19 equal temperament

19 EDO is the tuning of the syntonic temperament in which the tempered perfect fifth is equal to 694.737 cents, as shown in Figure 1 (look for the label "19 TET").

Interest in such a tuning system goes back to the 16th century, when composer Guillaume Costeley used it in his chanson Seigneur Dieu ta pitié of 1558.

In 1577, music theorist Francisco de Salinas discussed ⁠ 1 / 3 ⁠ comma meantone, in which the tempered perfect fifth is 694.786 cents.

In the 19th century, mathematician and music theorist Wesley Woolhouse proposed it as a more practical alternative to meantone temperaments he regarded as better, such as 50 EDO.

This article uses that re-adapted standard notation: Simply using conventionally enharmonic sharps and flats as distinct notes "as usual".

Figure 1: 19-TET on the syntonic temperament's tuning continuum at P5= 694.737 cents [ 1 ]
19 equal temperament keyboard [ 2 ]
Joseph Yasser 's 19 equal temperament keyboard layout [ 3 ]
The comparison between a standard 12 tone classical guitar and a 19 tone guitar design. This is the preliminary data that Arto Juhani Heino used to develop the "Artone 19" guitar design. The measurements are in millimeters. [ 4 ]
Usual pitch notation, promoted by Easley Blackwood [ 9 ] and Wesley Woolhouse , [ 2 ] for 19 equal temperament: Intervals are notated similarly to the 12 TET intervals that approximate them. Aside from double sharps or double flats, only the note pairs E ♯ & F ♭ and B ♯ & C ♭ are enharmonic equivalents (modern sense) . [ 10 ]
Just intonation intervals approximated in 19 EDO
play diatonic scale in 19 EDO ⓘ , contrast with diatonic scale in 12 EDO ⓘ , contrast with just diatonic scale ⓘ
Circle of fifths in 19 tone equal temperament
Major chord on C in 19 equal temperament: All notes within 8 cents of just intonation (rather than 14 for 12 equal temperament). Play 19 ET ⓘ , Play just ⓘ , or Play 12 ET ⓘ