Kite's ups and downs notation

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Definition

Ups and Downs (or ^v) is a notation system developed by Kite that can notate almost every EDO. The up symbol "^" and the down symbol "v" indicate raising or lowering a note (or widening/narrowing an interval) by one EDOstep. The mid symbol, "~" is for intervals exactly midway between major and minor, e.g. 3\24 is a mid 2nd. The mid 4th (~4) is midway between perfect and augmented, i.e. half-augmented, and the mid 5th (~5) is a half-diminished 5th.

Ups and downs can also notate any rank-2 temperament, although some temperaments require an additional pair of accidentals, lifts and drops (/ and \). In this context, an up or a lift represents sharpening by a comma that has been tempered, but not tempered out. For example, in Triyo aka Porcupine, an up/down represents raising/lowering by a tempered 81/80, and lifts/drops aren't used. In practice, the two uses of the notation often coincide perfectly. Triyo is supported by both 15-edo and 22-edo, and both EDOs map 81/80 to one EDOstep. Thus if Triyo is tuned to 15-edo, an up simultaneously means both a tempered 81/80 and 1\15. Likewise, if tuned to 22-edo, the up means both 81/80 and 1\22. If not tuned to an EDO at all, then the up only means 81/80. Thus a piece written in Triyo can be converted to a piece written in 22-edo by simply writing "22-edo" on the top of the page.

This page only discusses notation of EDOs. For notation of rank-2 and rank-3 temperaments, see the pergens article. For more on EDO notation, see the Notation guide for edos 5-72, which also covers chord names, staff notation, key signatures, and scale trees.

Explanation -- a 22-edo example

To understand the ups and downs notation, let's start with an EDO that doesn't need it. 19-edo is easy to notate because 7 fifths reduced by 4 octaves adds up to one EDOstep. C# is right next to C, and the keyboard runs C C# Db D D# Eb E etc. Conventional notation works perfectly with 19-edo as long as you remember that C# and Db are different notes.

In contrast, 22-edo is hard to notate because 7 fifths are three EDOsteps, and the usual chain of fifths Eb-Bb-F-C-G-D-A-E-B-F#-C# etc. creates the scale C Db B# C# D Eb Fb D# E F. That's very confusing because B#-Db looks ascending on the page but sounds descending. Also a 4:5:6 chord is written C-D#-G, and the 5/4, usually a major 3rd, becomes an aug 2nd. Some people forgo the chain of fifths for a maximally even scale like C _ _ D _ _ E _ _ F _ _ _ G _ _ A _ _ B _ _ C. But that's confusing because G-D and A-E are dim 5ths. And if your piece is in G or A, that's really bad. A notation system should work in every key!

The solution is to use the sharp symbol to mean "raised by 7 fifths", and to use the up symbol to mean "sharpened by one EDOstep". 22-edo can be written C - Db - ^Db - vD - D - Eb - ^Eb - vE - E - F etc. The notes are pronounced up-D-flat, down-D, etc. Now the notes run in order. There's a pattern that's not too hard to pick up on, if you remember that there's 3 ups to a sharp. The up or down comes before the note name to make naming chords easy.

The names change depending on the key, just like in conventional notation where F# in D major becomes Gb in Db major. So the B scale is B - C - ^C - vC# - C# - D - ^D - vD# - D# - E etc.

The advantage to this notation is that you always know where your fifth is. And hence your 4th, and your major 9th, hence the maj 2nd and the min 7th too. You have convenient landmarks to find your way around, built into the notation. The notation is a map of unfamiliar territory, and we want this map to be as easy to read as possible.

Relative notation for 22-edo is P1 - m2 - ^m2 - vM2 - M2 - m3 - ^m3 - vM3 - M3 - P4 - d5 - ^d5 - v5 - P5 etc. That's pronounced upminor 2nd, downmajor 3rd, etc. You can apply this pattern to any 22-edo key. The notes without ups or downs always form a chain of fifths.

