Tiny Musical Intervals
5 days ago
- #microtonal
- #music theory
- #mathematics
- Music theorists study 5-limit commas, fractions close to 1 with small exponents.
- The atom of Kirnberger is the tiniest named 5-limit comma, discovered by a student of Bach.
- A table lists 5-limit commas closest to 1 for a given complexity, measured by Tenney height.
- The schisma is the last 'useful' interval, marking a drop in interest for smaller intervals.
- Gene Ward Smith contributed significantly to microtonal music theory and mathematics.
- The quark of Baez is named humorously as the smallest interval in the table.