Orwell

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Orwell – so named because 19 steps of 84edo, i.e. 19\84, is a possible generator – is an excellent 7-limit temperament and an amazing 11-limit temperament because of the simplicity of harmonic 11.
In orwell, 8/5 is divided into three equal steps, each of which represent 7/6 (alternatively, the 5th harmonic (5/1) is divided into 3 equal steps that represent ~12/7), so that 1728/1715 = S6/S7 is tempered out. After two 8/5s (six generators), 9/7 is found by tempering out the marvel comma, 225/224, and thus the just perfect twelfth (3/1) is divided into 7 equal steps.
In the 11-limit, two generators are equated to 15/11 and 11/8 (meaning 99/98 and 121/120 are tempered out). This means that three stacked generators makes the orwell tetrad 1–7/6–11/8–8/5, a chord in which every interval is a (tempered) 11-odd-limit consonance. Other such chords in undecimal orwell are the keenanismic chords and the swetismic chords. (A far more complicated mapping of 11 at 33 generators, tempering out 441/440 instead, is also possible and is known as newspeak temperament.)
Compatible equal temperaments include 22edo, 31edo, 53edo, and 84edo. Orwell is in better tune in lower limits than higher ones; the optimal patent val is 296edo in the 5-limit, 137edo in the 7-limit, and 53edo in the 11-limit.
See Semicomma family #Orwell for technical details. See Orwell extensions for details about 13-limit extensions.
Theory
Interval chain
Odd harmonics 1–21 and their inverses are in bold.
| # | Cents* | Approximate ratios |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0.00 | 1/1 |
| 1 | 271.46 | 7/6 |
| 2 | 542.91 | 11/8, 15/11 |
| 3 | 814.37 | 8/5 |
| 4 | 1085.82 | 15/8, 28/15 |
| 5 | 157.28 | 11/10, 12/11, 35/32 |
| 6 | 428.73 | 9/7, 14/11, 32/25 |
| 7 | 700.19 | 3/2 |
| 8 | 971.64 | 7/4 |
| 9 | 43.10 | 33/32, 36/35, 49/48 |
| 10 | 314.55 | 6/5 |
| 11 | 586.01 | 7/5 |
| 12 | 857.46 | 18/11 |
| 13 | 1128.92 | 21/11, 27/14, 48/25 |
| 14 | 200.37 | 9/8, 28/25 |
| 15 | 471.83 | 21/16 |
| 16 | 743.28 | 49/32, 54/35 |
| 17 | 1014.74 | 9/5 |
| 18 | 86.19 | 21/20 |
| 19 | 357.65 | 27/22, 49/40 |
| 20 | 629.10 | 36/25 |
| 21 | 900.56 | 27/16, 42/25 |
| 22 | 1172.01 | 63/32 |
* In 11-limit CWE tuning, octave reduced
Chords and harmony
The fundamental otonal consonance of orwell, voiced in a roughly tertian manner, is 4:5:6:7:9:11. In terms of generator steps this is 0–(−3)–7–8–14–2, only available in a 22-tone mos. However, some subsets of this chord are way simpler, such as 8:11:12:14, which is 1–11/8–3/2–7/4 (0–2–7–8).
The generator, ~7/6, is a septimal interval, so chords could instead be built around it as 1–7/6–3/2 (0–1–7), 1–7/4–3 (0–8–7), or tetrads such as 1–7/6–3/2–7/4 (0–1–7–8).
To 1–7/6–3/2–7/4 we may add 11/8, or to 1–11/8–3/2–7/4 we may add 7/6, to form an essentially tempered pentad, 1–7/6–11/8–3/2–7/4 (0–1–2–7–8). Its inverse is 1–12/11–9/7–3/2–12/7 (0–5–6–7–(−1)), which can serve as a minor counterpart. This is similar, but also in clear contrast to the 1–5/4–3/2 (0–4–1) and 1–6/5–3/2 (0–(−3)–1) chords of meantone. Two approaches to functional harmony thus arise.
First, we can treat the septimal chords above as the basis of harmony, but swapping the roles of 3 and 7 according to their temperamental complexities (number of generator steps). Thus a "dominant" chord is either 7/6 or 12/7 over tonic; a "subdominant" chord is either 7/6 or 12/7 under tonic. This leads to an approach closely adherent to mos scales. The 9-tone mos contains a tonic and a "dominant" triad. The 13-tone mos is good for encapsulating tonic, "pre-dominant", and "dominant" functions, triads to pentads alike.
Second, we can treat the same chords as the basis of harmony, and keeping the role of the chain of fifths as the spine on which the functions are defined. This means dominant is still 3/2 over tonic, for example. A consequence is we must step out of the logic of mos scales, as they are often too restrictive without the many fifths to stack. This is essentially working in JI, but using the commas tempered out in some way to lock into the identity of the temperament.
