Bruce Olson wrote:
| (after I wrote)
| > So what's the big deal?  The ratio of two notes a half step
| > apart  is the 12th root of 2, or 1.0594631 to 8 places.  Is
| > it any more complicated than that?
|
| That's what I said.
|
| There's more equal temperament scales than the 12 tone one. E.g., 19,
| for one. It's easy to make others if you know a little math.

Yes, indeed.  I've heard some music written  and  performed
using  equal-tempered  scales  with other than 12 notes per
octave.  The sound is rather interesting, and it's  obvious
that other equal divisions are quite possible.  To make the
basic harmonic  intervals  possible,  you'd  probably  want
divisions  that  include  ratios close to 2:3, 3:4 and 4:5,
though if you're aiming at a sound like bells, you wouldn't
even need this.

But unless someone specifies some  other  division  of  the
octave, it does seem reasonable to treat 12 as the default.
The original question did mention half-steps.

To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html

Reply via email to