Enharmonic equivalents

Conventionally, in C you use D# instead of Eb when you have a Gaug chord. You have the freedom to spell your notes how you like, to make your chords look right. Likewise, in 22-edo, Db can be spelled ^C or vB# or even ^^B (double-up B).

Staff Notation

For staff notation, put an up or down to the left of the note and any sharp or flat it might have. Like sharps and flats, an up or down applies to any similar note that follows in the measure. If F is upped, any other F in the same octave inherits the up, but an F# doesn't. Key signatures follow the conventional practice, expanded to allow for double-sharps and double flats in some EDOs. For example, 19-edo has the key of Bbb with a key signature of Bbb Ebb Ab Db Gb Cb Fb. Some EDOs have upped/downed tonics, e.g. 24-edo has the key of vD with a key signature of F# C# (v). The (v) is a "global down" that downs all 7 notes of the vD scale. For more on staff notation, see the Notation Guide for EDOs 5-72.

Interval arithmetic

A core principle of ups and downs notation is that interval arithmetic is always preserved. Ups and downs are just added in:

conventional with ups and downs (cancelling) (combining)
interval between two notes C to E = M3 ^C to E = vM3 C to ^E = ^M3 ^C to ^E = M3 ^C to vE = vvM3
note plus an interval C + M3 = E ^C + M3 = ^E C + ^M3 = ^E ^C + vM3 = E ^C + ^M3 = ^^E
sum of two intervals M2 + M2 = M3 M2 + ^M2 = ^M3 vM2 + M2 = vM3 vM2 + ^M2 = M3 vM2 + vM2 = vvM3

Examples: EDOs 12-24

Almost every EDO page has ^v notation.

12-edo: D * E F * G * A * B C * D, 1 key per sharp/flat, ups and downs not needed

D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D

P1 m2 M2 m3 M3 P4 A4/d5 P5 m6 M6 m7 M7 P8

13b-edo: D E * * * F G A B * * * C D, 2 keys per sharp/flat

with sharp lowering the pitch, and major/aug narrower than minor/dim:

D E ^E/F# vEb/^F# Eb/vF F G A B ^B/C# vBb/^C# Bb/vC C D

P1 M2 ^M2/M3 vm2/^M3 m2/vm3 m3 P4 P5 M6 ^M6/M7 vm6/^M7 m6/vm7 m7 P8

13b-edo with sharp raising the pitch, and major/aug wider than minor/dim:

D E ^E/Fb vE#/^Fb E#/vF F G A B ^B/Cb vB#/^Cb B#/vC C D

P1 m2 ^m2/m3 vM2/^m3 M2/vM3 M3 P4 P5 m6 ^m6/m7 vM6/^m7 M6/vM7 M7 P8

14-edo: D * E * F * G * A * B * C * D, zero keys per sharp/flat. Because every interval is perfect, the quality can be omitted

D ^D/vE E ^E/vF F ^F/vG G ^G/vA A ^A/vB B ^B/vC C ^C/vD D

1 ^1/v2 2 ^2/v3 3 ^3/v4 4 ^4/v5 5 ^5/v6 6 ^6/v7 7 ^7/v8 8

15-edo: D * * E/F * * G * * A * * B/C * * D, 3 keys per sharp/flat

D ^D vE E/F ^F vG G ^G vA A ^A vB B/C ^C vD D

P1 ^m2 vM2 M2/m3 ^m3 vM3 M3/P4 ^4 v5 P5 ^m6 vM6 M6/m7 ^m7 vM7 P8

16-edo: D * E * * F * G * A * B * * C * D, 1 key per sharp/flat, ups and downs not needed

with sharp lowering the pitch, and major/aug narrower than minor/dim:

