Music of 16 keys (original) (raw)
This community was created to collect all the ideas about music of 16 keys. As I consider it to be very prospective branch of art, I'm creating the community to make it possible to discuss and develop this idea in the future.
At the moment, AFAIK, almost all european music is built on the 12 keys:
C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A# and B.
The frequency of one note changes from an octave to octave twice. For example, A of II octave is 440 Hz, while A of II octave equals 880 Hz. Our ear perceives frequencies as the most harmonious, when they differ from each other whole times.
When we go further, we should divide the octave into several tones. Nowadays, it is divided into 12 keys, each one 12th root of 2 more than previous. For example, A II = 880 Hz, A# II = 932.32 Hz, B II = 987.77 Hz etc.
In the ancient Greece, this division was a little bit different - there were only 7 keys, so one differed from another 2^(1/7) times, i.e. ~ 1.104 times. When in the Middle Ages people added halftones, difference between two halftones became 1.059, and, as a result, interval of two halftones = 1 tone give 1.122 instead of 1.104. This difference is the same as the difference between 2^(1/6) and 2^(1/7). When we divide an octave this way, we have a certain mistake, which is compensated two times within each octave: unnecessary halftones between E and F and between B and C are removed.
However, we can break an octave not only this way. We can divide it into 9, 11 or any other amount of keys. Of course, we have some limitations. For example, 3 notes in octave is not enough to deliver all the richness of sounds. And 100 notes is too much - we wouldn't be able to differ to adjoining notes.
Historically, europeans have 12 keys, but is it a good division?
Human's ear seems to like sounds with frequences which relate to each other as proper fractions. It can select resonanses and beating as most beautiful.
That's why dividing an octave into 16 keys may seem to be on of the most logical and beautiful.
So, this community might connect those creative persons, who like the idea to write music based on 16 keys. Discussions about other octave divisions are also Ok - for example, Indian 22 keys music or 10 keys music (chinese). But the main concept is still music-16.