Dante Rosati

Arbor Low
for 21-Tone Just Intonation Guitar
2/1 octave
15/8 classic major seventh
9/5 just minor seventh
16/9 Pythagorean minor seventh
7/4 harmonic seventh
12/7 septimal major sixth
5/3 major sixth
8/5 minor sixth
14/9 septimal minor sixth
3/2 perfect fifth
10/7 Euler's tritone
7/5 septimal tritone
4/3 perfect fourth
9/7 septimal major third
5/4 major third
6/5 minor third
7/6 septimal minor third
8/7 septimal whole tone
9/8 major whole tone
10/9 minor whole tone
16/15 minor diatonic semitone
1/1 unison
 Notes on setup and tuning

The 21-Tone Just Intonation Guitar uses a standard set of guitar strings, although the lowest strings will
be tuned slightly below their customary ranges, and the upper strings above theirs. Tuning the guitar to
C or C# produces the best results. If we tune the lowest (6th) string to C, which then becomes 1/1, then
the 4th and 2nd strings are also tuned to 1/1, with the 4th string being an octave above the 6th, and the 2nd
an octave above the 4th. The 5th string is then tuned to G (3/2), with the 3rd string tuned to 3/2 an octave
higher, and the 1st string 3/2 an octave above that.

Thus the tuning, from 6th string to 1st is literally:

1/1 – 3/2 – 2/1 – 3/1 – 4/1 – 6/1

or, more simply,

1/1 – 3/2 – 1/1 – 3/2 – 1/1 – 3/2

which, if we take the note “C” as our 1/1, gives:

C – G – c – g – c' – g'

The strings tuned to 1/1 will give the 21 note scale from the open string to the halfway point of the
neck (the “12th fret” position on a standard guitar):

1/1 16/15 10/9 9/8 8/7 7/6 6/5 5/4 9/7 4/3 7/5 10/7 3/2 14/9 8/5 5/3 12/7 7/4 16/9 9/5 15/8 1/1*

The strings tuned to 3/2 will continue up the scale as follows:

3/2 14/9 8/5 5/3 12/7 7/4 16/9 9/5 15/8 1/1 16/15 10/9 9/8 8/7 7/6 6/5 5/4 9/7 4/3 7/5 10/7 3/2*

Notice that in each case, the octave of the open string, lying at the midpoint of the string, is marked
with an asterisk (“*”) to distinguish it in the tablature from the open string. Any notes lying above the
octave are similarly marked.

The colors for each ratio were chosen to highlight its prime limit factor. Thus, ratios in red have a
prime number limit of 2 or 3, green is 5 and blue is 7. For more information on this and how the scale
was derived, see my website: danterosati.com.
2 Arbor Low
for 21-Tone Just Intonation Guitar
Dante Rosati


5l3 3l 2

  1l1
5l 4 7l 5 1l 1 1l 1 1l 1
10 l 9 16 l 15 3l2 16 l 15
8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5

3
8l5 3l 2


1l 1 1l 1 6l 5 4l 3 1l 1
3l2 10l 9 16 l 15 10 l 9
8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5
1l1


1l 1 1l 1 1l 1 1l 1
3l2 10 l 9 3l2 9l 8
8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5


3l 2 3l 2 3l 2 3l 2 3l2

 
4l 3 4l 3 4l3 4l 3 4 l 3 5l 4 4l 3
5l 4 5l 4 5l 4 5l 4
10 l 9 16 l 15

 5l 4
9

   1l 1
1l 1 1l 1
16 l 15 3l 2 3l 2 16 l 15
14 l 9 14 l 9
5l 4


10

 
9l 7 1l1 1l 1
10 l 9 3l 2 3l 2 10 l 9
8l 5 8l 5
9l 7

© 2005 Dante Rosati

11 3

 9l 7 12l 7
 
9l 7 9l 7 9l 7 9l 7 9l 7 9l 7 9l 7
12 l 7 12 l 7 12 l 7
1l 1 1l 1 1l 1 1l 1

13


9l 7 9l 7 9l 7 9l 7 9l 7 9l 7 9l 7 9l 7
12 l 7 12 l 7 12 l 7 12 l 7
1l 1 1l 1 1l 1 1l 1

15


5l 4 5l 4 5l 4 5l 4 5l 4 5l 4 5l 4 5l 4
3l 2 3l 2 3l 2 3l 2
1l 1 1l 1 1l 1 1l 1
1l 1

