7-odd-limit

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Revision as of 23:09, 9 April 2026 by Overthink (talk | contribs) (7/6: note 9/7 as supermajor third)
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The 7-odd-limit consists of all intervals where the largest allowable odd factor in the numerator and denominator is 7. Reduced to an octave, these are:

Interval Cents Name
1/1 0.0 Unison
8/7 231.2 Septimal major 2nd
7/6 266.9 Septimal minor 3rd
6/5 315.6 Classical minor 3rd
5/4 386.4 Classical major 3rd
4/3 498.0 Perfect 4th
7/5 582.5 Lesser septimal tritone
10/7 617.5 Greater septimal tritone
3/2 702.0 Perfect 5th
8/5 813.6 Classical minor 6th
5/3 884.4 Classical major 6th
12/7 933.1 Septimal major 6th
7/4 968.8 Septimal minor 7th
2/1 1200.0 Octave

Consistent EDOs

The first EDO to be consistent to the 7-odd-limit is 4edo, and the first EDO to be distinctly consistent to the 7-odd-limit is 27edo.

Intervals of the 7-odd-limit

8/7

The 8/7 interval can be considered the septimal major second, or supermajor second, by diatonic interval classification, in the sense that it is slightly wider than the 9/8 major second at 231.2 cents. Due to its larger size compared to 9/8, it does not cause as much crowding, and is thus more consonant. It is also approximately 1/3 of the perfect fifth 3/2, and it is mapped as such in the Slendric temperament.

Triads dividing the perfect fourth

Harmonically, 8/7 can be seen as contrasting with 7/6, differing from it by 49/48 (35.7 cents). As such, we can build triads by stacking 7/6 and 8/7, such as the 1–7/6–4/3 triad, which may also be voiced as 1–3/2–7/4. The minor version of this triad is 1–8/7–4/3, which can also be voiced as 1–3/2–12/7. This is analogous to how 5/4 and 6/5 contrast each other in the 1–5/4–3/2 and 1–6/5–3/2 triads, but the septimal triads split the perfect fourth, rather than splitting the perfect fifth like pental triads do. As such, it can be considered a form of "semiquartal" or "chthonic" harmony, which is one approach to septimal harmony.

Here, 8/7 is a type of minor interval, and 7/6 is a type of major interval. This contrasts with diatonic, where 8/7 is a supermajor second, and 7/6 is a subminor third. Their octave complements can be classified accordingly, with 12/7 being a minor interval, and 7/4 being a major interval.

7/6

The 7/6 interval is known as the septimal minor third or subminor third, since it is narrower than the Pythagorean minor third 32/27 and the classical minor third 6/5, being 266.9 cents in size. We can build a triad bounded by the perfect fifth, that being 1–7/6–3/2. The interval between 7/6 and 3/2 is 9/7, which can be considered the supermajor third, being the fifth complement of 7/6. (However, note that 9/7 is a 9-odd-limit interval, not a 7-odd-limit one.) We can also stack 7/6 on top of a triad to get a seventh chord; for example, stacking 7/6 on top of the 1–5/4–3/2 major triad gives us 1–5/4–3/2–7/4, the harmonic seventh chord.

As described above in #Triads dividing the perfect fourth, 7/6 can also be seen as contrasting with 8/7 in triads such as 1–7/6–4/3, with 7/6 being considered the major counterpart of 8/7.

7/5

10/7

12/7

7/4