 2064.77 | 19.94 | 864.77 | H(27) | 3.891456753 | 2352.37 | 15.82 | 1152.37 | 0.5956198872 |
| 28 | ln(28) | 3.33220451 | 2083.77 | 19.00 | 883.77 | H(28) | 3.927171039 | 2368.19 | 15.13 | 1168.19 | 0.5949665288 |
| 29 | ln(29) | 3.36729583 | 2101.91 | 18.14 | 901.91 | H(29) | 3.961653798 | 2383.32 | 14.51 | 1183.32 | 0.5943579676 |
| 30 | ln(30) | 3.401197382 | 2119.25 | 17.34 | 919.25 | H(30) | 3.994987131 | 2397.83 | 13.92 | 1197.83 | 0.5937897493 ... -> γ = 0.5772156649 |