What Does Ratio Reveal Actually Do?

"With the Ratio Reveal , you get to play musical Cupid. Just pick any two notes—maybe your favorites, maybe at random, maybe just to see what happens—and the app instantly reveals their “relationship status.” You’ll see the official name of their interval (like “Major Third” or “Tritone”), how many steps apart they are, and, most magically, their pure ratio—the secret sauce that makes certain combinations sound so sweet.

No need to memorize charts or do math in your head. The app does all the heavy lifting, showing you the beautiful (and sometimes quirky) math behind music. Whether you’re a music student, a curious listener, or a composer looking for inspiration, you’ll discover how notes connect in the world of pure intervals.

So go ahead—spin the wheels, mix and match notes, and unlock the mysteries of musical harmony. Who knew learning music theory could be this much fun?

Introducing Intervals and Pure Intervals

Imagine you’re at a party. You start singing a note—let’s call it “Do.” Your friend joins in, but instead of singing the same note, they pick a different one—maybe “Re” or “Mi.” The distance between your note and your friend’s note is called an interval. It’s like the musical space between two pitches—kind of like the number of steps between you and your buddy on the dance floor.

Interval

Pure Interval

Now, sometimes, those intervals sound so perfect together, it’s like peanut butter meeting jelly—total harmony! That’s what we call a pure interval. It’s when the two notes blend together in such a sweet, natural way that it’s music to your ears (literally!). Pure intervals are the “best friends” of the music world, like the perfect high-five or the ultimate combo meal.

What’s a Pure Ratio?

Imagine you and your friend are still singing at the party. Now, instead of just noticing how far apart your notes are, let’s get a little nerdy (in a fun way!) and look at the math behind the magic. A pure ratio is like the secret handshake between two notes. It tells us exactly how their sound waves line up—how many times one wave wiggles compared to the other.

When two notes have a simple, whole-number ratio between their frequencies, their sound waves fit together like puzzle pieces. That’s what makes them sound so sweet and “pure” to our ears!

Pure Ratio Examples (with a Party Twist!)

1. The Unison (1:1)

This is like showing up wearing the exact same outfit as your best friend. You’re both singing the same note, so your sound waves are perfectly in sync—one for one. No wonder it sounds so solid!

2. The Octave (2:1)

Think of this as a high-five where one of you jumps up on a chair. One person’s note vibrates exactly twice as fast as the other’s. It’s still the “same” note, just higher or lower, and their waves match up every other beat—super harmonious!

3. The Perfect Fifth (3:2)

Now you’re sharing a dance move that’s just a little different but still totally in sync. One note vibrates three times for every two of the other. This is the classic “Do” and “So” combo—think of the first two notes of the “Star Wars” theme. Epic and satisfying!

4. The Perfect Fourth (4:3)

This time, one friend takes four steps while the other takes three. Their paths cross often, creating a strong, friendly vibe. It’s another classic musical handshake.

How-to Guide: Step-by Step Instructions

How to select notes

Step 1:

Open the app. On the main screen, you’ll see two note pickers labeled Lower and Higher.

Step 2:

Use the scroll wheels (pickers) to choose your desired notes:

• The left picker is for your Lower note.

• The right picker is for your Higher note.

Tip:

• You can pick any combination of notes, including the same note for both pickers.

• If you select the same note for both, the app will treat it as an octave interval (the higher note is considered one octave above the lower note).

• If your higher note is musically below the lower note (e.g., D to C), the app automatically treats it as the next octave up (D to C an octave above).

How to Interpret the Result

After selecting your notes, look at the results displayed in the center of the screen:

Pure Ratio:

• The large numbers (for example, 4:5) show the “pure” frequency ratio between your chosen notes.

• This ratio represents the mathematical relationship of their sound frequencies—how many times one note vibrates compared to the other.

Interval Name:

• Just below the ratio, you’ll see the official name of the interval (like Major Third, Perfect Fifth, etc.).

Semitones:

• The number of semitones between your two notes is displayed (for example, 4 semitones for a Major Third).

Additional Tips

• Tap the info (i) button in the top right corner for a quick summary and instructions.

• Use the app to explore how different note combinations relate, discover the beauty of pure intervals, or support your music theory studies.

Need Help?

If you have any questions, feedback, or need assistance with the Ratio Reveal app, please contact us at:

techygiraffe@techygiraffe.blog

We aim to respond to all inquiries within 2 business days.