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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Diapason


DIAPASON, DIAPASE, noun [Gr., through all.]

1. In music, the octave or interval which includes all the tones.

2. Among musical instrument-makers, a rule or scale by which they adjust the pipes of organs, the holes of flutes, etc., in due proportion for expressing the several tones and semitones.

DIAPASON-diapente, a compound consonance in a triple ratio, as 3 to 9, consisting of 9 tones and a semitone, or 19 semitones; a twelfth.

DIAPASON-diatessaron, a compound concord, founded on the proportion of 8 to 3, consisting of eight tones and a semitone.

DIAPASON-ditone, a compound concord, whose terms are as 10 to 4, or 5 to 2.

DIAPASON-semiditone, a compound concord, whose terms are in the proportion of 12 to 5.