D Db/E# E Eb F# F Fb/G# G Gb/A# A Ab/B# B Bb C# C Cb/D# D

P1 A2 M2 m2/A3 M3 m3 d3/A4 P4 d4/A5 P5 d5/A6 M6 m6/A7 M7 m7 d7 P8

16-edo with sharp raising the pitch, and major/aug wider than minor/dim:

D D#/Eb E E# Fb F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B B# Cb C C#/Db D

P1 d2 m2 M2 m3 M3 A3 P4 A4/d5 P5 d6 m6 M6/d7 m7 M7 A7 P8

17-edo: D * * E F * * G * * A * * B C * * D, 2 keys per sharp/flat

D ^D/Eb D#/vE E F ^F/Gb F#/vG G ^G/Ab G#/vA A ^A/Bb A#/vB B C ^C/Db C#/vD D

P1 ^1/m2 A1/~2 M2 m3 ~3 M3 P4 ^4/d5 A4/v5 P5 m6 ~6 M6 m7 ~7 M7 P8

18b-edo: D * E * * * F * G * A * B * * * C * D, 2 keys per sharp/flat

with sharp lowering the pitch, and major/aug narrower than minor/dim:

D ^D/vE E ^E Eb/F# vF F ^F/vG G ^G/vA A ^A/vB B ^B Bb/C# vC C ^C/vD D

P1 ^P1/vM2 M2 ~2 m2/M3 ~3 m3 ^m3/v4 P4 ^4/v5 P5 ^5/vM6 M6 ~6 m6/M7 ~7 m7 ^m2/d8 P8

18b-edo with sharp raising the pitch, and major/aug wider than minor/dim:

D ^D/vE E ^E E#/Fb vF F ^F/vG G ^G/vA A ^A/vB B ^B B#/Cb vC C ^C/vD D

P1 ^P1/vm2 m2 ~2 mM2/m3 ~3 M3 ^M3/v4 P4 ^4/v5 P5 ^5/vm6 m6 ~6 M6/m7 ~7 M7 ^M7/d8 P8

19-edo: D * * E * F * * G * * A * * B * C * * D, 1 key per sharp/flat, ups and downs not needed

D D# Eb E E#/Fb F F# Gb G G# Ab A A# Bb B B#/Cb C C# Db D

P1 d2 m2 M2 d3 m3 M3 A3 P4 A4 d5 P5 A5 m6 M6 d7 m7 M7 A7 P8

20-edo: D * * * E/F * * * G * * * A * * * B/C * * * D, 4 keys per sharp/flat

D ^D ^^D/vvE vE E/F ^F ^^F/vvG vG G ^G ^^G/vvA vA A ^A ^^A/vvB vB B/C ^C ^^C/vvD vD D

P1/m2 ^m2 ~2 vM2 M2/m3 ^m3 ~3 vM3 M3/P4 ^4 ^^4/vv5 v5 P5/m6 ^m6 ~6 vM6 M6/m7 ^m7 ~7 vM7 P8

21-edo: D * * E * * F * * G * * A * * B * * C * * D, zero keys per sharp/flat. Because every interval is perfect, the quality can be omitted

D ^D vE E ^E vF F ^F vG G ^G vA A ^A vB B ^B vC C ^C vD D

1 ^1 v2 2 ^2 v3 3 ^3 v4 4 ^4 v5 5 ^5 v6 6 ^6 v7 7 ^7 v8 8

22-edo: D * * * E F * * * G * * * A * * * B C * * * D, 3 keys per sharp/flat

D ^D/Eb vD#/^Eb D#/vE E F ^F/Gb vF#/^Gb F#/vG G ^G/Ab vG#/^Ab G#/vA A etc.

P1 ^1/m2 A1/^m2 vM2 M2 m3 ^m3 vM3 M3 P4 ^4/d5 vA4/^d5 A4/v5 P5 etc.

