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Syntonic comma
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==Notation== {{multiple image | direction = vertical | width = 200 | image1 = Major chord on C.png | caption1 = Just major chord on C in Ben Johnston's notation. {{audio|Major chord on C in just intonation.mid|Play}} Pythagorean major chord on C in Helmholtz-Ellis notation. {{audio|Pythagorean major chord on C.mid|Play}} | image2 = Pythagorean major chord on C.png | caption2 = Pythagorean major chord, Ben Johnston's notation. | image3 = Just major chord on C HE notation.png | caption3 = Just major chord, in Helmholtz-Ellis notation. }} [[Moritz Hauptmann]] developed a method of notation used by [[Hermann von Helmholtz]]. Based on Pythagorean tuning, subscript numbers are then added to indicate the number of syntonic commas to lower a note by. Thus a Pythagorean scale is C D E F G A B, while a just scale is C D E<sub>1</sub> F G A<sub>1</sub> B<sub>1</sub>. [[Carl Eitz]] developed a similar system used by [[J. Murray Barbour]]. Superscript positive and negative numbers are added, indicating the number of syntonic commas to raise or lower from Pythagorean tuning. Thus a Pythagorean scale is C D E F G A B, while the 5-limit Ptolemaic scale is C D E<sup>β1</sup> F G A<sup>β1</sup> B<sup>β1</sup>. In [[Helmholtz-Ellis notation]], a syntonic comma is indicated with up and down arrows added to the traditional accidentals. Thus a Pythagorean scale is C D E F G A B, while the 5-limit Ptolemaic scale is C D E[[File:HE syntonic comma - natural down.png|9px]] F G A [[File:HE syntonic comma - natural down.png|9px]] B[[File:HE syntonic comma - natural down.png|9px]]. Composer [[Ben Johnston (composer)|Ben Johnston]] uses a "β" as an accidental to indicate a note is lowered by a syntonic comma, or a "+" to indicate a note is raised by a syntonic comma.<ref name="Fonville"/> Thus a Pythagorean scale is C D E+ F G A+ B+, while the 5-limit Ptolemaic scale is C D E F G A B. {| class="wikitable" |- ! ! 5-limit just ! Pythagorean |- | HE | C D E[[File:HE syntonic comma - natural down.png|9px]] F G A[[File:HE syntonic comma - natural down.png|9px]] B[[File:HE syntonic comma - natural down.png|9px]] | C D E F G A B |- | Johnston | C D E F G A B | C D E+ F G A+ B+ |}
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