Gallery of just intervals
Introduction
In Just Intonation, a musical interval is specified as a ratio of two frequencies.. When two (or more) pitches are sounded that are in simple proportions to one another, there is a "fusing" quality to the sound which is often described as pleasing; hence the interest in tuning the pitches of musical systems according to such proportions. There is much debate as to what "consonance" means in a musical system, but in Just Intonation, it is generally assumed that lower numbers in frequency ratios lead to greater consonance. In the actual performance of a piece of music, the number of factors involved are enormous, and it is not often helpful to reduce a musical experience to a one-dimensional description of "consonance versus dissonance." Hence the need for this gallery, to give life to conversation about what an interval means beyond the numerical description: "5/3" or "21/16" or what have you.
What follows is a Gallery of Just Intervals in ascending order from 1/1 to 2/1 and beyond. No such list could possibly be complete (as there are infinite possible ratios), so please add intervals of interest as you see fit. Any rational interval is welcome, as long as the wiki author has some interest in it. Contributions to an interval's lore could include: descriptions of common usage, technical notes, poetry, links, reservations, complaints, chords or compositions that feature it, edos that approximate it, intervals that are functionally (or emotionally) related to it, nicknames, love letters, fan art, etc. If your contribution is unconventional, feel free to sign your name to it.
This page lists links to dedicated pages for each interval. Wiki page names are formatted "n_d" (where n is the numerator and d is the denominator of the interval) because both colons and slashes cannot be part of page names on wikispaces, but the links as they appear on the page are in the form n/d.
Explanation of the color names is here.
Gallery of Just Intervals
See also List of Superparticular Intervals and List of intervals (Huygens-Fokker foundation)
| frequency ratio | cents value
(six decimal places) |
color notation | some common names |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1 | 0 | w1 = white unison | unity, perfect prime, Tonic |
| 32805/32768 | 1.953721 | Ly-2 = yellow subcomma | schisma, |-15, 8, 1> |
| 225/224 | 7.711523 | ryy-2 = reddish-yellow subcomma | septimal subcomma, |-5, 2, 2, -1> |
| 100/99 | 17.399484 | ayy1 = amber deep yellow comma | Ptolemy's comma |
| 99/98 | 17.576131 | jrr-2 = jade deep red comma | Mothwellsma |
| 2048/2025 | 19.552569 | sgg2 = small deep green comma | |11, -4, -2> |
| 81/80 | 21.506286 | g1 = green comma | Syntonic comma, Didymus comma |
| 531441/524288 | 23.460010 | LLw-2 = white comma | Pythagorean comma, Ditonic comma, |-19, 12> |
| 66/65 | 26.431568 | ojg1 = oche-jadish comma | Winmeanma |
| 65/64 | 26.841376 | ey1 = emerald-yellow comma | Wilsorma, 13th-partial chroma |
| 64/63 | 27.264092 | r1 = red comma | Septimal comma, Archytas' comma |
| 3125/3072 | 29.613568 | Ly5-2 = quintuple yellow comma | Magic comma, small diesis, |-10, -1, 5> |
| 50/49 | 34.975615 | rryy-2 = deep reddish comma | septimal sixth-tone, jubilisma, small septimal diesis, tritonic diesis |
