4L 3s
↖ 3L 2s | ↑ 4L 2s | 5L 2s ↗ |
← 3L 3s | 4L 3s | 5L 3s → |
↙ 3L 4s | ↓ 4L 4s | 5L 4s ↘ |
┌╥╥┬╥┬╥┬┐ │║║│║│║││ │││││││││ └┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┘
sLsLsLL
4L 3s, named smitonic in TAMNAMS, is a 2/1-equivalent (octave-equivalent) moment of symmetry scale containing 4 large steps and 3 small steps, repeating every octave. Generators that produce this scale range from 857.1¢ to 900¢, or from 300¢ to 342.9¢. 4L 3s can be seen as a warped diatonic scale, where one large step of diatonic (5L 2s) is replaced with a small step.
Name
TAMNAMS suggests the temperament-agnostic name smitonic as the name of 4L 3s. The name derives from "sharp minor third", referring to the generator's quality.
Scale properties
Intervals
The intervals of 4L 3s are named after the number of mossteps (L and s) they subtend. Each interval, apart from the root and octave (perfect 0-smistep and perfect 7-smistep), has two varieties, or sizes, each. Interval varieties are named major and minor for the large and small sizes, respectively, and augmented, perfect, and diminished for the scale's generators.
Intervals | Steps subtended |
Range in cents | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Generic | Specific | Abbrev. | ||
0-smistep | Perfect 0-smistep | P0smis | 0 | 0.0¢ |
1-smistep | Minor 1-smistep | m1smis | s | 0.0¢ to 171.4¢ |
Major 1-smistep | M1smis | L | 171.4¢ to 300.0¢ | |
2-smistep | Perfect 2-smistep | P2smis | L + s | 300.0¢ to 342.9¢ |
Augmented 2-smistep | A2smis | 2L | 342.9¢ to 600.0¢ | |
3-smistep | Minor 3-smistep | m3smis | L + 2s | 300.0¢ to 514.3¢ |
Major 3-smistep | M3smis | 2L + s | 514.3¢ to 600.0¢ | |
4-smistep | Minor 4-smistep | m4smis | 2L + 2s | 600.0¢ to 685.7¢ |
Major 4-smistep | M4smis | 3L + s | 685.7¢ to 900.0¢ | |
5-smistep | Diminished 5-smistep | d5smis | 2L + 3s | 600.0¢ to 857.1¢ |
Perfect 5-smistep | P5smis | 3L + 2s | 857.1¢ to 900.0¢ | |
6-smistep | Minor 6-smistep | m6smis | 3L + 3s | 900.0¢ to 1028.6¢ |
Major 6-smistep | M6smis | 4L + 2s | 1028.6¢ to 1200.0¢ | |
7-smistep | Perfect 7-smistep | P7smis | 4L + 3s | 1200.0¢ |
Generator chain
A chain of bright generators, each a perfect 5-smistep, produces the following scale degrees. A chain of 7 bright generators contains the scale degrees of one of the modes of 4L 3s. Expanding the chain to 11 scale degrees produces the modes of either 7L 4s (for soft-of-basic tunings) or 4L 7s (for hard-of-basic tunings).
Bright gens | Scale Degree | Abbrev. |
---|---|---|
10 | Augmented 1-smidegree | A1smid |
9 | Augmented 3-smidegree | A3smid |
8 | Augmented 5-smidegree | A5smid |
7 | Augmented 0-smidegree | A0smid |
6 | Augmented 2-smidegree | A2smid |
5 | Major 4-smidegree | M4smid |
4 | Major 6-smidegree | M6smid |
3 | Major 1-smidegree | M1smid |
2 | Major 3-smidegree | M3smid |
1 | Perfect 5-smidegree | P5smid |
0 | Perfect 0-smidegree Perfect 7-smidegree |
P0smid P7smid |
-1 | Perfect 2-smidegree | P2smid |
-2 | Minor 4-smidegree | m4smid |
-3 | Minor 6-smidegree | m6smid |
-4 | Minor 1-smidegree | m1smid |
-5 | Minor 3-smidegree | m3smid |
-6 | Diminished 5-smidegree | d5smid |
-7 | Diminished 7-smidegree | d7smid |
-8 | Diminished 2-smidegree | d2smid |
-9 | Diminished 4-smidegree | d4smid |
-10 | Diminished 6-smidegree | d6smid |
Modes
UDP | Cyclic order |
Step pattern |
Scale degree (smidegree) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |||
6|0 | 1 | LLsLsLs | Perf. | Maj. | Aug. | Maj. | Maj. | Perf. | Maj. | Perf. |
5|1 | 6 | LsLLsLs | Perf. | Maj. | Perf. | Maj. | Maj. | Perf. | Maj. | Perf. |
4|2 | 4 | LsLsLLs | Perf. | Maj. | Perf. | Maj. | Min. | Perf. | Maj. | Perf. |
3|3 | 2 | LsLsLsL | Perf. | Maj. | Perf. | Maj. | Min. | Perf. | Min. | Perf. |
2|4 | 7 | sLLsLsL | Perf. | Min. | Perf. | Maj. | Min. | Perf. | Min. | Perf. |
1|5 | 5 | sLsLLsL | Perf. | Min. | Perf. | Min. | Min. | Perf. | Min. | Perf. |
