Nearest just interval
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- The original revision id was 391770730.
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An irrational interval or ratio of frequencies given by a real number r has an infinite list of //nearest just intervals//; if r is rational, the list is finite, terminating in r. For arbitrary (including negative) real numbers this corresponds to what number theorists call //best rational approximations//. A ratio of integers p/q with q > 0 and p and q relatively prime is a best rational approximation if there is no ratio m/n with n < q which is a better approximation to r. If r is an interval of music it is positive, and both p and q are positive. Note that a nearest just interval is not necessarily nearest in logarithmic terms; 4/3 and 3/2 are the same distance in cents from √2 = 600 cents, but |4/3 - √2| = .08088 whereas |3/2 - √2| = 0.08479, which is larger. Best rational approximations also arise in music theory logarithmically, as the best rational approximations to the logarithm base two of some number such as 3/2 or ∜5 is often of interest. The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continued_fraction#Semiconvergents|semiconvergents]] of the continued fraction for r include all of the best rational approximations. The convergents are equivalent with a stronger notion of best approximation, namely [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continued_fraction#Best_rational_approximations|best relative approximation]]. Here it is required that |qr - p| is less than |nr - m| for any n < q. == Examples == === Approximations for Ratios (of Pure Intervals) === The best rational approximations to log2(3/2) define edos which have especially good approximations to the fifth (701.955000865... [[cent|cents]]): || **Step\EDO** || **log([[Tenney Height]])** || **size** in cents || **"error"** in cents || || ... || ... || ... || ... || ||= 1 \ 1 || 0.0 ||= 1200.0 ||= 498.04 || ||= 1 \ 2 || 1.0 ||= 600.00 ||= -101.96 || ||= 2 \ 3 || 2.585 ||= 800.00 ||= 98.045 || ||= 3 \ [[5edo|5]] || 3.907 ||= 720.00 ||= 18.045 || ||= 4 \ [[7edo|7]] || 4.807 ||= 685.7143 ||= -16.2407 || ||= 7 \ [[12edo|12]] || 6.392 ||= 700.00 ||= -1.955 || ||= 17 \ [[29edo|29]] || 8.945 ||= 703.4483 ||= 1.4933 || ||= 24 \ [[41edo|41]] || 9.943 ||= 702.43902 ||= 0.48402 || ||= 31 \ [[53edo|53]] || 10.682 ||= 701.88679 ||= -0.06821 || * //for approximations of the harmonic seventh see [[7_4#Approximations]]// === Approximation for Logarihmic Measures === The 600-cent interval sqrt(2) (6 steps of [[12edo]], "Tritone") approximates following ratios: || **freq. ratio** || **log2([[Tenney Height]])** || **size** in cents || **"error"** in cents || || ... || ... || ... || ... || ||= 1 / 1 ||= 0.0 ||= 0.0 ||= 600.0 || ||= [[3_2|3 / 2]] ||= 2.585 ||= 701.96 ||= 101.96 || ||= [[4_3|4 / 3]] ||= 3.585 ||= 498.04 ||= -101.96 || ||= [[7_5|7 / 5]] ||= 5.129 ||= 582.51 ||= -17.49 || ||= [[17_12|17 / 12]] ||= 7.672 ||= 603.000 ||= 3.000 || ||= 24 / 17 || ||= 597.000 ||= -3.000 || ||= 99 / 70 || ||= 600.0883 ||= 0.0883 || ||= 140 / 99 || ||= 599.9117 ||= -0.0883 || || ... || ... || ... || ... || The 300-cent interval 2^(1/4) (3 steps of [[12edo]], "minor third") approximates following ratios: || **freq. ratio** || **log([[Tenney Height]])** || **size** in cents || **"error"** in cents || || ... || ... || ... || ... || ||= 1 / 1 ||= 0.0 ||= 0.0 ||= 300.0 || ||= [[6_5|6 / 5]] ||= 4.907 ||= 315.64 ||= 15.64 || ||= [[13_11|13 / 11]] ||= 7.160 ||= 289.21 ||= -10.79 || ||= [[19_16|19 / 16]] ||= 8.248 ||= 297.51 ||= -2.49 || ||= [[25_21|25 / 21]] ||= 9.036 ||= 301.84 ||= 1.84 || || ... || ... || ... || ... ||
Original HTML content:
<html><head><title>Nearest just interval</title></head><body>An irrational interval or ratio of frequencies given by a real number r has an infinite list of <em>nearest just intervals</em>; if r is rational, the list is finite, terminating in r. For arbitrary (including negative) real numbers this corresponds to what number theorists call <em>best rational approximations</em>. A ratio of integers p/q with q > 0 and p and q relatively prime is a best rational approximation if there is no ratio m/n with n < q which is a better approximation to r. If r is an interval of music it is positive, and both p and q are positive. Note that a nearest just interval is not necessarily nearest in logarithmic terms; 4/3 and 3/2 are the same distance in cents from √2 = 600 cents, but |4/3 - √2| = .08088 whereas |3/2 - √2| = 0.08479, which is larger.<br />
<br />
Best rational approximations also arise in music theory logarithmically, as the best rational approximations to the logarithm base two of some number such as 3/2 or ∜5 is often of interest.<br />
<br />
The <a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continued_fraction#Semiconvergents" rel="nofollow">semiconvergents</a> of the continued fraction for r include all of the best rational approximations. The convergents are equivalent with a stronger notion of best approximation, namely <a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continued_fraction#Best_rational_approximations" rel="nofollow">best relative approximation</a>. Here it is required that |qr - p| is less than |nr - m| for any n < q.<br />
<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:0:<h2> --><h2 id="toc0"><a name="x-Examples"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:0 --> Examples </h2>
<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:2:<h3> --><h3 id="toc1"><a name="x-Examples-Approximations for Ratios (of Pure Intervals)"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:2 --> Approximations for Ratios (of Pure Intervals) </h3>
The best rational approximations to log2(3/2) define edos which have especially good approximations to the fifth (701.955000865... <a class="wiki_link" href="/cent">cents</a>):<br />
<table class="wiki_table">
<tr>
<td><strong>Step\EDO</strong><br />
</td>
<td><strong>log(<a class="wiki_link" href="/Tenney%20Height">Tenney Height</a>)</strong><br />
</td>
<td><strong>size</strong> in cents<br />
</td>
<td><strong>"error"</strong> in cents<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">1 \ 1<br />
</td>
<td>0.0<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">1200.0<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">498.04<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">1 \ 2<br />
</td>