| 49/48 | 35.696812 | bb2 = deep blue comma | large septimal diesis, slendro diesis |
| 45/44 | 38.905773 | ay1 = amber-yellow comma | undecimal 1/5th tone |
| 128/125 | 41.058858 | g32 = triple green comma | Diesis, minor diesis, augmented comma, enharmonic comma, |7, 0, -3> |
| 525/512 | 43.408335 | Lyyb1 = large yellowish-yellow comma | Avicenna's enharmonic diesis, |-9, 1, 2, 1> |
| 36/35 | 48.770381 | gr1 = greenish comma | double comma, septimal quarter tone |
| 250/243 | 49.166137 | y31 = triple yellow comma | Porcupine comma, |1, -5, 3> |
| 59049/57344 | 50.724102 | Lr-2 = large red comma | Harrison's comma, |-13, 10, 0, -1> |
| 100/97 | 52.732017 | 97qyy1 = 97esque deep yellow quarter-tone | shrutar quarter tone |
| 33/32 | 53.272943 | j1 = jade quarter-tone | undecimal quarter tone, undecimal diesis, al-Farabi's 1/4-tone, octave-reduced 33rd harmonic |
| 648/625 | 62.565148 | g42 = quadruple green 2nd | diminished comma, major diesis, |8, 4, -4> |
| 28/27 | 62.960904 | b2 = blue 2nd | septimal chroma, small septimal chromatic semitone, septimal subminor second |
| 25/24 | 70.672427 | yy1 = deep yellow semitone | chroma, chromatic semitone, Zarlinian semitone |
| 68/65 | 78.114034 | 17iog2 = 17ish ochre green 2nd | valentine semitone |
| 22/21 | 80.537035 | jr1 = jade-red semitone | undecimal minor semitone |
| 64/61 | 83.115195 | 61q2 = 61esque 2nd | harry minor semitone |
| 21/20 | 84.467193 | bg2 = bluish 2nd | minor semitone, large septimal chromatic semitone |
| 256/243 | 90.224996 | sw2 = small white 2nd | Pythagorean limma, Pythagorean minor second, |8, -5> |
| 135/128 | 92.178716 | Ly1 = large yellow semitone | major limma, |-7, 3, 1> |
| 18/17 | 98.954592 | 17q1 = 17esque semitone | small septendecimal semitone, Arabic lute index finger |
| 17/16 | 104.955410 | 17i2 = 17ish 2nd | large septendecimal semitone, octave-reduced 17th harmonic |
| 16/15 | 111.731285 | g2 = green 2nd | diatonic semitone, classic minor second, octave-reduced 15th subharmonic |
| 2187/2048 | 113.685006 | Lw1 = large white semitone | apotome, |-11, 7> |
| 77/72 | 116.233847 | jb2 = jade-blue 2nd | undecimal secor |
| 15/14 | 119.442808 | ry1 = reddish semitone | septimal diatonic semitone |
| 14/13 | 128.298245 | ob2 = ochre-blue 2nd | 2/3-tone, trienthird, tridecimal supraminor second |
| 27/25 | 133.237575 | gg2 = deep green 2nd | large limma |
| 13/12 | 138.572661 | e2 = emerald 2nd | tridecimal subtone, tridecimal 2/3-tone |
| 243/224 | 140.949098 | Lr1 = large red semitone | septimal subtone, |-5, 5, 0, -1> |
| 88/81 | 143.497939 | j2 = jade 2nd | undecimal subtone |
| 49/45 | 147.428097 | bbg3 = bluish-blue 3rd | swetismic neutral second |
| 12/11 | 150.637059 | a2 = amber 2nd | small undecimal neutral second, 3/4-tone |
| 35/32 | 155.139620 | yb2 = yellowish 2nd | septimal neutral second |
| 78/71 | 162.786119 | 71qe2= 71esque emerald 2nd | porcupine neutral second |
| 11/10 | 165.004228 | jg2 = jadish 2nd | large undecimal neutral second, 4/5-tone, Ptolemy's second |
| 54/49 | 168.213190 | rr1 = deep red augmented unison | Zalzal's mujannab |
| 10/9 | 182.403712 | y2 = yellow 2nd | minor whole tone |
| 49/44 | 186.333871 | abb3 = amber deep blue 3rd | werckismic minor second |
