The Just Chromatic Scale

A chromatic Just scale can be constructed by a procedure analogous to that used for the Pythagorean chromatic scale. In this case, the ambiguities are more numerous for the Just scale than for the Pythagorean. For example the tritone has two different values as does the raised 1st degree ( or lowered 2nd degree).

The Just scale provides "cleaner" or "simpler" harmonies than does the Pythagorean scale. However, when the scale is played simultaneously with the original, as happens for a transposing instrument for example, there results notes which have two quite different ratios. Take for example a comparison of C major with D major.

All the difficulties so far mentioned were known by the 17th Century and an attempt was made to resolve them by "tempering" the scale.

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