Convex scale

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This revision was by author keenanpepper and made on 2011-10-18 11:47:17 UTC.
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Original Wikitext content:

In a [[Regular Temperaments|regular temperament]], a **convex scale** is a set of pitches that form a **convex set** in the interval lattice of the temperament. The "regular temperament" is often [[Just intonation|JI]], in which case the lattice is the familiar JI lattice, but convex scales exist for any regular temperament.

A simple, easy-to-understand definition of a "convex set" in a lattice is the intersection of the lattice with any [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convex_set|convex region]] of continuous space. See below for a more formal definition.

The **convex hull** or **convex closure** of a scale is the smallest convex scale that contains it. See [[Gallery of Z-polygon transversals]] for many scales that are the convex closures of interesting sets of pitches.

There is peer-reviewed research which shows that convex scales are common, e.g. [[http://dare.uva.nl/en/record/190378]]. However, one problem with that study is that they used the [[Scala]] archive, which contains many scales explicitly constructed to be convex...

==Formal definition== 
The following definitions make sense in the context of any Z-[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Module_%28mathematics%29|module]], which is the same concept as an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abelian_group|abelian group]].
===Convex combination=== 
A **convex combination** of a set of vectors is, intuitively, a weighted average of the vectors where all the weights are non-negative. Formally, b is a convex combination of a1, a2... whenever there exist non-negative integers c1, c2... such that
[[math]]
$(c_1 + c_2 + \dots + c_k) b = c_1 a_1 + c_2 a_2 + \dots + c_k a_k$
[[math]]
(Note that in this definition, a1, a2.. and b are elements of the Z-module, and c1, c2... are integers, so the only operations used are those defined for every Z-module.)
===Convex set=== 
A convex set is a set that includes all convex combinations of its elements.

Original HTML content:

<html><head><title>Convex scale</title></head><body>In a <a class="wiki_link" href="/Regular%20Temperaments">regular temperament</a>, a <strong>convex scale</strong> is a set of pitches that form a <strong>convex set</strong> in the interval lattice of the temperament. The &quot;regular temperament&quot; is often <a class="wiki_link" href="/Just%20intonation">JI</a>, in which case the lattice is the familiar JI lattice, but convex scales exist for any regular temperament.<br />
<br />
A simple, easy-to-understand definition of a &quot;convex set&quot; in a lattice is the intersection of the lattice with any <a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convex_set" rel="nofollow">convex region</a> of continuous space. See below for a more formal definition.<br />
<br />
The <strong>convex hull</strong> or <strong>convex closure</strong> of a scale is the smallest convex scale that contains it. See <a class="wiki_link" href="/Gallery%20of%20Z-polygon%20transversals">Gallery of Z-polygon transversals</a> for many scales that are the convex closures of interesting sets of pitches.<br />
<br />
There is peer-reviewed research which shows that convex scales are common, e.g. <a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://dare.uva.nl/en/record/190378" rel="nofollow">http://dare.uva.nl/en/record/190378</a>. However, one problem with that study is that they used the <a class="wiki_link" href="/Scala">Scala</a> archive, which contains many scales explicitly constructed to be convex...<br />
<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:1:&lt;h2&gt; --><h2 id="toc0"><a name="x-Formal definition"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:1 -->Formal definition</h2>
 The following definitions make sense in the context of any Z-<a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Module_%28mathematics%29" rel="nofollow">module</a>, which is the same concept as an <a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abelian_group" rel="nofollow">abelian group</a>.<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:3:&lt;h3&gt; --><h3 id="toc1"><a name="x-Formal definition-Convex combination"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:3 -->Convex combination</h3>
 A <strong>convex combination</strong> of a set of vectors is, intuitively, a weighted average of the vectors where all the weights are non-negative. Formally, b is a convex combination of a1, a2... whenever there exist non-negative integers c1, c2... such that<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextMathRule:0:
[[math]]&lt;br/&gt;
$(c_1 + c_2 + \dots + c_k) b = c_1 a_1 + c_2 a_2 + \dots + c_k a_k$&lt;br/&gt;[[math]]
 --><script type="math/tex">$(c_1 + c_2 + \dots + c_k) b = c_1 a_1 + c_2 a_2 + \dots + c_k a_k$</script><!-- ws:end:WikiTextMathRule:0 --><br />
(Note that in this definition, a1, a2.. and b are elements of the Z-module, and c1, c2... are integers, so the only operations used are those defined for every Z-module.)<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:5:&lt;h3&gt; --><h3 id="toc2"><a name="x-Formal definition-Convex set"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:5 -->Convex set</h3>
 A convex set is a set that includes all convex combinations of its elements.</body></html>