23-edo: D * * E * * * F * * G * * A * * B * * * C * * D, 1 key per sharp/flat, ups or downs not needed

with sharp lowering the pitch, and major/aug narrower than minor/dim:

D Db E# E Eb Ebb/Fx F# F Fb G# G Gb A# A Ab B# B Bb Bbb/Cx C# C Cb D# D

P1 d1 A2 M2 m2 d2/A3 M3 m3 d3 A4 P4 d4 A5 P5 d5 A6 M6 m6 d6/A7 M7 m7 d7 A8 P8

23-edo with sharp raising the pitch, and major/aug wider than minor/dim:

D D# Eb E E# Ex/Fbb Fb F F# Gb G G# Ab A A# Bb B B# Bx/Cbb Cb C C# Db D

P1 A1 d2 m2 M2 A2/d3 m3 M3 A3 d4 P4 A4 d5 P5 A5 d6 m6 M6 A6/d7 m7 M7 A7 d8 P8

24-edo: C * * * D * * * E * F * * * G * * * A * * * B * C, 2 keys per sharp/flat

C ^C/vDb C#/Db ^C#/vD D ^D/vEb D#/Eb ^D#/vE E ^E/vF F ^F F#/Gb vG G etc.

P1 ^1/vm2 A1/m2 ~2 M2 ^M2/vm3 m3 ~3 M3 ^M3/v4 P4 ^4 A4/d5 v5 P5 etc.

Chords and Chord Progressions

Chord names are based on jazz chord names. See Jim Aiken's book A Player's Guide to Chords & Harmony . Alterations are enclosed in parentheses, additions never are.

In perfect EDOs (7, 14, 21, 28 and 35), every interval is perfect, and there is no major or minor. In the following list of chord names, omit major, minor, dim and aug. Substitute up for upmajor and upminor, and down for downmajor and downminor. The C-E-G chord is called "C perfect" or simply "C".

An up or down between the chord root and the chord type (e.g. C^m7) is called a "global" up or down. Adding one to a chord raises or lowers the 3rd, and also the 6th, 7th or 11th, if present. Thus C down-nine is the usual C9 chord with the 3rd and 7th downed: Cv9 = C vE G vBb D. A "global mid" chord has a mid 3rd, 6th, 7th, and/or 11th. Global affects every other note of a stacked-3rds chord with a 6th below the root: 6th - root - 3rd - 5th - 7th - 9th - 11th - 13th.

The rationale for this rule is that a chord often has a note a perfect fourth or fifth above the 3rd. Furthermore, in many EDOs, upfifths, downfifths, upfourths and downfourths will all be quite dissonant and rarely used in chords. Thus if the 3rd is upped or downed, the 6th or 7th likely would be too. However the 9th likely wouldn't, because that would create an upfifth or a downfifth with the 5th. By the same logic, if the 7th is upped or downed, the 11th would be too.

There's one exception: it's pointless to apply a global down to a C5 chord, because there is no 3rd, 6th or 7th to alter. Thus Cv5 is invalid, and "C down-5" means C(v5) = C E vG.

Chord progressions use ups/downs notation to name the roots, e.g. Cv - Gv - vA^m - F or Iv - Vv - vVI^m - IVv. In relative notation, never use lower case roman numerals for minor chords. Write either vIIm or VIIm, never vii.

The major chord and various alterations of it:

C E G = C = "C" or "C major" (in perfect EDOs, "C" or "C perfect")

C ^E G = C^ = "C up" or "C upmajor"

C vE G = Cv = "C down" or "C downmajor" (in EDOs 10, 17, 24, 31, etc., C~ = "C mid")

C vvE G = Cvv = "C double-down" (in EDOs 20, 27, 34, 41, etc., C~ = "C mid", in EDOs 25, 32, 39, 46, etc. C^~ = "C upmid")

