Meantone temperament produces a frequency ratio of approximately 5 by means of four fifths, so that the major third (for instance C–E) is obtained from two successive whole tones.
Septimal meantone produces the frequency ratio of 56 ( 7 × 23 ) by ten fifths, so that the interval 7:4 is reached by five successive tones.
There are several slightly adjusted meantone tunings very nearly equivalent to exact quarter comma meantone, which all have good renditions of harmonic seventh intervals, always through an augmented sixth of the chord's tonic note.
As previously remarked, it has a septimal diminished seventh chord, which in various inversions can be C–E♭–G♭–B, C–E♭–G♭–A, C–E♭–F♯–A or C–D♯–F♯–A.
It has both a dominant seventh chord, C–E–G–B♭, and an otonal tetrad, C–E–G–A♯; the latter is familiar in common practice harmony under the name German sixth.