savart

(sa′vär)

(acoustics) A unit of pitch interval, such that the interval between two frequencies measured in savarts is equal to 1000 times the common logarithm of the ratio of the frequencies; one octave equals approximately 301.030 savarts.

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[Etymology: F Savart; France 1791-1841] music A geometric scale for measuring intervals. 1 octave = 1 000 (log₁₀ 2) savarts = 301.03~ savarts, though it is usually taken as precisely 300; hence an increase in frequency of 1 savart represents a 1.002 305~ multiplication. For frequencies f₁ and f₂, the latter the higher, the difference in savarts is officially

1 000 × log₁₀ (f₂/f₁)

or, modifying to give a round 300 savarts to the octave,

996.578~ × log₁₀ (f₂/f₁).