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All of the intervals mentioned below are presumed to be tuned in Just Intonation .

There are many commas, notably :
  • Pythagorean Comma or ditonic comma (difference between 7 Octave s and 12 Perfect Fifth s)

  • Syntonic Comma , the difference between four perfect fifths and one major third plus two octaves

  • Schisma , the difference between 8 perfect fifths plus one major third and 5 octaves (equal to the interval between Pythagorean comma and syntonic comma)

  • Diaschisma , the difference between 4 fifths plus 2 thirds and 3 octaves


Commas are frequently used in the description of Musical Temperament s, where they describe minute tuning differences that are eliminated by that tuning system. For instance, Twelve-tone Equal Temperament ''tempers out'' the Pythagorean comma by narrowing each fifth slightly.

There are also several intervals called commas, which are not technically commas because they are not rational fractions like those above, but are irrational approximations of them. These include the Holdrian Comma and Mercator's Comma .


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