CENTAUR: A 7-CAP TUNING

by Kraig Grady


centaurgrid

50intervals

 


This diagram below was found in one of Wilson's notebooks.

The focus is on a 10-tone subset similar to the scales generated by the Viggo Brun algorithm.

This diagram then illustrates a subset of 7-tone scales contained therein, showing the 10 cycles before it reterns to the beginning.


In case anyone desires to make a compatible instrument, Here are the frequencies.

centaur pitches


Centaur can also be extended to a variety of larger scales.

Here are two worked out by Terumi Narushima showing 17 and 19 tone constant structure scales containing Centaur.

[A constant structure is a scale where each time an interval or ratio occurs it is always subtended by the same number of steps. This gives a Melodic intregity to the scale independent of the limitations of only harmonic concerns. ]

 

17lattice

centaur17

19lattice

centaur19


There is also a very closely related 14-tone scale that shares 11 notes in common with the Centaur scale in either of two different ways a fifth apart

It first appeared in Lou harrison's music primer which i include here

lou'sbook

page1

page2

comparison

and here is Wilson's 19 tone scale mentioned which one can compare toterumi narushima's above

wilson19tone


The guitarist and improviser Rod Poole originally used Centaur as the base pitches to construct his various tunings on his guitar. Here is one suggestion by Erv Wilson that includes Centaur within a 22-tone scale.

scaleforpoole

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