Form

A form is a framework for conceptualizing the intervals in a tuning system, where the N-form contains N interval categories within the equave. Given a regular temperament or other regular tuning, its form is the number of notes in the "basic" scale that represents the categorical distinctions being made by the system, where such a scale is usually soft. For an example, meantone is a 7-form structure, as meantone is most usefully conceptualized as containing 7 interval categories and can be reasonably simplified to 7edo to understand its structure. Superpyth is a 5-form structure, and shares this property with many other temperaments in 2.3.7.

The term "form" is also used in the sense of matrix form, including matrix echelon forms and normal forms.