17
3l2 7l5 3l 2 3l 2 3l 2 10l 9 3l2 3l2


5l 4 15 l 8 15 l 8 15 l 8 15 l 8
7l 5 5l 4 5l4

19


5l3 1l 1 1l 1 5l 3 8l 5 1l 1 1l 1 8l 5
7l 5 7l 5 7l 5 7l 5 7l 5 7l 5
5l 3 8l5

21


3l 2 1l 1 3l 2 1l 1
5l4 10 l 9 3l 2 3l 2 5l4 10 l 9 3l 2 3l 2
5l 3 5l 3
5l 4 5l 4
1l 1
4 23 3 3 3 3

10 l 9 3l 2


3l 2 1l 1 3l 2 1l 1 5l 3
5l4 10 l 9 3l2 5l4
5l3

3 3 3 3
24
10 l 9 3l 2


3l 2 1l 1 3l 2 1l 1 5l 3
5l4 10 l 9 3l2 5l4
5l3

3 3 3 3
25
10 l 9 3l2 5l4 3l2 10 l 9 3l 2


3l 2 1l 1 5l3 15 l 8 5l 3
5l4

3 3 3 3
26
5l4 3l2 3 l 2* 3l2 5l4 3l2 10 l 9 3l 2


15 l 8 10 l 9* 15 l 8 5l 3

3 3 3 3
27


3l 2 1l 1 7l 5 1l 1 4l 3 1l 1 5l 4 1l 1
5l4 7l 6 10 l 9 16 l 15

1l1

3 3 3 3
28


3l 2 1l 1 7l 5 1l 1 4l 3 1l 1 5l 4 1l 1
5l4 7l 6 10 l 9 16 l 15
 3 3 3 3 5
29
3l2 35 l 24


