Thomas Jefferson Tuning Scheme I

[Richard Moody]

> In a message dated 98-03-06 17:46:20 EST, you write:
> 
> << We DO NOT know that Thomas Jefferson indeed tuned pure
fifths.
>>  However to research what this tuning might have been, I
decided 
>>  to start with pure fifths.  >>

 
> If you are interested, I can supply the information on
how to tune
this
> sequence with 1/5, 3/11 or 1/6 syntonic comma 5ths which
are far
>more likely
> to have been used......  look at the 1/5
>meantones and some of the supporting documentation of them
in
Jorgensen's
>book, Tuning, 

While I don't  agree totally  with Jorgensen's premise 
that
temprements in those days were difficult or impossible to
tune
because a lack of 20th century knowledge of beat phenomena,
it surely
would 
have been impossible for those who lacked training from a
specialist.
However,  there is one temperament consisting of only just
fifths
that anyone
then or now could approximate close enough with no training
and only
a few
written instructions.  In a nutshell:Tune six  just fifths
up from MC
and five down. Play and enjoy. Don't worry about the
thirds, that's
"key color".  When the wolf bothers you, you are
ready for another lesson.  I suppose for the total tyro a
paragarph
should be included about beats and beatless octaves and
beatles
fifths. 

	Great thing interlibrary loans.  Now all I gotta do is
come up with
the postage back.  "Tuning" weighs six pounds!!.  

Richard Reading the Book  Moody