Aural Pure 5ths Temperament

[Jim]

Hi Jim:

Yes, I would highly value the comments of your customer in
addition to your own and perhaps later a comparison to what
altering the SAT stretch A4 number would indicate. I don't know
that we have yet arrived at the ideal tuning for everyone, but I
do know that we are learning some things that we can hang our
collective hats on.

Jim Coleman, Sr.

On Tue, 27 May 1997 JIMRPT@aol.com wrote:

> Dr. Coleman
> You replied......
> "The perception may have something to do with the close unison idea,
> but I think it has more to do with the better matching octaves,
> especially the wider multiple octaves."
>
>   OK I'll buy that.  The question came up during a tuning yesterday.  A long
> time customer, who is a recording engineer, performing artist, symphony
> player and one half of a very neat couple, had asked me to tune his wife's
> Steinway 'L'.   This particular 'L' is about 12 years old, has had adequate
> maintenance, and is a joy to play, tune, and listen to.
>   Due to the fact that I had plenty of time to work on this tuning I decided
> to try some of the alternatives we have discussed these past few weeks.  The
> clarity of scale on this instrument lent itself to my experimentation.
>
>   Starting with a very, very slightly stretched octave in the temperament I
> strove to get the smoothest progressions I could as concerns single, double
> and triple octaves, pure sided 5ths, slightly faster 4ths, etc..  I was
> concentrating on my technique and not paying attention to anything else.
>  Starting at the temperament octave and working out in both directions (not
> my normal procedure).  I had worked thru the middle 5 octaves when the
> customer, sitting in a chair across the room behind me said "Jim I don't know
> exactly what you are doing but I like the richness that is coming out." (I
> had not realized he was there until he spoke)
>   Of course this led to a discussion of theory, as expressed in this thread,
> and where this tuning varied from what I normally do.  Customers comment " I
> really like the clarity of your regular tuning but I like this sound as well"
> (slightly purer 5ths, slightly expanded 4ths, etc.)
>   I am glad that this happened as my customer is very conversant with what he
> likes and doesn't like and is comfortable with discussing aural perceptions
> versus interval realities (and he does not tune).
>   I had intended to go back and retune the piano to my "normal" tuning but
> the customer asked me not to, in order that he could play on this one for a
> long period of time and decide what he liked/disliked about it.
>   The results were very close to what you describe and although some single
> intervals do beat at what I consider to be an objectionable rate they fit in
> well with the overall scale.
>   No, I did not have my SAT so I could not take measurements.
>
> I thought that due to this customer's unique set of abilities, perceptions
> and knowledge his comments would be of interest as pertains to this thread.
> Jim Bryant (FL)
>
>
>