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From: newsham@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu (Timothy Newsham)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: theory behind scales
Message-ID: <8667@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
Date: 19 Jul 90 21:04:34 GMT
Sender: news@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu
Reply-To: newsham@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu (Timothy Newsham)
Organization: University of Hawaii, College of Engineering
Lines: 31


In article <1307@fs1.ee.ubc.ca> jthornto@fs1.ee.ubc.ca (THORNTON JOHAN A) writes:
  The major scale is indeed based on harmonics.  In the key of C (what else?) :

      Note   Decimal frequency fraction

       C       1                 1
       D       1.125             9/8
       E       1.25              5/4
>      F       1.333333...       4/3
                                ^^^^
       G       1.5               3/2
       A       1.666666...       5/3
                                ^^^^^
       B       1.875             15/8
       C       2                 2

  This is of course the true tempered scale.

  Johan Thornton
  EE UBC


okay, some more stupid questions (hey, i'm gettting good at this)
i did find out what 4/3 came from (inversion of 3/4 or 3/2, the perfect
fifth, so its a fifth below the tonic, i hope i got that right), but i am
still baffled about the 5/3. inverting it u get 3/5. either way u dont
get a power of 2 on the top or bottom.  how do u get this note?
also, if u are accepting 4/3 what about 8/5?  ...etc?  anyone ever 
exerimented with those?
                                -Tim