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Encyclopedia of Microtonal Music Theory

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incomposite

[John Chalmers, Divisions of the Tetrachord]

Undivided. An incomposite interval is a large interval which appears as a melodic step or second in a scale, but which is a skip in other parts of the scale or in other related scales.

The Minor Third (augmented second) is an incomposite interval in the Black Key pentatonic, but a composite one in the diatonic or White key collection.

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[Joe Monzo]

To illustrate Chalmers's example:

Black Key Pentatonic


           m3        m3
         |----|    |----|
F#  G#   A#   C#   D#  (F#)
		

The minor-3rds in this scale are incomposite.

White Key Diatonic

      m3          m3
   |-----|     |------|
C  D  E  F  G  A  B  (C)  (D)
      |-----|     |--------|
         m3          m3
		

The minor-3rds in this scale have other scale steps coming between them, and thus they are composite.

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