Shi'er lü
Shi'er lü (Chinese:
Unlike the Western chromatic scale, the shi'er lü was not used as a scale in its own right; it is rather a set of fundamental notes on which other scales were constructed.[3]
The first reference to "standardization of bells and pitch" dates back to around 600 BCE, while the first description of the generation of pitches dates back to around 240 CE.[3]
Note names[edit]
黃 鐘 (黄 钟) - Huáng Zhōng - tonic/unison - 1 : 1 - ⓘ大呂 (大 吕) - Dà Lǚ - semitone - 37 : 211 - ⓘ太 簇 - Tài Cù - major second - 32 : 23 - ⓘ- 夾鐘 (夹钟) - Jiá Zhōng - minor third - 39 : 214 - ⓘ
姑 洗 - Gū Xiǎn - major third - 34 : 26 - ⓘ仲 呂 (中 吕) - Zhòng Lǚ - perfect fourth - 311 : 217 - ⓘ- 蕤賓 (蕤宾) - Ruí Bīn - tritone - 36 : 29 - ⓘ
林 鐘 (林 钟) - Lín Zhōng - perfect fifth - 3 : 2 - ⓘ夷 則 (夷 则) - Yí Zé - minor sixth - 38 : 212 - ⓘ南 呂 (南 吕) - Nán Lǚ - major sixth - 33 : 24 - ⓘ無 射 (无射) - Wú Yì - minor seventh - 310 : 215 - ⓘ應 鐘 (应钟) - Yìng Zhōng - major seventh - 35 : 27 - ⓘ
There were 12 notes in total, which fall within the scope of one octave. Note that the mathematical method used by the ancient Chinese could never produce a true octave, as the next higher frequency in the series of frequencies produced by the Chinese system would be higher than 880 hertz.
See the article by Chen Ying-shi.[4]
See also[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- Reinisch, Richard (?). Chinesische Klassische Musik, p. 30. Books On Demand. ISBN 978-3-8423-4502-7.
Sources[edit]
- ^ Joseph C.Y. Chen (1996). Early Chinese Work in Natural Science: A Re-examination of the Physics of Motion, Acoustics, Astronomy and Scientific Thoughts, p. 96. ISBN 962-209-385-X.
- ^ Chen (1996), p.97.
- ^ a b Needham, Joseph (1962/2004). Science and Civilization in China, Vol. IV: Physics and Physical Technology, p.170-171. ISBN 978-0-521-05802-5.
- ^
一 种体系 两个系 统 by 陈应时 (Yi zhong ti-xi, liang ge xi-tong by Chen Ying-shi of the Shanghai Conservatory), Musicology in China, 2002, Issue 4,中国 音 乐学,2002,第 四 期
External links[edit]
- Graham Pont. "Philosophy and Science of Music in Ancient Greece: The Predecessors of Pythagoras and their Contribution", Nexus Network Journal.