| 19/17 | 192.557607 | 19i17q2 =19ish 17esque 2nd | quasi-meantone |
| 28/25 | 196.198479 | bgg3 = bluish-green 3rd | middle major second |
| 55/49 | 199.979843 | jrry1 = jade-red reddish unison | werckismic tone |
| 9/8 | 203.910002 | w2 = white 2nd | major whole tone, Pythagorean tone, octave-reduced 9th harmonic |
| 17/15 | 216.686695 | 17ig3 = 17ish green 3rd | septendecimal whole tone, septendecimal eventone |
| 8/7 | 231.174094 | r2 = red 2nd | supermajor second, septimal whole tone, diminished third, octave-reduced 7th subharmonic |
| 63/55 | 235.104252 | abg3 = amber bluish 3rd | werckismic supermajor second |
| 55/48 | 235.676655 | jy2 = jade-yellow 2nd | keenanismic supermajor second |
| 15/13 | 247.741053 | oy2 = ochre-yellow 2nd | semifourth, tridecimal ultramajor second, tridecimal inframinor third |
| 22/19 | 253.804926 | 19qj2 = 19esque jade 2nd | minimal minor third, godzilla third |
| 64/55 | 262.368344 | ag3 = amber-green 3rd | keenanismic subminor third, octave-reduced 55th subharmonic |
| 7/6 | 266.870906 | b3 = blue 3rd | subminor third, septimal minor third, augmented second |
| 90/77 | 270.079867 | ary2 = amber reddish 2nd | swetismic subminor third |
| 62/53 | 271.531027 | 53q31i2 = 53esque 31ish 2nd | orwell subminor third |
| 75/64 | 274.582429 | yy2 = deep yellow 2nd | classic augmented second |
| 20/17 | 281.358304 | 17qy2 = 17esque yellow 2nd | septendecimal augmented second, septendecimal minor third |
| 13/11 | 289.209179 | ea3 = emerald amber 3rd | tridecimal minor third |
| 32/27 | 294.134997 | w3 = white 3rd | Pythagorean minor third, octave-reduced 27th subharmonic |
| 19/16 | 297.513016 | 19i3 = 19ish 3rd | otonal minor third, octave-reduced 19th harmonic |
| 25/21 | 301.846520 | ryy2 = reddish-yellow 2nd | quasi-tempered minor third |
| 61/51 | 309.974395 | 61i17q2 = 61ish 17esque 2nd | myna third |
| 6/5 | 315.641287 | g3 = green 3rd | minor third, pental minor third |
| 77/64 | 320.143849 | jb3 = jade blue 3rd | keenanismic minor third, octave-reduced 77th harmonic |
| 135/112 | 323.352810 | ry2 = reddish aug 2nd | large septimal minor third, marvelous minor third, |-4, 3, 1, -1> |
| 35/29 | 325.562426 | 29qyb3 = 29esque yellowish 3rd | doublewide minor third |
| 17/14 | 336.129503 | 17ir3 = 17ish red 3rd | septendecimal supraminor third |
| 73/60 | 339.520756 | 73ig3 = 73ish green 3rd | amity supraminor third |
| 625/512 | 345.254855 | Ly42 = large quadruple yellow 2nd | 5-limit neutral third, |-9, 0, 4> |
| 11/9 | 347.407941 | j3 = jade 3rd | undecimal neutral third |
| 60/49 | 350.616902 | rry2 = reddish-red 2nd
(aka p3 = purple 3rd) |
smaller septimal neutral third |
| 49/40 | 351.338099 | bbg4 = bluish blue 4th
(aka p3 = purple 3rd) |
larger septimal neutral third |
| 27/22 | 354.547060 | a3 = amber 3rd | rastmic neutral third |
| 16/13 | 359.472338 | o3 = ochre 3rd | tridecimal neutral third |
| 21/17 | 365.825498 | 17qb3 = 17esque blue 3rd | septendecimal submajor third |
| 56/45 | 378.602191 | bg4 = bluish 4th | narrow perde segah, marvelous major third |
| 51/41 | 377.848005 | 41q17i4 = 41esque 17ish 4th | maja third |
| 71/57 | 380.228526 | 71i19q3 = 71ish 19esque 3rd | witchcraft major third |
| 76/61 | 380.628211 | 61q19i4 = 61esque 19ish 4th | magic major third |
