Info Catalog music-glossary: proportion music-glossary: Musical terms A-Z music-glossary: quadruplet

music-glossary: Pythagorean comma

 
 1.245 Pythagorean comma
 =======================
 
 ES: coma pitagórica, I: comma pitagorico, F: comma pythagoricien, D:
 Pythagoräisches Komma, NL: komma van Pythagoras, DK: pythagoræisk komma,
 S: pytagoreiskt komma, FI: pytagorinen komma.
 
    Originally, the interval by which the sum of six whole tones exceeds
 the octave – (9:8)^6 - 2:1 = 531441:524288, or 23.5 cents.
 
    Modern acoustical theory defines it as the interval by which twelve
 fifths exceed seven octaves.  To put it another way: A sequence of
 fifths that starts on C eventually circles back to C. However, this C is
 23.5 cents higher than the C obtained by adding 7 octaves.  The
 difference between those two pitches is the Pythagorean comma.
 
 
 See also
 ........
 
    cent, temperament.
 

Info Catalog music-glossary: proportion music-glossary: Musical terms A-Z music-glossary: quadruplet