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In music, the '''septimal whole tone''' {{Audio|Septimal major second on C.mid|play}} is the musical interval exactly or approximately equal to a 8/7 ratio of frequencies. It is about 231 [[cent (music) | cents]] wide. The term ''septimal'' refers to the fact that it utilizes the seventh harmonic of the [[harmonic series (music) | harmonic series]].
In music, the '''septimal whole tone''' {{Audio|Septimal major second on C.mid|play}} is the musical interval exactly or approximately equal to a 8/7 ratio of frequencies. It is about 231 [[cent (music) | cents]] wide. The term ''septimal'' refers to the fact that it utilizes the seventh harmonic of the [[harmonic series (music) | harmonic series]].


This interval does not fit easily into equally-tempered tuning systems. The standard [[12 equal temperament]] used in most western music does not come close to this interval. The [[19 equal temperament]] offers a closer, but still poor match for this interval, but it does not distinguish between this interval and the [[septimal minor third]], which it has a better fit for. The [[22 equal temperament]] distinguishes between these two intervals, but it still matches the septimal whole tone poorly. The [[31 equal temperament]] is the smallest widely used equal temperament that matches this interval closely.
This interval does not fit easily into equally-tempered tuning systems. The standard [[12 equal temperament]] used in most western music does not come close to this interval. The [[19 equal temperament]] offers a closer, but still poor match for this interval, but it does not distinguish between this interval and the [[septimal minor third]], which it has a better fit for. The [[22 equal temperament]] distinguishes between these two intervals, but it still matches the septimal whole tone poorly. The [[31 equal temperament]] is the smallest widely used equal temperament that matches this interval closely; [[26 equal temperament]] provides an even closer match to the septimal whole tone (and its inversion, the [[harmonic seventh]]), but due to the significant flatness of its major thirds and fifths, this tuning is little used.


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Revision as of 22:03, 15 April 2009

In music, the septimal whole tone play is the musical interval exactly or approximately equal to a 8/7 ratio of frequencies. It is about 231 cents wide. The term septimal refers to the fact that it utilizes the seventh harmonic of the harmonic series.

This interval does not fit easily into equally-tempered tuning systems. The standard 12 equal temperament used in most western music does not come close to this interval. The 19 equal temperament offers a closer, but still poor match for this interval, but it does not distinguish between this interval and the septimal minor third, which it has a better fit for. The 22 equal temperament distinguishes between these two intervals, but it still matches the septimal whole tone poorly. The 31 equal temperament is the smallest widely used equal temperament that matches this interval closely; 26 equal temperament provides an even closer match to the septimal whole tone (and its inversion, the harmonic seventh), but due to the significant flatness of its major thirds and fifths, this tuning is little used.