| 96/77 | 381.811152 | ar3 = amber-red 3rd | undecimal perde segah, keenanismic major third |
| 5/4 | 386.313714 | y3 = yellow 3rd | major third, octave-reduced 5th harmonic, pental major third |
| 81/64 | 407.820003 | Lw3 = large white 3rd | Pythagorean major third, octave-reduced 81st harmonic |
| 80/63 | 413.577806 | ry3 = reddish 3rd | werckismic sharp major third |
| 14/11 | 417.507964 | ab4 = amber-blue 4th | undecimal major third, undecimal diminished fourth |
| 32/25 | 427.372572 | gg4 = deep green 4th | classic diminished fourth |
| 77/60 | 431.875134 | jbg4 = jade-bluish 4th | swetismic supermajor third |
| 9/7 | 435.084095 | r3 = red 3rd | supermajor third, septimal major third, septimal diminished fourth |
| 31/24 | 443.080572 | 31i3 = 31ish 3rd | sensi supermajor third |
| 22/17 | 446.362533 | 17qj3 = 17esque jade 3rd | septendecimal supermajor third |
| 35/27 | 449.274618 | yb4 = yellowish 4th | semi-diminished fourth |
| 13/10 | 454.213948 | eg4 = emerald-green 4th | Barbados third, tridecimal 9/4 tone, tridecimal semidiminished fourth, tridecimal ultramajor third |
| 64/49 | 462.348187 | rr3 = deep red 3rd | septatonic major third |
| 17/13 | 464.427748 | 17io4 = 17ish ochre 4th | septendecimal sub-fourth |
| 21/16 | 470.780907 | b4 = blue 4th | sub-fourth, narrow fourth, augmented third, 8ve-reduced 21st harmonic |
| 33/25 | 480.645516 | jgg4 = jadish green 4th | "5-EDO"-esque fourth |
| 117/88 | 493.119721 | ea4 = emerald amber 4th | tridecimal gentle fourth, |-3, 2, 0, 0, -1, 1> |
| 4/3 | 498.044999 | w4 = white 4th | just perfect fourth, octave-reduced 3rd subharmonic, diatessaron |
| 75/56 | 505.756522 | ryy3 = reddish-yellow 3rd | marvelous fourth |
| 27/20 | 519.551289 | g4 = green 4th | acute fourth |
| 19/14 | 528.687110 | 19ir4 = 19ish red 4th | 19-limit wide fourth |
| 49/36 | 533.741811 | bb5 = deep blue 5th | Arabic lute acute fourth |
| 15/11 | 536.950772 | ay4 = amberish 4th | undecimal augmented fourth, subaugmented fourth |
| 48/35 | 546.815381 | gr4 = greenish 4th | septimal super-fourth |
| 11/8 | 551.317942 | j4 = jade 4th | super-fourth, undecimal semi-augmented fourth, octave-reduced 11th harmonic or harmonic 11th, Alphorn-Fa |
| 18/13 | 563.382340 | o4 = ochre 4th | tridecimal augmented fourth |
| 25/18 | 568.717426 | yy4 = deep yellow 4th | classic augmented fourth, pental augmented fourth |
| 88/63 | 578.582034 | jr4 = jade-red 4th | werckismic augmented fourth |
| 7/5 | 582.512193 | bg5 = bluish 5th | augmented fourth, septimal tritone, Huygen's tritone |
| 45/32 | 590.223716 | y4 = yellow 4th | |
| 108/77 | 585.721154 | ar4 = amber-red 4th | swetismic augmented fourth, |2, 3, 0, -1, -1> |
| 24/17 | 596.999591 | 17q4 = 17esque 4th | smaller septendecimal tritone |
| 17/12 | 603.000409 | 17i5 = 17ish 5th | larger septendecimal tritone |
| 64/45 | 609.776284 | g5 = green 5th | |
| 10/7 | 617.487807 | ry4 = reddish 4th | diminished fifth, Euler's tritone, superaugmented fourth |
| 23/16 | 628.274347 | 23i5 = 23ish 5th | 23-limit superaugmented fourth, octave-reduced 23rd harmonic |
| 36/25 | 631.282574 | gg5 = deep green 5th | pental diminished fifth, classic diminshed fifth |
| 13/9 | 636.617660 | e5 = emerald 5th | tridecimal diminished fifth |
