This library is built in the open.
If you spot an error, have a suggestion, or just want to say hello — we’d love to hear from you.

A large, hand-drawn musical diagram in red and black ink illustrates the Ancient Greek Greater Perfect System, which is a fifteen-note scale. On the left, a vertical structure of horizontal lines represents individual notes. These are labeled with English translations of their traditional Greek names. Between these note-lines, small semi-circular arcs indicate the intervals of a whole tone or a semitone. To the right, a series of concentric, larger semi-circular arcs span groups of notes to identify the consonant intervals: the Fourth, the Fifth, and the Octave. The entire diagram is bounded by a large outer arc representing the full Octave range.
Added note original: "proslambanomenos"; the lowest note added to complete the two-octave system
Tone
Principal of the principals original: "hypate hypaton"
semitone
Next-to-principal of the principals original: "parhypate hypaton"
TONE
Index-finger of the principals original: "lichanos hypaton"
TONE
Principal of the middle notes original: "hypate melon," likely a variation of meson
semitone
Next-to-principal of the middle notes original: "parhypate melon"
TONE
Index-finger of the middle notes original: "lichanos melon"
TONE
Middle note original: "mese"
TONE
Beside the middle note original: "paramese"
semitone
Third of the disjoined notes original: "trite diezeugmenon"
TONE
Next-to-highest of the disjoined notes original: "paranete diezeugmenon"
TONE
Highest of the disjoined notes original: "nete diezeugmenon"
Third of the extreme notes original: "trite hyperbolaion"
semitone
Next-to-highest of the extreme notes original: "paranete hyperbolaion"
TONE
Highest of the extreme notes original: "nete hyperbolaion"
b h These letters likely serve as mathematical markers for the geometrical proportions shown in the diagram.
Interval of a Fourth original: "Diatesseron"
Interval of a Fifth original: "Diapente"
OCTAVE original: "DIAPASON"
Interval of a Fourth original: "Diatesseron"
Interval of a Fifth original: "Diapente"
OCTAVE original: "DIAPASON"
Interval of a Fourth original: "Diatesseron"
OCTAVE original: "DIAPASON"