This table shows how altering the 3rd or the 5th affects the name of the triad:

major minor sus4 sus2 augmented diminished
what's downed C E G C Eb G C F G C D G C E G# C Eb Gb
nothing C Cm C4 C2 Caug C+ Cdim Co
3rd Cv Cvm Cv4 Cv2 Cvaug Cv+ Cvdim Cvo
5th C(v5) Cm(v5) C4(v5) C2(v5) Caug(v5) C+(v5) Cdim(v5) Co(v5)
3rd, 5th Cv(v5) Cvm(v5) Cv4(v5) Cv2(v5) Cvaug(v5) Cv+(v5) Cvdim(v5) Cvo(v5)

Many EDOs have notes between the major 3rd and the perfect 4th, creating triads impossible in 12-edo, such as:

C Fb G = C(d4) or C(b4) = "C dim-four" or "C flat-four"

C E# G = C(A3) or C(#3) = "C aug-three" or "C sharp-three"

C Ebb G = C(d3) or C(bb3) = "C dim-three" or "C double-flat-three"

C D# G = C(A2) or C(#2) = "C aug-two" or "C sharp-two"

Care must be taken in pronouncing the latter of the two names, that C(#2) doesn't sound like C#2, which is C# D# G#.

Sixth and seventh chords:

If the 7th is not a perfect 5th or a dim 5th above the 3rd, the chord is named as a triad with an added 7th.

C E G Bb = C7 = "C seven"

C vE G Bb = Cv,7 = "C down add-seven"

C E G vBb = C,v7 = "C add down-seven"

C vE G vBb = Cv7 = "C down seven"

All 7th chords follow this same pattern. Likewise, if a 6th is not a P4 or A4 above the 3rd, it's an "add-6" chord. Permitting add-7 chords has the added benefit that the wordy "minor-7 flat-5" can be replaced with the more concise "dim add-7", written Co,7. "Half-dim" can still be used, e.g. C uphalf-dim is C ^Eb Gb ^Bb. But half-dim is problematic because the slash-circle abbreviation for half-dim is hard to type.

In the table below, if a chord is bolded, the comma must be spoken as "add".

Question: for all tetrads and pentads, should a comma that needn't be spoken as "add" be omitted from the written name?

maj7 dom7 min7 half-dim or min7(b5) dim7 min-maj maj6 min6
what's downed C E G B C E G Bb C Eb G Bb C Eb Gb Bb C Eb Gb Bbb C Eb G B C E G A C Eb G A
nothing CM7 C7 Cm7 Cdim,7 Co,7 Cdim7 Co7 Cm,M7 C6 Cm6
3rd Cv,M7 Cv,7 Cvm,7 Cvdim,7 Cvo,7 Cvdim,d7 Cvo,d7 Cvm,M7 Cv,6 Cvm,6
6th/7th C,vM7 C,v7 Cm,v7 Cdim,v7 Co,v7 Cdim,vd7 Co,vd7 Cm,vM7 C,v6 Cm,v6
3rd, 6th/7th CvM7 Cv7 Cvm7 Cvdim,v7 Cvo,v7 Cvdim7 Cvo7 Cvm,vM7 Cv6 Cvm6
5th CM7(v5) C7(v5) Cm7(v5) Cdim(v5)7 Co(v5)7 Cdim7(v5) Co7(v5) Cm(v5)M7 C6(v5) Cm6(v5)
3rd, 5th Cv(v5)M7 Cv(v5)7 Cvm(v5)7 Cvdim(v5)7 Cvo(v5)7 Cvdim(v5)d7 Cvo(v5)d7 Cvm(v5)M7 Cv(v5)6 Cvm(v5)6
5th, 6th/7th C(v5)vM7 C(v5)v7 Cm(v5)v7 Cdim(v5)v7 Co(v5)v7 Cdim(v5)vd7 Co(v5)vd7 Cm(v5)vM7 C(v5)v6 Cm(v5)v6
3rd, 5th, 6th/7th CvM7(v5) Cv7(v5) Cvm7(v5) Cvdim(v5)v7 Cvo(v5)v7 Cvdim7(v5) Cvo7(v5) Cvm(v5)vM7 Cv6(v5) Cvm6(v5)