Scales
Mos scales
- 9-tone scales (sLsLsLsLs, proper)
- Orwell9 – 84edo tuning
- Orwell9-12 – 7-limit POTE tuning, mapped to 12-tones
in POTE tuning
in 22edo
in 53edo
| Small ("minor") interval | 114.29 | 228.59 | 385.72 | 500.02 | 657.15 | 771.44 | 928.57 | 1042.87 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JI intervals represented | 15/14~16/15 | 8/7 | 5/4 | 4/3 | 16/11 | 14/9~11/7 | 12/7 | 11/6 |
| Large ("major") interval | 157.13 | 271.43 | 428.56 | 542.85 | 699.98 | 814.28 | 971.41 | 1085.71 |
| JI intervals represented | 12/11~11/10 | 7/6 | 14/11~9/7 | 11/8 | 3/2 | 8/5 | 7/4 | 15/8 |
- 13-tone scales (LsLLsLLLsLLsL, improper)
- Orwell13 – 84edo tuning
- Orwellwoo13 – [6 5/2] unchanged-interval (eigenmonzo) tuning
| Small ("minor") interval | 42.84 | 157.13 | 271.43 | 314.26 | 428.56 | 542.85 | 585.69 | 699.98 | 814.28 | 857 | 971.41 | 1085.71 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JI intervals represented | 12/11~11/10 | 7/6 | 6/5 | 14/11~9/7 | 11/8 | 7/5 | 3/2 | 8/5 | 18/11 | 7/4 | 15/8 | |
| Large ("major") interval | 114.29 | 228.59 | 342.88 | 385.72 | 500.02 | 614.31 | 657.15 | 771.44 | 885.74 | 928.57 | 1042.87 | 1157.16 |
| JI intervals represented | 15/14~16/15 | 8/7 | 11/9 | 5/4 | 4/3 | 10/7 | 16/11 | 14/9~11/7 | 5/3 | 12/7 | 11/6 |
- 22-tone scales
- Orwell22
- Orwellwoo22 – [6 5/2] unchanged-interval (eigenmonzo) tuning
Transversal scales
Others
- Orwell-graham – 13-tone modmos in 53edo tuning
- Orwell13-modmos-containing-minerva12 – 13-tone modmos in POTE tuning
- Minerva12-orwell-tempered – Minerva[12] tempered to orwell
Tunings
| Euclidean | ||
|---|---|---|
| Constrained | Constrained & skewed | |
| Equilateral | CEE: ~7/6 = 271.3553 ¢ | CSEE: ~7/6 = 271.3339 ¢ |
| Tenney | CTE: ~7/6 = 271.5130 ¢ | CWE: ~7/6 = 271.5097 ¢ |
| Benedetti, Wilson |
CBE: ~7/6 = 271.5725 ¢ | CSBE: ~7/6 = 271.5741 ¢ |
| Euclidean | ||
|---|---|---|
| Constrained | Constrained & skewed | |
| Equilateral | CEE: ~7/6 = 271.4920 ¢ | CSEE: ~7/6 = 271.3038 ¢ |
| Tenney | CTE: ~7/6 = 271.5597 ¢ | CWE: ~7/6 = 271.4552 ¢ |
| Benedetti, Wilson |
CBE: ~7/6 = 271.5915 ¢ | CSBE: ~7/6 = 271.5302 ¢ |
| Optimized chord | Generator value | Polynomial | Further notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3:4:5 (+1 +1) | ~7/6 = 272.890 ¢ | f10 − 8f3 + 8 = 0 | 1–3–5 equal-beating tuning |
| 4:5:6 (+1 +1) | ~7/6 = 271.508 ¢ | f10 + 2f3 - 8 = 0 | 1–3–5 equal-beating tuning |
Tuning spectrum
| Edo generator |
Unchanged interval (eigenmonzo)* |
Generator (¢) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2\9 | 266.667 | Lower bound of 7-odd-limit diamond monotone | |
| 7/6 | 266.871 | ||
| 15/11 | 268.475 | ||
| 11/7 | 269.585 | ||
| 11/6 | 270.127 | ||
| 15/14 | 270.139 | ||
| 49/48 | 270.633 | ||
| 21/11 | 270.728 | ||
| 7\31 | 270.968 | Lower bound of 9- and 11-odd-limit diamond monotone | |
| 11/9 | 271.049 | ||
| 7/4 | 271.103 | ||
| 7/5 | 271.137 | 7- and 11-odd-limit minimax | |
| 5/4 | 271.229 | ||
| 21/20 | 271.359 | ||
| 21/16 | 271.385 | ||
| 19\84 | 271.429 | 84e val | |
| 25/24 | 271.487 | ||
| 64/63 | 271.488 | ||
| 5/3 | 271.564 | 5-odd-limit minimax | |
| 9/5 | 271.623 | 9-odd-limit minimax | |
| 81/80 | 271.661 | ||
| 12\53 | 271.698 | ||
| 3/2 | 271.708 | ||
| 17\75 | 272.000 | ||
| 15/8 | 272.067 | ||
| 36/35 | 272.086 | ||
| 9/7 | 272.514 | ||
| 5\22 | 272.727 | Upper bound of 7-, 9- and 11-odd-limit diamond monotone | |
| 11/10 | 273.001 | ||
| 11/8 | 275.659 |
* Besides the octave
Non-octave settings
Watcher
By switching the roles of the period and generator, we end up with a nonoctave temperament that is to orwell what angel and devadoot are to meantone and magic, respectively. There is an interesting mos with 7 notes per period; if this is derived as a subset of 84edt (which has 12 notes per period, and is almost identical to 53edo), the resulting mos has the same structure as the 12edo diatonic scale, only compressed so that the period is ~272 cents rather than an octave. Thus, a piano keyboard for this mos would look exactly the same as a typical keyboard, only what looks like an octave would not be one anymore. This temperament could be called watcher, a reference to a class of angels whose very name carries Orwellian connotations. The 12-integer-limit otonality (1::12) and utonality (1/(1::12)) both have complexity 4. If we consider these to be the fundamental consonances, then using the 7-note-per-period mos, there are exactly 3 of each type per period, which again is analogous to the diatonic scale. While angel and devadoot do not perform well past the 10-integer-limit, watcher handles the 12-integer-limit with ease. Straight-fretted watcher guitars could be built as long as the strings were all tuned to period-equivalent notes.
