159edo

The 159 equal division divides the octave into 159 equal parts of 7.547 cents each. A salient fact about it is that 159 = 3*53, so that it shares the same 5-limit thirds and fifths with 53edo. However, compared to 53edo, the patent vals differ on the mapping for 7. In the 7-limit it tempers out 1029/1024 and 10976/19935 in addition to the 5-limit commas 32805/32768 and 15625/15552. This makes it among other things an excellent tuning for guiron and tritikleismic temperaments. It has a very accurate 11, and in the 11-limit tempers out 385/384, 441/440 and 4000/3993. In the 13-limit it tempers out 325/324 and 364/363. It also has an accurate 17, and in the 17-limit 273/272 and 375/374. In the 19-limit it tempers out 343/342 and 361/360. It also provides the optimal patent val for 11-limit guiron and 13-limit tritikleismic, as well as the 13-limit rank three temperament portending.

Another and notable temperament supported by 159 is yarman temperament, with a generator of 2\159 which can be taken as an approximate 105/104. 159 supplies the optimal patent val for 7, 11, 13, 17 and 19-limit yarman, so they are very closely associated. Curiously, the temperament does not temper out 1029/1024, however.

Yarman temperament has MOS of 79 and 80 notes to the octave, and the 79-note MOS has been proposed by Ozan Yarman as a tuning standard for arabic/turkish/persian music.

Articles

• Ozan Yarman's dissertation
• This paper, also by Ozan Yarman, gives a summary.
• Letter to Ozan Yarman by Margo Schulter (permalink)