| 16/11 | 648.682058 | a5 = amber 5th | sub-fifth, octave-reduced 11th subharmonic |
| 35/24 | 653.184619 | yb5 = yellowish 5th | septimal sub-fifth |
| 22/15 | 663.049228 | jg5 = jadish 5th | undecimal diminished fifth, semidiminished fifth |
| 72/49 | 666.258889 | rr4 = deep red 4th | septimal catafifth |
| 81/55 | 670.188347 | ag5 = amber green 5th | undecimal catafifth |
| 28/19 | 671.312890 | 19qb5 = 19esque blue 5th | 19-limit narrow fifth |
| 40/27 | 680.448711 | y5 = yellow 5th | grave fifth |
| 112/75 | 694.243478 | bgg6 = bluish-green 6th | marvelous fifth |
| 3/2 | 701.955001 | w5 = white 5th | just perfect fifth, octave-reduced 3rd harmonic, diapente |
| 182/121 | 706.717684 | eaab6 = emerald blue deep amber 6th | tridecimal gentle fifth, |1, 0, 0, 1, -2, 1 > |
| 176/117 | 706.880279 | oj5 = ochre-jade 5th | tridecimal gentle fifth, |4, -2, 0, 0, 1, -1> |
| 50/33 | 719.354484 | ayy5 = amber deep yellow 5th | "5-EDO"-esque fifth |
| 32/21 | 729.219093 | r5 = red 5th | super-fifth, wide fifth, diminished sixth, octave-reduced 21st subharmonic |
| 26/17 | 735.572252 | 17qe5 = 17esque emerald 5th | septendecimal super-fifth |
| 49/32 | 737.651813 | bb6 = deep blue 6th | superduper fifth, octave-reduced 49th harmonic |
| 20/13 | 745.786052 | oy5 = ochreish 5th | Barbados sixth, ratwolf wolf fifth, tridecimal semi-augmented fifth, tridecimal ultraminor sixth |
| 17/11 | 753.637467 | 17ia6 = 17ish amber 6th | septendecimal subminor sixth |
| 14/9 | 764.915905 | b6 = blue 6th | subminor sixth, septimal minor sixth, augmented fifth |
| 25/16 | 772.627428 | yy5 = deep yellow 5th | pental augmented fifth, classic augmented fifth, otonal minor sixth, octave-reduced 25th harmonic |
| 11/7 | 782.492036 | jr5 = jade-red 5th | undecimal subminor sixth, undecimal augmented fifth |
| 63/40 | 786.422194 | bg6 = bluish 6th | |
| 128/81 | 792.179997 | sw6 = small white 6th | |
| 8/5 | 813.686286 | g6 = green 6th | minor sixth, octave-reduced 5th subharmonic |
| 413/256 | 827.997565 | 59ib6 = 59ish blue 6th | octave-reduced 413th harmonic, homestuck sixth (2-8 * 7 * 59) |
| 13/8 | 840.527662 | e6 = emerald 6th | tridecimal neutral sixth, octave-reduced 13th harmonic |
| 80/49 | 848.661901 | rryA5 = reddish-red 5th
(aka p6 = purple 6th) |
|
| 49/30 | 849.383198 | bbg7 = bluish-blue 7th
(aka p6 = purple 6th) |
|
| 18/11 | 852.592059 | a6 = amber 6th | undecimal neutral sixth |
| 28/17 | 863.870497 | 17qb6 = 17esque blue 6th | septendecimal submajor sixth |
| 5/3 | 884.358713 | y6 = yellow 6th | major sixth |
| 42/25 | 898.153480 | bgg7 = bluish-green 7th | |
| 27/16 | 905.865003 | w6 = white 6th | Pythagorean major sixth, octave-reduced 27th harmonic |
| 22/13 | 910.790821 | oj6 = ochre-jade 6th | tridecimal major sixth |
| 17/10 | 918.641696 | 17ig7 = 17ish green 7th | septendecimal diminished seventh, septendecimal major sixth |
| 12/7 | 933.129094 | r6 = red 6th | supermajor sixth, septimal major sixth, diminished seventh |
| 26/15 | 952.258947 | eg7 = emeraldish 7th | semitwelfth, tridecimal inframinor seventh, tridecimal ultramajor sixth |
| 7/4 | 968.825906 | b7 = blue 7th | subminor seventh, harmonic seventh, augmented sixth, octave-reduced 7th harmonic |
