Beats vs cycles vs cents

[Kent Swafford]

On Mar 15, 2004, at 6:07 PM, Don A. Gilmore wrote:

> In fact the size of a cent (in Hz) grows by double going
> from the lower note to the semitone above.
[snip]
> Cents are really a more accurate indicator of how far out-of-tune a 
> note is
> than beats are since they are based on the actual perceived musical 
> pitch of
> a note (100 cents is always a half-step no matter how high or low the
> frequency is.

Well stated.

Of course, on a piano that is finely tuned in Equal Temperament, you'll 
find few, if any, half-steps that are tuned exactly 100 cents apart. Or 
are cents redefined for pianos to allow for the vagaries of 
inharmonicity?   :)

Kent Swafford