More examples:

C vE G ^Bb = Cv,^7 = "C down up-seven" (in EDOs 17, 24, 31, etc. C~7 = "C mid-seven")

C E G A# = C,#6 or C,A6 = "C add sharp-six" or "C add aug-six"

C E G Ab = C,b6 or C,m6 = "C add flat-six" or "C add minor-six"

C E G Bbb = C,d7 or C,bb7 = "C add dim-seven" or "C add double-flat-seven" (19-edo's 4:5:6:7 chord)

C E G B# is C,#7 or C,A7 = "C add sharp-seven" or "C add aug-seven"

C E G Cb = C,b8 or C,d8 = "C add flat-eight" or "C add dim-eight"

Ninth chords:

In bolded chords, the comma is spoken as "add". Double additions need only a single comma, e.g. C E G vBb vD is named C,v7v9. Double alterations need only a single pair of parentheses, e.g. C vE vG B D is named CM9(v3v5).

Question: What to do when the 3rd and 9th are downed but the 7th isn't? Is it a down chord with an added 7th, or a 7th chord with a downed 3rd?

Question: How to name 6/9 chords?

add9 maj9 dom9 min9 dom7b9 maj6/9 min6/9
what's downed C E G D C E G B D C E G Bb D C Eb G Bb D C E G Bb Db C E G A D C Eb G A D
nothing C,9 CM9 C9 Cm9 C7,b9 C6,9? Cm6,9?
3rd Cv,9 CM9(v3) C9(v3) Cm9(v3) Cv,7b9 Cv,6,9? Cvm,6,9?
6th/7th ------ CM9(v7) C9(v7) Cm9(v7) C,v7b9 C,v6,9? Cm,v6,9
3rd, 6th/7th ------ CvM9 Cv9 Cvm9 Cv7,b9 Cv6,9? Cvm6,9
9th C,v9 CM7,v9 C7,v9 Cm7,v9 C7,vb9 C6,v9 Cm6,v9
3rd, 9th Cv,v9 Cv,M7v9 or

CM7(v3)v9

Cv,7v9 or

C7(v3)v9

Cvm,7v9 or

Cm7(v3)v9

Cv,7vb9 or

C7(v3)vb9

Cv,6v9 or

C6(v3)v9

Cvm,6v9 or

Cm6(v3)v9

6th/7th, 9th ------ C,vM7v9 C,v7v9 Cm,v7v9 C,v7vb9 C,v6v9 Cm,v6v9
3rd, 6th/7th, 9th ------ CvM7,v9 Cv7,v9 Cvm7,v9 Cv7,vb9 Cv6,v9 Cvm6,v9
5th C,9(v5) CM9(v5) C9(v5) Cm9(v5) C7(v5)b9 C6(v5)9 Cm6(v5)9
3rd, 5th Cv(v5)9 CM9(v3v5) C9(v3v5) Cm9(v3v5) Cv(v5)7b9 Cv(v5)6,9 Cvm(v5)6,9
5th, 6th/7th ------ CM9(v5v7) C9(v5v7) Cm9(v5v7) C(v5)v7b9 C(v5)v6,9 Cm(v5)v6,9
3rd, 5th, 6th/7th ------ CvM9(v5) Cv9(v5) Cvm9(v5) Cv7(v5)b9 Cv6(v5)9 Cvm6(v5)9
5th, 9th C(v5)v9 CM7(v5)v9 C7(v5)v9 Cm7(v5)v9 C7(v5)vb9 C6(v5)v9 Cm6(v5)v9
3rd, 5th, 9th Cv(v5)v9 Cv(v5)M7v9 or