Rank-3 temperaments
Following is a list of rank-3, or planar temperaments that are supported by orwell temperament.
| Rank-3 temperament | Among others, rank-3 temperament is also supported by… | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7-limit | 11-limit Extension |
9tet | 22tet | 31tet | 53tet |
| Marvel | Negri, septimin, august, amavil, enneaportent |
Magic, pajara, wizard, porky | Meantone, miracle, tritonic, slender, würschmidt |
Garibaldi, catakleismic | |
| Marvel | Negri, septimin, enneaportent | Magic, pajarous, wizard | Meanpop, miracle, tritoni, slender | Garibaldi, catakleismic | |
| Minerva | Negric, august, amavil | Telepathy, pajara | Meantone, revelation, würschmidt | Cataclysmic | |
| Artemis* | Wilsec | Divination, hemipaj, porky | Migration, oracle, tritonic | ||
| Hewuermity | Triforce, armodue, twothirdtonic |
Porcupine, astrology, shrutar, hendecatonic, septisuperfourth |
Hemiwürschmidt, valentine, mohajira, grendel |
Amity, hemischis, hemikleismic | |
| Zeus | Triforce, armodue, twothirdtonic |
Porcupine, astrology, shrutar, hendecatonic |
Hemiwur, valentine, mohajira | Hitchcock, hemikleismic | |
| Jupiter | Septisuperfourth | Hemiwürschmidt, grendel | Amity, hemischis | ||
| Orwellismic | Beep, secund, infraorwell, niner |
Superpyth, doublewide, echidna |
Myna, mothra, sentinel, semisept |
Quartonic, buzzard | |
| Orwellian | Pentoid, secund | Suprapyth, doublewide | Myno, mothra, sentinel | ||
| Guanyin | Infraorwell, niner | Superpyth, fleetwood, echidna | Myna, mosura, semisept | Quartonic, buzzard | |
| Nuwell | Progression, superpelog | Quasisuper, hedgehog | Squares, nusecond | Tricot, hamity | |
| Big brother | Progression, superpelog | Quasisupra, hedgehog | Squares, nusecond | Tricot, hamity | |
| Horwell | Bisupermajor, escaped, fifthplus |
Hemithirds, worschmidt, tertiaseptal |
Countercata, pontiac | ||
| Zelda | Bisupermajor, sensa | Hemithirds, worschmidt, tertia | Countercata | ||
* Weak extension (one or more generators from the parent temperament are split)
Music
- Mountain Villiage (2013) – play | SoundCloud – in Orwell[9]
- Earwig (2012) – play – in 31edo tuning
- Elf Dine on Ho Ho (2012) – play – in 53edo tuning
- Spun (2012) – play – in Orwell[13]
- one drop of rain
- i've come with a bucket of roses
- my own house
- Schizo Blue – play | SoundCloud[dead link]
- Sejaliscos (2013) – play | SoundCloud – in Orwell[9], 22edo tuning
- A Hidden World (2022) – in Orwell[31]
- Zurğ tuun vantu (2024) – in Orwell[13], with a generator of 271.5 ¢ and a period of 1199.5 ¢
- "Droplet", from Rhythm and Xen (2015) – Bandcamp | SoundCloud | YouTube – drum and bass in Orwell[9], 53edo tuning
- Trio in Orwell (archived 2010) – details | play – in Orwell[9], 53edo tuning
- Swing in Orwell-9
Keyboards
To play interactive versions of these keyboards, check out Vito Sicurella's plugin, which works with REAPER:
