Minimal Harmonic Slices
Minimal harmonic slices are a method for representing selected Middle Eastern modal pitch structures through minimal sets of harmonic ratios. Because harmonic mapping is non-unique, the method uses earliness as a criterion for selecting the earliest harmonic representation sufficient to preserve the characteristic interval relationships of a modal structure. Ajnas map directly onto harmonic slices, while maqamat and dastgahs can be understood as larger structures formed through combinations, extensions, and register reapplications of such slices.
Music
Also singt Harmonie — a composition incorporating Minimal Harmonic Slices mapped in 24edo; the relevant section begins at 4:20.
- Also Singt Harmonie (2026)
References
Talebi, Siavash. Minimal Harmonic Slices: A Structural Criterion for Middle Eastern Modes. 2025. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18946443