Talk:Major seventh

9:5 ratio

How can the 9:5 ratio (which forms an octave with the 10:9 minor tone) be called a "small major 7th"? Among 5-limit ratios, only 50:27 and 243:128 (a comma below and above the just 15:8) also qualify as major 7ths. 9:5 is a comma above the 16:9 Pythagorean minor 7th and is properly termed a just minor 7th. — Glenn L (talk) 18:11, 13 January 2011 (UTC)

Update: I have located the article in question: Notes of Observations on Musical Beats. A(lexander) J. Ellis indeed refers to one of "The Major Sevenths 16:9" and the "Small Major Seventh 9:5". That is most unfortunate, since his other "Major Seventh [of] 15:8" is the only one correctly named as the inversion of the Minor Second called "Diatonic Semitone 16:15." His other two "Major Sevenths" are inversions of the "Major Tone 9:8 [and] Minor Tone 10:9" respectively (both Major Seconds), and are therefore properly Minor Sevenths. I respect Mr. Ellis very much, but his terminology here baffles me as much as the "16:9 and 15:8 [ratios] baffled" him. —— Glenn L (talk) 07:15, 14 January 2011 (UTC)