In music, a subminor interval is an interval that is noticeably wider than a diminished interval but noticeably narrower than a minor interval. It is found in between a minor and diminished interval, thus making it below, or subminor to, the minor interval. A supermajor interval is a musical interval that is noticeably wider than a major interval but noticeably narrower than an augmented interval. It is found in between a major and augmented interval, thus making it above, or supermajor to, the major interval. The inversion of a supermajor interval is a subminor interval, and there are four major and four minor intervals, allowing for eight supermajor and subminor intervals, each with variants.
| diminished | subminor | minor | neutral | major | supermajor | augmented | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| seconds | D
|
≊ D
|
D♭ | D
|
D | ≊ D
|
D♯ |
| thirds | E
|
≊ E
|
E♭ | E
|
E | ≊ E
|
E♯ |
| sixths | A
|
≊ A
|
A♭ | A
|
A | ≊ A
|
A♯ |
| sevenths | B
|
≊ B
|
B♭ | B
|
B | ≊ B
|
B♯ |
Traditionally, "supermajor and superminor, the names given to certain thirds found in the justly intoned scale with a natural or subminor seventh."
Subminor second and supermajor seventh
Thus, a subminor second is intermediate between a minor second and a diminished second (enharmonic to unison). An example of such an interval is the ratio 26:25, or 67.90 cents (D
- Play). Another example is the ratio 28:27, or 62.96 cents (C
♯- Play).
A supermajor seventh is an interval intermediate between a major seventh and an augmented seventh. It is the inverse of a subminor second. Examples of such an interval is the ratio 25:13, or 1132.10 cents (B
♯); the ratio 27:14, or 1137.04 cents (B
Play); and 35:18, or 1151.23 cents (C Play).
Subminor third and supermajor sixth
Subminor third on G Play and its inverse, the supermajor sixth on B♭ Play
A subminor third is in between a minor third and a diminished third. An example of such an interval is the ratio 7:6 (E♭), or 266.87 cents, the septimal minor third, the inverse of the supermajor sixth. Another example is the ratio 13:11, or 289.21 cents (E↓♭).
A supermajor sixth is noticeably wider than a major sixth but noticeably narrower than an augmented sixth, and may be a just interval of 12:7 (A). In 24 equal temperament A = B. The septimal major sixth is an interval of 12:7 ratio (A Play), or about 933 cents. It is the inversion of the 7:6 subminor third.
Subminor sixth and supermajor third
A subminor sixth or septimal sixth is noticeably narrower than a minor sixth but noticeably wider than a diminished sixth, enharmonically equivalent to the major fifth. The sub-minor sixth is an interval of a 14:9 ratio (A♭) or alternately 11:7. (G↑- Play) The 21st subharmonic (see subharmonic) is 729.22 cents. Play
A supermajor third is in between a major third and an augmented third, enharmonically equivalent to the minor fourth. An example of such an interval is the ratio 9:7, or 435.08 cents, the septimal major third (E). Another example is the ratio 50:39, or 430.14 cents (E♯).
Subminor seventh and supermajor second
Main articles: Harmonic seventh and Septimal whole tone
Harmonic seventh Play and its inverse, the septimal whole tone Play
A subminor seventh is an interval between a minor seventh and a diminished seventh. An example of such an interval is the 7:4 ratio, the harmonic seventh (B♭).
A supermajor second (or supersecond) is intermediate to a major second and an augmented second. An example of such an interval is the ratio 8:7, or 231.17 cents, also known as the septimal whole tone (D- Play) and the inverse of the subminor seventh. Another example is the ratio 15:13, or 247.74 cents (D♯).
Use
Composer Lou Harrison was fascinated with the 7:6 subminor third and 8:7 supermajor second, using them in pieces such as Concerto for Piano with Javanese Gamelan, Cinna for tack-piano, and Strict Songs (for voices and orchestra). Together the two produce the 4:3 just perfect fourth.
19 equal temperament has several intervals which are simultaneously subminor, supermajor, augmented, and diminished, due to tempering and enharmonic equivalence (both of which work differently in 19-ET than standard tuning). For example, four steps of 19-ET (an interval of roughly 253 cents) is all of the following: subminor third, supermajor second, augmented second, and diminished third.
See also
References
- ^ Miller, Leta E., ed. (1988). Lou Harrison: Selected keyboard and chamber music, 1937-1994. p. XLIII. ISBN 978-0-89579-414-7..
- ^ Brabner, John H. F. (1884). The National Encyclopaedia, vol. 13, p. 182. London.
- Helmholtz, Hermann L. F. von (2007). On the Sensations of Tone. pp. 195, 212. ISBN 978-1-60206-639-7.
- Miller 1988, p. XLII.
- ^ Andrew Horner, Lydia Ayres (2002). Cooking with Csound: Woodwind and Brass Recipes, p. 131. ISBN 0-89579-507-8.
- ^ Royal Society (Great Britain) (1880, digitized February 26, 2008). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, vol. 30, p. 531. Harvard University.
- ^ Society of Arts (Great Britain) (1877, digitized November 19, 2009). Journal of the Society of Arts, vol. 25, p. 670.
- Partch, Harry (1979). Genesis of a Music, p. 68. ISBN 0-306-80106-X.
- Haluska, Jan (2003). The Mathematical Theory of Tone Systems, p. xxiii. ISBN 0-8247-4714-3.
- Helmholtz 2007, p. 456.
- John Fonville. "Ben Johnston's Extended Just Intonation- A Guide for Interpreters", p. 122, Perspectives of New Music, vol. 29, no. 2 (Summer 1991), pp. 106–137.
- Miller and Lieberman (2006), p. 72.
- Miller & Lieberman (2006), p. 74. "The subminor third and supermajor second combine to create a pure fourth (8⁄7 x 7⁄6 = 4⁄3)."
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