1l 1 5l4 1l 1 1l 1 5l4 1l 1
16 l 15 16 l 15 16 l 15 16 l 15

3 3 3 3
30
3l2 35 l 24


1l 1 5l4 1l 1 1l 1 5l4 1l 1
16 l 15 16 l 15 16 l 15 16 l 15

3 3 3 3
31


5l 3 1l 1
3l 2 4l3 3l 2
14 l 9 1l1 15 l 8
5l 4 3l 2 3 l 2*
12 l 7 1l 1

3 3 3 3
32


1 l 1* 1l 1 1l 1
7l 5 3l 2 3l 2
1l1 7l4 7l 4
3l 2 5l 4
15 l 8 1l1

3 3 3 3
33


3l2 1l 1 1l 1 3l2 1l 1 1l 1
5 l4 3l2 5 l4 3l2
8l 5 8l 5
5l4

3 3 3 3
34


3l2 1l 1 1l 1 3l2 1l 1 1l 1
6l5 3l2 6l5 3l2
5l 3 5l 3
6l5
6 3 3 3 3
35


3l2 1l 1 1l 1 3l2 1l 1 1l 1
8l7 3l2 8l7 3l2
14l 9 14l 9
10 l 9

3 3 3 3
36


3l2 1l 1 1l 1 3l2 1l 1 1l 1
6l5 3l2 5l4 3l2
5l3 12 l 7
1l1

3 3 3 3
37
10 l 9 3l2 3l 2 10 l 9 3l2 3l 2


8l 5 1l1 5l 3 1l1
5l4 9l7

3 3 3 3
38


3l2 1l 1 1l 1 3l2 1l 1 1l 1
6l5 3l2 5l4 3l2
5l3 12 l 7

3 3 3 3
39


10 l 9 3l2 3l 2 10 l 9 3l2 3l 2

 
8l 5 1l1 5l 3 1l1
5l4 9l7

3 3 3 3 3 3
40

 
5 l4 3l2 3l 2 4 l 3 3l2 3l 2 7 l 5 3l2 3l 2

  
14 l 9 1l1 5l 3 1l1 14l 9 1l1
16 l 15 10 l 9 5l4
 3 3 3 3

 3 l 2* 
41 7

  
3l2 3l 2 5 l 3* 3l2 3l 2
15 l 8 1l1 15 l 8 1l1
5l4 14 l 9*

3 3 3 3
42
3 l 2* 3l2 3l 2 5l 4 3l2 3l 2


15 l 8 1l1 15 l 8 1l1
5l4 3 l 2*

3 3 3 3
43
4l3 3l2 3l 2 10l 9 3l2 3l 2


5l 3 1l1 5l 3 1l1
10 l 9 4l3

3 3 3 3
44
5 l4 3l2 3l 2 1l 1 3l2 3l 2


14 l 9 1l1 3 l2 1l1
16 l 15 6l5

3 3 3 3
45
10l 9 3l2 3l 2 16 l 15 3l2 3l 2


7l5 1l1 7 l5 1l1
16 l 15 10l 9

3 3 3 3
46
1l 1 3l2 3l 2 5l 3 3l2 3l 2


5 l4 1l1 5 l4 1l1
5l3 1l1
 3 3 3 3

 
8 47

  
15 l 8 3l2 3l 2 8l 5 3l2 3l 2
6l5 1l1 6l5 1l1
8l5 15 l 8

3 3 3 3

 
48

  
15 l 8 3l2 3l 2 8l 5 3l2 3l 2
6l5 1l1 6l5 1l1
8 l5 15 l 8

3 3 3 3
49

 15 l 8 6l5
3l2 8 l5
1l1
3l 2 15 l 8
6l5
3l2 8 l5
1l1
3l 2

3 3 3 3
50

 15 l 8 6l5
3l2 8 l5
1l1
3l 2 15 l 8
6l5
3l2 8 l5
1l1
3l 2

51
5l3 3l 2


5l 4 7l 5 1l 1 1l 1 1l 1
10l 9 16 l 15 3l2 16 l 15
8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5
1l1

53
8l5 3l 2


1l 1 1l 1 6l 5 4l 3 1l 1
3l2 10l 9 16 l 15 10 l 9
8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5
1l1
55 9


1l 1 1l 1 1l 1 1l 1
3l2 10 l 9 3l2 9l 8
8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5 8l 5

57


3l 2 3l 2 3l 2 3l 2 3l2

 
4l 3 4l 3 4l3 4l 3 4l 3 5l 4 4l 3
5l 4 5l 4 5l 4 5l 4
10 l 9 16 l 15

59

 5l 4
  1l 1
1l 1 1l 1
16 l 15 3l 2 3l 2 16 l 15
14 l 9 14 l 9
5l 4

60


9l 7 1l1 1l 1
10 l 9 3l 2 3l 2 10 l 9
8l 5 8l 5
9l 7

61


7l 5 1l1 1l 1
6l5 3l 2 3l 2 7l6
12 l 7 5l 3
7l 5

62


3l 2 1l1 1l 1
5l4 3l 2 3l 2 5 l4
7l 4 7l 4
7l 5
  5l 3 
1063

  
1l1 1l 1
4l3 3l 2 3l 2 4 l3
15 l 8 15l 8
3 l 2*

64


1 l 1* 1l1 1l 1
7l5 3l 2 3l 2 7l5
7l4 7l4
5l 4
1l1

65


1 l 1* 1l1 1l 1
7l5 3l 2 3l 2 7l5
7l4 7l4
5l 4

 5l 4 
66

  
3l2 3l 2
7l4 1l 1 1l 1 7l4
7l 5 7l5
1 l 1*

67
3 l 2* 3l2 3l 2


15l 8 1l 1 1l 1 15 l 8
4l 3 4l3
5l 3
1l1

68
3 l 2* 3l2 3l 2


15l 8 1l 1 1l 1 15 l 8
4l 3 4l3
5l 3
  5l 4 
69 11

  
3l2 3l 2
7l4 1l 1 1l 1 7l4
7l 5 7l5
1 l 1*

70


1 l 1* 1l1 1l 1
7l5 3l 2 3l 2 7l5
7l4 7l4
5l 4
1l1

71


1 l 1* 1l1 1l 1
7l5 3l 2 3l 2 7l5
7l4 7l4
5l 4

 5l 3 
72

  
1l1 1l 1
4l3 3l 2 3l 2 4 l3
15 l 8 15l 8
3 l 2*

73


3 l 2* 3l2 3l 2
15l 8 1l 1 1l 1 15 l 8
4l 3 4l3
1l 1 5l 3

74


3 l 2* 3l2 3l 2
15l 8 1l 1 1l 1 15 l 8
4l 3 4l3
5l 3
  5l 4 
1275

  
3l2 3l 2
7l4 1l 1 1l 1 7l4
7l 5 7l5
1 l 1*

 5l 4 
76

  
3l2 3l 2
7l4 1l 1 1l 1 7l4
7l 5 7l5
1 l 1*

77


5l3 3l 2

  1l1
5l 4 7l 5 1l 1
10l 9 16 l 15
8l 5

78
8l5 3l 2


6l 5 4l 3 1l 1
16 l 15 10 l 9
8l 5

79
14 l 9 3l 2


7l 6 4l 3 1l 1
16 l 15 10 l 9
14 l 9
1l 1

80 


1 l1
3l 2 3l2
8l 5 1 l1 1l1
5l 4 4l3 3l2 3l2
15 l 8 1l 1