CM7(v3v5)v9

Cv(v5)7v9 or

C7(v3v5)v9

Cvm(v5)7v9 or

Cm7(v3v5)v9

Cv(v5)7vb9 or

C7(v3v5)b9

Cv(v5)6v9 or

C6(v3v5)v9

Cvm(v5)6v9 or

Cm6(v3v5)v9

5th, 6th/7th, 9th ------ C(v5)vM7v9 C(v5)v7v9 Cm(v5)v7v9 C(v5)v7vb9 C(v5)v6v9 Cm(v5)v6v9
3rd, 5th, 6th/7th, 9th ------ CvM7(v5)v9 Cv7(v5)v9 Cvm7(v5)v9 Cv7(v5)vb9 Cv6(v5)v9 Cvm6(v5)v9

Cross-EDO considerations

In 22-edo, the major chord is 0-8-13 = 0¢-436¢-709¢. In 19-edo, it's 0-6-11 = 0¢-379¢-695¢. The two chords sound quite different, because "major 3rd" is defined only in terms of the fifth, not in terms of what JI ratios it approximates. To describe the sound of the chord, color notation can be used. 22-edo major chords sound ru (7-under) and 19-edo major chords sound yo (5-over).

A chord quality like "major" refers not to the sound but to the function of the chord. If you want to play a I - VIm - IIm - V - I progression without pitch shifts or tonic drift, you can do that in any EDO, as long as you use only major and minor chords. The notation tells you what kind of chord can be used to play that progression. In 22-edo, the chord that you need sounds like a ru chord.

In other words, I - VIm - IIm - V - I in just intonation implies Iy - VIg - IIg - Vy - Iy, but this implication only holds in those EDOs in which major sounds yo. Because 22-edo's yo chord 0-7-13 = 0¢-382¢-709¢ is downmajor, it doesn't work in that progression.

Another example: I7 - bVII7 - IV7 - I7. To make this work, the 7th in the I7 chord must be a minor 7th. in 22-edo, that 7th sounds zo (7-over). In 19-edo, it sounds gu (5-under). If you want to play this progression in 19-edo, using the downminor (zo) 7th will cause shifts or drifts in the progression.

Ups and downs solfege

Solfege (do-re-mi) can be adapted to indicate sharp/flat and up/down:

The initial consonant remains as before: D, R, M, F, S, L and T

The first vowel indicates sharp or flat: a = natural, e = #, i = ##, o = b, u = bb

The vowels are pronounced as in Spanish or Italian, and the pitch from ## to bb follows the natural vowel spectrum i-e-a-o-u

The optional 2nd vowel indicates up/down: a = ^^^, e = ^, i = ^^, o = v, u = vv

The 2nd vowel is optionally separated from the first by an "h", a "w", or a "y"

Thus vC# is Deo, pronounced as Deho or Dewo or Deyo.

This suffices for many but not all EDOs, as some require triple sharps or quadruple ups.

Fixed-do solfege:

Da = C, De = C#, Di = C##, Do = Cb, Du =Cbb

Da = C, Dae = ^C, Dai = ^^C, Dao = vC, Dau = vvC, Daa = ^^^C

De = C#, Dee = ^C#, Dei = ^^C#, Deo = vC#, Deu = vvC#, Dea = vvvC#

etc.

Moveable-do solfege:

The 2nd vowel is as before. The 1st vowel's meaning depends on the interval.

Perfect intervals (tonic, 4th, 5th and octave): a = perfect, e= aug, i = double-aug, o = dim, u = double-dim

Da = P1, De = A1, Di = AA1, Do = d1, Du = dd1

Dae = ^1, Dai = ^^1, Dao = v1, Dau = vv1, Daa = ^^^1

etc.

Imperfect intervals (2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th): a = mid, e = major, i = aug, o = minor, u = dim

Ra = ~2, Re = M2, Ri = A2, Ro = m2, Ru = d2

Ree = ^M2, Rei = ^^M2, Reo = vM2, Reu = vvM2, Rea = ^^^M2

etc.