51edo
← 50edo | 51edo | 52edo → |
Theory
51 = 3 × 17, and 51edo shares its fifth with 17edo.
Using the patent val, 51et tempers out 250/243 in the 5-limit, 225/224 and 2401/2400 in the 7-limit, and 55/54 and 100/99 in the 11-limit. It is the optimal patent val for sonic, the rank-3 temperament tempering out 55/54, 100/99, and 250/243, and also for the rank-4 temperament tempering out 55/54. It provides an alternative tuning to 22edo for porcupine, with a nice fifth but a rather flat major third, and the optimal patent val for the 7- and 11-limit porky temperament, which is sonic plus 225/224. 51 contains an archeotonic 6L 1s scale based on repetitions of 8\51, creating a scale with a whole-tone-like drive towards the tonic through the 17edo semitone at the top.
Alternatively, using the 51c val ⟨51 81 119 143], the 5/4 is mapped to 1\3 (400 cents), supporting augmented. In the 7-limit it tempers out 245/243 and supports hemiaug and rodan. The 51cd val ⟨51 81 119 144] takes the same 7/4 from 17edo, and supports augene.
51edo's step is the closest direct approximation to the Pythagorean comma by edo steps, though that comma itself is mapped to a different interval.
Odd harmonics
Harmonic | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 29 | 31 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Error | Absolute (¢) | +0.0 | +3.9 | -9.8 | -4.1 | -10.1 | +6.5 | -10.8 | +8.4 | +7.0 | +5.7 | +7.9 |
Relative (%) | +0.0 | +16.7 | -41.8 | -17.5 | -43.1 | +27.8 | -46.1 | +35.6 | +29.8 | +24.3 | +33.6 | |
Steps (reduced) |
51 (0) |
81 (30) |
118 (16) |
143 (41) |
176 (23) |
189 (36) |
208 (4) |
217 (13) |
231 (27) |
248 (44) |
253 (49) |
Subsets and supersets
51edo contains 3edo and 17edo as subsets. A step of 51edo is exactly 12 skismas.
Intervals
# | Cents | Ups and downs notation | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 0.0 | Perfect 1sn | P1 | D |
1 | 23.5 | Up 1sn | ^1 | ^D |
2 | 47.1 | Downminor 2nd | vm2 | vEb |
3 | 70.6 | Minor 2nd | m2 | Eb |
4 | 94.1 | Upminor 2nd | ^m2 | ^Eb |
5 | 117.6 | Downmid 2nd | v~2 | ^^Eb |
6 | 141.2 | Mid 2nd | ~2 | vvvE, ^^^Eb |
7 | 164.7 | Upmid 2nd | ^~2 | vvE |
8 | 188.2 | Downmajor 2nd | vM2 | vE |
9 | 211.8 | Major 2nd | M2 | E |
10 | 235.3 | Upmajor 2nd | ^M2 | ^E |
11 | 258.8 | Downminor 3rd | vm3 | vF |
12 | 282.4 | Minor 3rd | m3 | F |
13 | 305.9 | Upminor 3rd | ^m3 | ^F |
14 | 329.4 | Downmid 3rd | v~3 | ^^F |
15 | 352.9 | Mid 3rd | ~3 | ^^^F, vvvF# |
16 | 376.5 | Upmid 3rd | ^~3 | vvF# |
17 | 400.0 | Downmajor 3rd | vM3 | vF# |
18 | 423.5 | Major 3rd | M3 | F# |
19 | 447.1 | Upmajor 3rd | ^M3 | ^F# |
20 | 470.6 | Down 4th | v4 | vG |
21 | 494.1 | Perfect 4th | P4 | G |
22 | 517.6 | Up 4th | ^4 | ^G |
23 | 541.2 | Downdim 5th | vd5 | vAb |
24 | 564.7 | Dim 5th | d5 | Ab |
25 | 588.2 | Updim 5th | ^d5 | ^Ab |
26 | 611.8 | Downaug 4th | vA4 | vG# |
27 | 635.3 | Aug 4th | A4 | G# |
28 | 658.8 | Upaug 4th | ^A4 | ^G# |
29 | 682.4 | Down 5th | v5 | vA |
30 | 705.9 | Perfect 5th | P5 | A |
31 | 729.4 | Up 5th | ^5 | ^A |
32 | 752.9 | Downminor 6th | vm6 | vBb |
33 | 776.5 | Minor 6th | m6 | Bb |
34 | 800.0 | Upminor 6th | ^m6 | ^Bb |
35 | 823.5 | Downmid 6th | v~6 | ^^Bb |
36 | 847.1 | Mid 6th | ~6 | vvvB, ^^^Bb |
37 | 870.6 | Upmid 6th | ^~6 | vvB |
38 | 894.1 | Downmajor 6th | vM6 | vB |
39 | 917.6 | Major 6th | M6 | B |
40 | 941.2 | Upmajor 6th | ^M6 | ^B |
41 | 964.7 | Downminor 7th | vm7 | vC |
42 | 988.2 | Minor 7th | m7 | C |
43 | 1011.8 | Upminor 7th | ^m7 | ^C |
44 | 1035.3 | Downmid 7th | v~7 | ^^C |
45 | 1058.8 | Mid 7th | ~7 | ^^^C, vvvC# |
46 | 1082.4 | Upmid 7th | ^~7 | vvC# |
47 | 1105.9 | Downmajor 7th | vM7 | vC# |
48 | 1129.4 | Major 7th | M7 | C# |
49 | 1152.9 | Upmajor 7th | ^M7 | ^C# |
50 | 1176.5 | Down 8ve | v8 | vD |
51 | 1200.0 | Perfect 8ve | P8 | D |
Notation
Ups and downs notation
In 51edo, a sharp raises by six steps, so a combination of quarter tone accidentals and arrow accidentals from Helmholtz–Ellis notation can be used to fill in the gaps.
Step offset | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
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If double arrows are not desirable, then arrows can be attached to quarter-tone accidentals:
Step offset | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
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Flat symbol | ![]() |
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Ivan Wyschnegradsky's notation
Since a sharp raises by six steps, Wyschnegradsky accidentals borrowed from 72edo can also be used:
Step offset | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
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Sagittal notation
In the following diagrams, a sagittal symbol followed by an equals sign (=) means that the following comma is the symbol's primary comma (the comma it exactly represents in JI), while an approximately equals sign (≈) means it is a secondary comma (a comma it approximately represents in JI). In both cases the symbol exactly represents the tempered version of the comma in this edo.
Evo flavor