0|6 | 3 | sLsLsLL | Perf. | Min. | Perf. | Min. | Min. | Dim. | Min. | Perf. |
Proposed names
Alexandru Ianu (Ayceman)[1] has proposed the following mode names relating to the Almsivi in Morrowind (TES):
UDP | Cyclic order |
Step pattern |
Mode names |
---|---|---|---|
6|0 | 1 | LLsLsLs | Nerevarine |
5|1 | 6 | LsLLsLs | Vivecan |
4|2 | 4 | LsLsLLs | Lorkhanic |
3|3 | 2 | LsLsLsL | Sothic |
2|4 | 7 | sLLsLsL | Kagrenacan |
1|5 | 5 | sLsLLsL | Almalexian |
0|6 | 3 | sLsLsLL | Dagothic |
Theory
Low harmonic entropy scales
There are two notable harmonic entropy minima:
- Kleismic temperament, in which the generator is 6/5 and 6 of them make a 3/1.
- Myna temperament, in which the generator is also 6/5 but it takes 10 of them to make a 6/1, meaning that a larger MOS than 4L 3s is required to reach 3/2 or 4/3.
Temperament interpretations
- Main article: 4L 3s/Temperaments
4L 3s has the following temperament interpretations:
- Sixix, with generators around 338.6¢.
- Orgone, with generators around 323.4¢.
- Kleismic, with generators around 317¢.
Other temperaments, such as amity and myna, require more than 7 pitches to contain the concordant chords optimized by these temperaments. If restricted to a rank-2 approach, a MODMOS or a larger MOS gamut is necessary to access these pitches.
Tuning ranges
Simple tunings
The simplest tunings are those with step ratios 2:1, 3:1, and 3:2, producing 11edo, 15edo, and 18edo, respectively. Lua error in Module:MOS_tunings at line 299: attempt to call field 'search_by_args_within_equave' (a nil value).
Parasoft tunings
Parasoft smitonic tunings can be considered "meantone smitonic" since it has the following features of meantone diatonic tunings:
- The major 1-mosstep, or large step, is around 10/9 to 9/8, thus making it a "meantone".
- The augmented 2-mosstep is around the size of a meantone-sized major 3rd and can be used as a stand-in for such.
These tunings have a major 4-mosstep and minor 4-mosstep that are about equally off a just 3/2 (702¢), and they have otherwise fairly convincing versions of both diatonic structure and tertian harmony, provided you frequently modify using the comma-like chromas. For this reason, parasoft might be the most accessible smitonic tuning range.
Edos include 18edo, 25edo, and 43edo. Some key considerations include:
- 18edo can be used to make the large and small steps more distinct, or can be considered a distorted 19edo diatonic.
- 18edo has a major 1-mosstep that is close to 9/8 (203¢).
- 18edo's major and minor 4-mossteps are both equally off from 12edo's diatonic perfect 5th (700¢) by 33.3¢.
- 18edo is also more suited for conventionally jazz styles due to its 6-fold symmetry.
- The augmented 2-mosstep of 25edo is very close to 5/4 (386¢).
Lua error in Module:MOS_tunings at line 299: attempt to call field 'search_by_args_within_equave' (a nil value).
Hyposoft tunings
Hyposoft smitonic tunings (3:2 to 2:1) are characterized by generators that are a supraminor 3rd, between 327¢ and 333¢. By analogy of parasoft tunings being called "meantone smitonic", these tunings can be considered "neogothic smitonic" or "archy smitonic".
Edos include 11edo (not shown), 18edo, and 29edo.
Lua error in Module:MOS_tunings at line 299: attempt to call field 'search_by_args_within_equave' (a nil value).
Hypohard tunings
Hypohard smitonic tunings (2:1 to 3:1) have generators between 320¢ and 327¢. The major 1-mosstep, or large step, tends to approximate 8/7 (231¢) and the major 3-mosstep tends to approximate 11/8 (551¢). 26edo approximates these two intervals very well. These JI approximations are associated with orgone temperament.
Other hypohard edos include 11edo (not shown), 15edo and 37edo.
Lua error in Module:MOS_tunings at line 299: attempt to call field 'search_by_args_within_equave' (a nil value).