| 225/128 | 976.537429 | Lyy6 = large deep yellow 6th | marvel five-limit harmonic seventh, octave-reduced 225th harmonic, |-7, 2, 2> |
| 30/17 | 983.313305 | 17iy6 = 17ish yellow 6th | septendecimal minor seventh |
| 16/9 | 996.089998 | w7 = white 7th | Pythagorean minor seventh, small minor seventh, octave-reduced 9th subharmonic |
| 25/14 | 1003.801521 | ryy6 = reddish-yellow 6th | Middle minor seventh |
| 34/19 | 1007.442393 | 19q17i7 = 19esque 17ish 7th | Quasi-meantone minor seventh |
| 9/5 | 1017.596288 | g5 = green 7th | minor seventh, large minor seventh |
| 29/16 | 1029.577194 | 29i7 = 29ish 7th | 29-limit large minor seventh, octave-reduced 29th harmonic |
| 20/11 | 1034.995772 | ay7 = amberish 7th | undecimal minor seventh, small undecimal neutral seventh |
| 64/35 | 1044.860380 | gr7 = greenish 7th | |
| 11/6 | 1049.362941 | j7 = jade 7th | undecimal neutral seventh, 21/4-tone |
| 24/13 | 1061.427339 | o7 = ochre 7th | tridecimal neutral seventh |
| 13/7 | 1071.701755 | er7 = emerald-red 7th | 16/3-tone, tridecimal submajor seventh |
| 28/15 | 1080.557192 | bg8 = bluish octave | grave major seventh, octave minus a reddish aug unison |
| 15/8 | 1088.268715 | y7 = yellow 7th | major seventh, just major seventh, octave-reduced 15th harmonic |
| 32/17 | 1095.044590 | 17q7 = 17esque 7th | small septendecimal major seventh, 8ve-reduced 17th subharmonic |
| 17/9 | 1101.045408 | 17i8 = 17ish octave | large septendecimal major seventh |
| 243/128 | 1109.775004 | Lw7 = large white 7th | Pythagorean major seventh, octave-reduced 243rd harmonic |
| 40/21 | 1115.532907 | ry7 = reddish 7th | acute major seventh |
| 61/32 | 1116.884905 | 61i7 = 61ish 7th | octave-reduced 61st harmonic |
| 48/25 | 1129.327573 | gg8 = deep green octave | octave minus a deep yellow augmented unison |
| 27/14 | 1137.039096 | r7 = red 7th | |
| 31/16 | 1145.035572 | 31i7 = 31ish 7th | 31-limit ultramajor seventh, octave-reduced 31st harmonic |
| 64/33 | 1146.727057 | a8 = amber octave | octave-reduced 33rd subharmonic |
| 35/18 | 1151.239619 | yb8 = yellowish octave | octave minus a greenish comma |
| 96/49 | 1164.303188 | rr7 = deep red 7th | |
| 49/25 | 1165.024385 | bbgg9 = deep bluish 9th | |
| 160/81 | 1178.493814 | y8 = yellow octave | octave minus syntonic comma |
| 2/1 | 1200 | w8 = white octave | octave, diapason |
Intervals larger than 2/1
| frequency ratio | cents value
(three decimal places) |
|---|---|
| 13/6 | 1338.573 |
| 11/5 | 1365.004 |
| 16/7 | 1431.174 |
| 5/2 | 1586.314 |
| 8/3 | 1698.045 |
| 11/4 | 1751.318 |
| 16/5 | 2013.686 |
| 13/4 | 2040.528 |
| 10/3 | 2084.359 |
| 7/2 | 2168.826 |
| 11/3 | 2249.363 |
| 15/4 | 2288.269 |
| 4/1 | 2400.000 |
| 13/3 | 2538.573 |
| 9/2 | 2603.910 |
| 14/3 | 2666.871 |
| 5/1 | 2786.314 |
| 16/3 | 2898.045 |
| 11/2 | 2951.318 |
| 6/1 | 3101.955 |
| 13/2 | 3240.528 |
| 7/1 | 3368.826 |
| 15/2 | 3488.269 |
| 8/1 | 3600.000 |
| 9/1 | 3803.910 |
| 10/1 | 3986.314 |
| 11/1 | 4151.318 |
| 12/1 | 4301.955 |
| 13/1 | 4440.528 |
| 14/1 | 4568.826 |
| 15/1 | 4688.269 |
| 16/1 | 4800.000 |
Links
- Regions of the Interval Spectrum by Margo Schulter Permalink
- Manuel Op de Coul interval list*
- Anantomy of an Octave by Kyle Gann
- Alternative Tunings: Theory, Notation and Practice by Kite Giedraitis
- Stichting Huygens-Fokker: List of intervals