Revo flavor

Evo-SZ flavor

Regular temperament properties
Subgroup | Comma list | Mapping | Optimal 8ve stretch (¢) |
Tuning error | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Absolute (¢) | Relative (%) | ||||
2.3.7 | 1029/1024, [17 -16 3⟩ | [⟨51 81 143]] | −0.339 | 1.63 | 6.92 |
2.3.5 | 128/125, [-13 17 -6⟩ | [⟨51 81 119]] (51c) | −2.789 | 2.41 | 10.3 |
2.3.5 | 250/243, 34171875/33554432 | [⟨51 81 118]] (51) | +0.581 | 2.77 | 11.8 |
Rank-2 temperaments
Periods per 8ve |
Generator* | Cents* | Associated ratio* |
Temperament |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5\51 | 117.6 | 15/14 | Miracle (51e, out of tune) / oracle (51) |
1 | 7\51 | 164.7 | 11/10 | Porky (51) |
1 | 10\51 | 235.3 | 8/7 | Rodan (51cf…, out of tune) / aerodino (51ce) |
1 | 5\51 | 541.2 | 15/11 | Necromanteion (51ce) |
3 | 19\51 (2\51) |
447.1 (47.1) |
9/7 (36/35) |
Hemiaug (51ce) |
3 | 21\51 (4\51) |
494.1 (94.1) |
4/3 (16/15) |
Augmented (51c) |
* Octave-reduced form, reduced to the first half-octave, and minimal form in parentheses if distinct
Scales
- Porky[7], Palace: 7 7 7 9 7 7 7
- UFO scale (inflected MOS of Teefs[19]): 2 2 4 1 2 2 2 4 2 5 2 4 4 2 2 1 4 2 2
- Cosmic scale (subset of UFO scale): 21 9 4 9 8
Instruments
- Lumatone
- See Lumatone mapping for 51edo.
Music
- Whalectric (2022) – YouTube | score – 7:4 semiquartal 4|4 mode
- James Mulvale (FASTFAST)
- STARS (Thoughts and Prayers) (2020)
- Fugue (2023) – for organ in 51edo Porcupine[7] ssssssL "Pandian"