Parahard tunings
Parahard smitonic tunings (3:1 to 4:1) have generators between 315.9¢ and 320¢, putting it close to a pure 6/5 (316¢). Stacking six generators and octave-reducing approximates 3/2 (702¢), a diatonic perfect 5th, represented by the diminished 5-mosstep.
This range contains very accurate edos such as 53edo and 72edo, and has very accurate approximations to many low-overtone JI intervals, namely basic 5-limit ratios and some ratios involving 13. However, 4L 3s only has one interval of 3/2, so it's suggested to use a larger MOS, such as 4L 7s, to achieve 5-limit harmony.
These JI approximations are associated with kleismic temperament, through the 2.3.5.13 extension known as cata.
Parahard edos smaller than 53edo include 15edo (not shown), 19edo, and 34edo.
Lua error in Module:MOS_tunings at line 299: attempt to call field 'search_by_args_within_equave' (a nil value).
Scales
Scale tree
Generator(edo) | Cents | Step ratio | Comments | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bright | Dark | L:s | Hardness | |||||||
5\7 | 857.143 | 342.857 | 1:1 | 1.000 | Equalized 4L 3s | |||||
28\39 | 861.538 | 338.462 | 6:5 | 1.200 | Amity/hitchcock↑ | |||||
23\32 | 862.500 | 337.500 | 5:4 | 1.250 | Sixix | |||||
41\57 | 863.158 | 336.842 | 9:7 | 1.286 | ||||||
18\25 | 864.000 | 336.000 | 4:3 | 1.333 | Supersoft 4L 3s | |||||
49\68 | 864.706 | 335.294 | 11:8 | 1.375 | ||||||
31\43 | 865.116 | 334.884 | 7:5 | 1.400 | ||||||
44\61 | 865.574 | 334.426 | 10:7 | 1.429 | ||||||
13\18 | 866.667 | 333.333 | 3:2 | 1.500 | Soft 4L 3s | |||||
47\65 | 867.692 | 332.308 | 11:7 | 1.571 | ||||||
34\47 | 868.085 | 331.915 | 8:5 | 1.600 | ||||||
55\76 | 868.421 | 331.579 | 13:8 | 1.625 | Golden 4L 3s (868.3282¢) | |||||
21\29 | 868.966 | 331.034 | 5:3 | 1.667 | Semisoft 4L 3s | |||||
50\69 | 869.565 | 330.435 | 12:7 | 1.714 | ||||||
29\40 | 870.000 | 330.000 | 7:4 | 1.750 | ||||||
37\51 | 870.588 | 329.412 | 9:5 | 1.800 | ||||||
8\11 | 872.727 | 327.273 | 2:1 | 2.000 | Basic 4L 3s Scales with tunings softer than this are proper | |||||
35\48 | 875.000 | 325.000 | 9:4 | 2.250 | ||||||
27\37 | 875.676 | 324.324 | 7:3 | 2.333 | ||||||
46\63 | 876.190 | 323.810 | 12:5 | 2.400 | Hyperkleismic | |||||
19\26 | 876.923 | 323.077 | 5:2 | 2.500 | Semihard 4L 3s | |||||
49\67 | 877.612 | 322.388 | 13:5 | 2.600 | Golden superkleismic | |||||
30\41 | 878.049 | 321.951 | 8:3 | 2.667 | Superkleismic | |||||
41\56 | 878.571 | 321.429 | 11:4 | 2.750 | ||||||
11\15 | 880.000 | 320.000 | 3:1 | 3.000 | Hard 4L 3s | |||||
36\49 | 881.633 | 318.367 | 10:3 | 3.333 | ||||||
25\34 | 882.353 | 317.647 | 7:2 | 3.500 | ||||||
39\53 | 883.019 | 316.981 | 11:3 | 3.667 | Hanson/keemun | |||||
14\19 | 884.211 | 315.789 | 4:1 | 4.000 | Superhard 4L 3s | |||||
31\42 | 885.714 | 314.286 | 9:2 | 4.500 | ||||||
17\23 | 886.957 | 313.043 | 5:1 | 5.000 | ||||||
20\27 | 888.889 | 311.111 | 6:1 | 6.000 | Oolong/myna↓ | |||||
3\4 | 900.000 | 300.000 | 1:0 | → ∞ | Collapsed 4L 3s |
Music
- City of the Asleep, "An Amputated Elliptic Knob of the Cryptocurve Regenerates" (Various orgone edos)
- ks26, Ghost Bridge (11edo)
- Alexandru Ianu, Sylvian Moon Dance (11edo) (sheet music)
References
- ↑ Description of Sylvian Moon Dance mentioning the naming proposal https://musescore.com/user/36772625/scores/6700443 – The theme relates to the mystical nature of the Tribunal and TES lore, which fits smitonic.