Topic by jakn

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Topic: Nonsensical ratios shown

I have complained about this before but it's still the same as it's always been. In the Temperament window, in the Values popup menu, there is an option for displaying "Cents or ratio". In this view, the tuning of the pitches is shown in cents from the fundamental but if Pianoteq interprets a pitch being a precise integer ratio from the fundamental, it shows the ratio. So, for 386 cents it shows 386 but for 386.314 it shows 5/4.

First problem: Pianoteq is being overly precise. 386.31 is not shown as 5/4 - the third decimal is necessary! The sounds in Pianoteq can never have such accuracy, and in almost all cases 386.31 cents can well be called pure 5/4. One decimal would be enough for this Cents/ratio view: it would be more useful that way. Or the desired accuracy could be user-definable.

Second problem: Pianoteq shows absurd integer ratios if they happen to match its search algorithm. I am just looking at a tuning where Pianoteq shows the interval of 900 cents as 1226/729. This is senseless. 1226 is the octave of the prime 613. There is absolutely no point in using ratios which such extremely high primes as 613. As in other tuning software that enables ratio interpretations of cent values, the prime-limit should be fixed to something like 19, or, better, be user-selectable. As is, the 'Cents or ratio' view is almost useless because it always shows these unreadable and nonsensical ratios here and there.

Last edited by jakn (27-10-2025 15:18)

Reply by jakn

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Re: Nonsensical ratios shown

It seems that there has been improvement in this. If nothing has changed, it means that the problem I described occurs randomly. In any case, in the 'ratios or cents' view, 900 cents is now shown as 900 rather than 1226/729.
However, there's another problem. Even intervals of rather basic ratios such as 33/32 and 81/80 are now shown in cents.
When a tuning is defined by a scala file with ratios, or by inputting ratios in the tuning wheel, the tuning wheel should show those ratios unless they're extremely complex.

Reply by julien

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Re: Nonsensical ratios shown

Thanks, we will look at it.

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Reply by jakn

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Re: Nonsensical ratios shown

julien wrote:

Thanks, we will look at it.

Have you looked into this yet? The problem persists. I'm now looking at a relatively simple tuning where all the notes are from 72-tone equal temperament. For the cent value 83.3, Pianoteq suggests the absolutely useless ratio 532/507. That's the seventh harmonic of the nineteenth harmonic of the thirteenth subharmonic of the thirtheenth subharmonic of the third subharmonic! Such complex ratios should only be shown if they are explicitly typed in by the user in the tuning wheel or if they read from a scala file.
Another value, 783.3 cents, Pianoteq interprets as 294/187 (the 3rd harmonic of the 49th harmonic of the 11th subharmonic of the 17th subharmonic). Again, useless.
Usually in software that interprets cent values as approximate ratios, there is a user-selectable limit of complexity. This would be the ideal solution.

Last edited by jakn (Today 12:32)