Limit (music)

The first 16 harmonics, with frequencies and log frequencies (not drawn to scale).

In music theory, limits or harmonic limits are a way of characterizing the harmony found in a piece or genre of music, or the harmonies that can be made using a particular scale. The term limit was introduced by Harry Partch,[1] who used it to give an upper bound on the complexity of harmony; hence the name.

  1. ^ Wolf, Daniel James (2003), "Alternative Tunings, Alternative Tonalities", Contemporary Music Review, 22 (1/2), Abingdon, UK: Routledge: 13, doi:10.1080/0749446032000134715, S2CID 191457676