This document proposes a systematic, transparent, and scholarly procedure for the documentation, provenance, and review of historical and contemporary temperaments. It integrates quantitative interval analysis with source-driven annotation, inviting community participation through structured commentary and evidence submission.
Gather primary and secondary sources (treatises, modern analyses, recordings, and reputable databases). Each source receives a persistent citation and URL where available.
Record pitch offsets per note class and derived intervals. Capture both rational descriptions and cent approximations where applicable.
Compute dispersion measures (e.g., σ of M3, N3), beat-rate expectations for fifths/fourths, and other stability indicators. Note computational method and version.
Provide an interpretive paragraph: historic context, performance practice implications, and characteristic sonority — the “ethos” of the temperament.
Enable comments, corrections, and source submissions on each temperament. Curators triage, request clarifications, and integrate accepted revisions.
To suggest a correction or add sources for a specific temperament, open its detail page and use the Feedback and Sources form. Include page numbers, figure references, and quotations where possible.
Submissions are reviewed for provenance, internal consistency, and compatibility with the existing dataset. Accepted changes are logged with attribution and date. Disputed items are held with counterpoints until consensus or editorial decision.
The graphs show three concentric rings representing interval sizes arranged on the circle of fifths: perfect fifths (outer), major thirds (middle), and minor thirds (inner). Intervals may be red (negative/narrow) or green (positive/wide). A grey solid ring indicates the positions of pure intervals, and dotted rings indicate equal-tempered positions.
Below is a compact circular preview for a randomly selected non-12° scale. The outer grey ticks mark the equal-tempered clock positions. Inward ticks mark each scale degree: blue if defined by a ratio (or within 0.5¢ of 3/2), orange if within 1.0¢ of 3/2, and black otherwise. Click the title to open full details.