The β (beta) scale is a non-octave-repeating musical scale which splits the perfect fourth (just: 498.04 cents , 12-tet: 500 cents , Beta scale: 512 cents ) into two equal parts, or eight equal parts of approximately 64 cents each . This totals approximately 18.75 steps per octave.[1] It may be derived from using 11:6 to approximate the interval 3:2/5:4[2], which equals 6:5 .
It was invented by and is a signature of Wendy Carlos and used on her album Beauty in the Beast (1986).
One advantage to the beta scale over the alpha scale is that 15 steps, 957.494 cents, is a reasonable approximation to the seventh harmonic (7:4, 968.826 cents)[2][3] though both have nice triads[4] (, , and ).
The delta scale may be regarded as the beta scale's reciprocal since it is, "as far 'down' the (0 3 6 9) circle from α as β is 'up.'"[5]
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