confession HT

[Billbrpt]

In a message dated 98-03-14 08:06:27 EST, you write:

<<  I was surprised. Never before had I heard this type of piano sound so
good. Thanks to the list for giving me the courage to try this. I will keep on
trying. I spoke with a professor at the university and he has agreed to let me
do a blind test for temperament tuning on the two pianos in the faculty small
concert hall. I will let you know how thing come out. I wonder what HT I
should use though. If any of you have suggestions, PLEASE let me know.
  Marcel Carey, RPT >>

Bonjour, Marcel!  
Nice to see you participating and I am happy you had the courage to try this.
I would keep with the Victorian style for your blind test.  There are many
reasons why I suggest Victorian but I do not have the time to list them now.  

You have chosen the way many people have to begin:  using a set of deviations
for an FAC program.  This is fine but really you simply have to accept what is
presented by the program without understanding much.  Still, I encourage you
to continue.

Your experince with the Currier is good evidence of what I have been saying on
this List.  What many people consider to be a poorly made or poorly scaled
piano can sound much better to the customer in a WT or Victorian Temperament
(VT).

If you can create your own octaves, try the following figures for  VT.  They
will work on any piano.  The inharmonicity will affect the results slightly
but not very much.  You can create your octves by ear or use your SAT to find
the kind of octave you liake and program it as you go.

All of these values are read on octave 5.  You mast reset the SAT at C4 to
change it from C6 to C5 or your results will be incorrect.  Let us know about
your blind test.

Victorian Temperament:  All values read on octave 5  (Not to be used as
deviations of an FAC program).

F3: 2.0   F#3: -3.0  G3: 2.0  G#3: 1.0  A3: 0.0  A#3: 1.0  B3: -2.0

C4: 2.5  C#4: -2.0  D4: 0.0  D#4: 1.0  E4: -2.5  F4: 2.5

The above will be compatible with all fixed pitch instruments tuned at A-440.
It is suitbale for all types of music which are played on a piano normally
tuned in ET.

In your blind study, ask two questions:  Which piano do you think is tuned in
the "normal" ET?   Which piano do you like better?  Do not allow anyone to
test intervals.  Only play music.  My hypothesis is that the majority will
think that the VT piano is ET and that they will prefer that tuning.

My sincerest regards,
Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin