Macrodiatonic and microdiatonic scales
Macrodiatonic scales are nonoctave MOS scales that have 5 large and 2 small steps like the diatonic scale, but have a period greater than 2/1 so are stretched. The equivalent term for compressed diatonic scales (period < 2/1) is microdiatonic. Macrodiatonic/microdiatonic scales typically sound completely unrecognizable due to the stretching/squishing, yet are structurally identical to diatonic (with it being possible to translate from diatonic to macrodiatonic/microdiatonic scales "on the fly"). Nonoctave regular temperaments assosciated with macrodiatonic/microdiatonic scales are sometimes termed as macromeantone/micromeantones. However, it is controversial to use the names of temperaments for things that only share a scale structure rather than harmony.
In broader sense, a scale created by repeating one simple intonation ("fifth" analogue) and it has low otonal limit triad (with "third" analogue, but not always at 4 genstep.)
Examples of macrodiatonic and microdiatonic scales
- 5L 2s<3/2>: (bright) Generator is a neogothic major third near 81/64 and 14/11.
- 5L 2s<7/4> or 3L 2s<7/4>: (dark) Generator is approximately 5/4.
- 5L 2s<9/5>: (bright) Generator is approximately 7/5.
- 5L 2s<12/5>: (bright) Generator is approximately 5/3, and interestingly, major triads (4:5:6) are stretched to approximately first inversion major triads (3:4:5).
- 5L 2s<3/1>: Generator is approximately 17/9, and 4 generators is vaguely equivalent to 13/9. This relates this scale to the no-twos macromeantone temperament tempering out 85293/83521 in the 3.13.17 subgroup (equating 4 17/9 to 13/9, instead of 4 3/2 to 5/4), as documented on the page for 12edt.
In a broad sense
- 9L 2s<3/2>: (bright) Generator is approximately 5/4 and 6 genstep is 9/8.
- 7L 2s<5/3>: (bright) Generator is approximately 4/3 and 4 genstep is 8/7.
- 3L 4s<9/5>: (bright) Generator is just 3/2 and 2 genstep is just 5/4.