12 Tertial Gflat-B (center C)

For a general introduction to European historical tunings and these presets, please visit Introduction to European historical tunings and temperaments.

About this tuning

12-tone tertialIn Just/Rational Intonation tunings, ratios are often categorized by the prime numbers that constitute them. The Latin-derived terms "tertial" and "quintal," initiated by composer Catherine Lamb, are used to semantically describe the color and function qualities of the specific primes referenced (3 and 5), as well as the chordal and scale structures these primes generate. Higher primes have traditionally been named in similar manner, i.e. "septimal" (7), "undecimal" (11), "tridecimal" (13), etc.Visit the link to learn more Rational Intonation scale, derived from harmonic series intervals up to a prime limit of 3, ranging from G♭ to B, centered on C. Also commonly known as PythagoreanPythagorean tuning is an approach to tuning based on stacking pure fifths (i.e. fifths with an exact frequency ratio of 2:3).Visit the link to learn more or Ancient Mesopotamian tuning, based on perfect fifthsPitches a fifth apart have a 2:3 frequency ratio (in just intonation) or a difference of 700 cents (in 12 tone equal temperament).Visit the link to learn more. The five chosen chromatic pitch spellings (D♭, E♭, G♭, A♭, B♭) are based on the usage of perfect fifths documented in the later 14th and 15th Centuries (de Zwolle et al). Nearly pure major thirds fall above D, A, E, B. Near pure minor thirds fall above G♭, D♭, A♭.

Learning more

• Klaus Lang: Auf Wohlklangswellen durch der Töne Meer‍