<td>1.0<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">600.00<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-101.96<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">2 \ 3<br />
</td>
<td>2.585<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">800.00<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">98.045<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">3 \ <a class="wiki_link" href="/5edo">5</a><br />
</td>
<td>3.907<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">720.00<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">18.045<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">4 \ <a class="wiki_link" href="/7edo">7</a><br />
</td>
<td>4.807<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">685.7143<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-16.2407<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">7 \ <a class="wiki_link" href="/12edo">12</a><br />
</td>
<td>6.392<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">700.00<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-1.955<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">17 \ <a class="wiki_link" href="/29edo">29</a><br />
</td>
<td>8.945<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">703.4483<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">1.4933<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">24 \ <a class="wiki_link" href="/41edo">41</a><br />
</td>
<td>9.943<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">702.43902<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">0.48402<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">31 \ <a class="wiki_link" href="/53edo">53</a><br />
</td>
<td>10.682<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">701.88679<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-0.06821<br />
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<br />
<ul><li><em>for approximations of the harmonic seventh see <a class="wiki_link" href="/7_4#Approximations">7_4</a></em></li></ul><br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:4:<h3> --><h3 id="toc2"><a name="x-Examples-Approximation for Logarihmic Measures"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:4 --> Approximation for Logarihmic Measures </h3>
The 600-cent interval sqrt(2) (6 steps of <a class="wiki_link" href="/12edo">12edo</a>, "Tritone") approximates following ratios:<br />
<table class="wiki_table">
<tr>
<td><strong>freq. ratio</strong><br />
</td>
<td><strong>log2(<a class="wiki_link" href="/Tenney%20Height">Tenney Height</a>)</strong><br />
</td>
<td><strong>size</strong> in cents<br />
</td>
<td><strong>"error"</strong> in cents<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">1 / 1<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">0.0<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">0.0<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">600.0<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a class="wiki_link" href="/3_2">3 / 2</a><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">2.585<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">701.96<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">101.96<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a class="wiki_link" href="/4_3">4 / 3</a><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">3.585<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">498.04<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-101.96<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a class="wiki_link" href="/7_5">7 / 5</a><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">5.129<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">582.51<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-17.49<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a class="wiki_link" href="/17_12">17 / 12</a><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">7.672<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">603.000<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">3.000<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">24 / 17<br />
</td>
<td><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">597.000<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-3.000<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">99 / 70<br />
</td>
<td><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">600.0883<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">0.0883<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">140 / 99<br />
</td>
<td><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">599.9117<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-0.0883<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<br />
The 300-cent interval 2^(1/4) (3 steps of <a class="wiki_link" href="/12edo">12edo</a>, "minor third") approximates following ratios:<br />
<table class="wiki_table">
<tr>
<td><strong>freq. ratio</strong><br />
</td>
<td><strong>log(<a class="wiki_link" href="/Tenney%20Height">Tenney Height</a>)</strong><br />
</td>
<td><strong>size</strong> in cents<br />
</td>
<td><strong>"error"</strong> in cents<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">1 / 1<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">0.0<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">0.0<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">300.0<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a class="wiki_link" href="/6_5">6 / 5</a><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">4.907<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">315.64<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">15.64<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a class="wiki_link" href="/13_11">13 / 11</a><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">7.160<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">289.21<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-10.79<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a class="wiki_link" href="/19_16">19 / 16</a><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">8.248<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">297.51<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">-2.49<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a class="wiki_link" href="/25_21">25 / 21</a><br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">9.036<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">301.84<br />
</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">1.84<br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
<td>...<br />
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body></html>