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256:225<ref>Haluska, ibid. Diminished third.</ref>
To make the definition (1st sentence) more easily understandable, we need to explain the word "diminished". Using the same verb ("diminishing") does not add info. The link to Diminution is kept for those who want a more detailed explanation.
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[[Image:Diminished third on C.png|thumb|right|Diminished third {{Audio|Major second on C.mid|Play}}.]]
[[Image:Diminished third on C.png|thumb|right|Diminished third {{Audio|Major second on C.mid|Play}}.]]


In [[classical music]] from [[Western culture]], a '''diminished third''' ({{Audio|Major second on C.mid|Play}}) is the [[musical interval]] produced by [[Diminution|diminishing]] a [[minor third]] by a [[chromatic semitone]]<ref name="B&S">Benward & Saker (2003). ''Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I'', p.54. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.</ref><ref>Hoffmann, F.A. (1881). ''Music: Its Theory & Practice'', p.89-90. Thurgate & Sons. Digitized Aug 16, 2007.</ref>. For instance, the interval from A to C is a minor third, three semitones wide, and both the intervals from A{{Music|sharp}} to C, and from A to C{{Music|b}} are diminished thirds, two semitones wide. Being diminished, it is considered a [[consonance and dissonance|dissonant]] interval<ref>Benward & Saker (2003), p.92.</ref>.
In [[classical music]] from [[Western culture]], a '''diminished third''' ({{Audio|Major second on C.mid|Play}}) is the [[musical interval]] produced by [[Diminution|narrowing]] a [[minor third]] by a [[chromatic semitone]]<ref name="B&S">Benward & Saker (2003). ''Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I'', p.54. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.</ref><ref>Hoffmann, F.A. (1881). ''Music: Its Theory & Practice'', p.89-90. Thurgate & Sons. Digitized Aug 16, 2007.</ref>. For instance, the interval from A to C is a minor third, three semitones wide, and both the intervals from A{{Music|sharp}} to C, and from A to C{{Music|b}} are diminished thirds, two semitones wide. Being diminished, it is considered a [[consonance and dissonance|dissonant]] interval<ref>Benward & Saker (2003), p.92.</ref>.


In [[equal temperament]] a diminished third is [[enharmonic]] with the [[major second]], both having a value of 200 [[cent (music)|cent]]s. However in [[meantone temperament|meantone]] tunings with fifths flatter than the 700 cents of equal temperament, the diminished third is wider than the major second. In [[19 equal temperament]] it is in fact enharmonically equivalent to an [[augmented second]], both having a value of 262.6 cents. In
In [[equal temperament]] a diminished third is [[enharmonic]] with the [[major second]], both having a value of 200 [[cent (music)|cent]]s. However in [[meantone temperament|meantone]] tunings with fifths flatter than the 700 cents of equal temperament, the diminished third is wider than the major second. In [[19 equal temperament]] it is in fact enharmonically equivalent to an [[augmented second]], both having a value of 262.6 cents. In

Revision as of 13:06, 4 April 2011

diminished third
Inverseaugmented sixth
Name
Other names-
Abbreviationd3[1]
Size
Semitones2
Interval class2
Just interval144:125[2], 256:225[3], 8:7
Cents
12-Tone equal temperament200
24-Tone equal temperament200
Just intonation245, 223, 231
Diminished third Playⓘ.

In classical music from Western culture, a diminished third (Playⓘ) is the musical interval produced by narrowing a minor third by a chromatic semitone[1][4]. For instance, the interval from A to C is a minor third, three semitones wide, and both the intervals from A♯ to C, and from A to C♭ are diminished thirds, two semitones wide. Being diminished, it is considered a dissonant interval[5].

In equal temperament a diminished third is enharmonic with the major second, both having a value of 200 cents. However in meantone tunings with fifths flatter than the 700 cents of equal temperament, the diminished third is wider than the major second. In 19 equal temperament it is in fact enharmonically equivalent to an augmented second, both having a value of 262.6 cents. In 31 equal temperament it has a more typical value of 232.3 cents. In a twelve-note keyboard tuned in a meantone tuning from E♭ to G♯, the dimininished third appears between C♯ and E♭, and again between G♯ and B♭.

In septimal meantone temperament the diminished third is considered to approximate the interval of a septimal major second (playⓘ), with ratio 8/7, and in any meantone tuning in the vicinity of quarter-comma meantone, such as 31-equal temperament, it will come close to that value; for instance in 31-equal temperament the diminished third is a cent sharp of 8/7.

The complementary interval to the diminished third is the augmented sixth, and the numerous chords of common practice music described as augmented sixth chords thereby contain the diminished third as well. For example, a German sixth chord E♭-G-B♭-C♯-E♭' exhibits a diminished third between C♯ and E♭' which complements the augmented sixth between E♭ and C♯.

See also

Sources

  1. ^ a b Benward & Saker (2003). Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I, p.54. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.
  2. ^ Haluska, Jan (2003). The Mathematical Theory of Tone Systems, p.xxvi. ISBN 0824747143. Classic diminished third.
  3. ^ Haluska, ibid. Diminished third.
  4. ^ Hoffmann, F.A. (1881). Music: Its Theory & Practice, p.89-90. Thurgate & Sons. Digitized Aug 16, 2007.
  5. ^ Benward & Saker (2003), p.92.
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