This image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseMusical transposition calculator, in circular slide-rule format
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Musical transposition calculator, brass
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Musical transposition calculator, in circular slide-rule format, by J. Wilson, England, 1820
The first is by J Wilson and is dated 1820. The second is not signed and dates from the mid 19th century. Because all the notes in a scale have a fixed frequency ratio, music can be ‘transposed’ up or down the various keys. These little devices are like circular adding machines; moving the tonic, or fundamental note, a certain number of tones up or down moves all the notes in the scale by the same interval, so music can be rewritten in a different key. The second calculator has the tonic at the top and reveals the notes in the appropriate major scale.
Details
- Category:
- Mathematics
- Object Number:
- 1987-534
- Materials:
- brass (copper, zinc alloy)
- Measurements:
-
overall: 4 mm 73 mm, .149kg
- type:
- slide rule and ready reckoner (musical)
- credit:
- Christie's South Kensington Limited
