Harmonics, Geometry, and the Prime Structure of Musical Scales

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Authors: James Miller
Cited by: 8
References: 5

Abstract

We establish a geometric foundation for musical consonance and scale structure based on integer subdivision. Four results are derived: (1) a characterization of musical consonance as nodal coincidence, measured by the least common multiple of the mode numbers, consistent with the empirical rankings of Plomp and Levelt and with Euler's gradus suavitatis; (2) a formula for natural scale sizes as the continued fraction convergent denominators of log_p(q) for prime pairs {p, q}, extending Carey and Clampitt's well-formed scale theorem by providing a selection principle for canonical generators; (3) a combinatorial formula (2k+1)^n for the number of distinct intervals in an n-prime system at harmonic depth k; and (4) a structural correspondence between the crystallographic restriction theorem and Pythagorean tuning, both selecting the prime set {2, 3}. Five testable predictions are proposed, including a new prediction relating multi-frequency Chladni figure complexity to interval consonance via lcm(p, q).

Fields of Study & Subjects

Musicology and Musical Analysis Neuroscience and Music Perception Quasicrystal Structures and Properties

Publication details

Journal / source
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Publication date
6 April 2026
Document type
Preprint