Disdiapason

/ˌdɪsdaɪəˈpæsən/ adjective

Definition

Not covering the full range of musical tones; lacking the complete octave interval span that diapason represents.

Etymology

From dis- (opposite/not) + diapason (from Greek dia- through + pason all, meaning the complete range of tones). Originally used in music theory to describe intervals or instruments with limited tonal range.

Kelly Says

A harpsichord with broken keys would be disdiapason because it can't play its full intended range—medieval musicians literally had to work around these limitations in performances.

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