Tuning shorthand

[Jim Coleman, Sr.]

Hi Dave:

A 4:2 type octave is one where the 2nd partial of the upper note of the 
octave and the 4th partial of the lower note are in unison. This gives
an octave which is stretched a tiny bit more than if the 1st partial of
the upper not is matching the 2nd partial of the lower note. The first
type octave is check by a major 3rd-M10th test being equal. That is, the
F3-A3 3rd and the F3-A4 10 are equal.

A 6-3 type octave is where the 3rd partial of the upper note and the 6th 
partial of the lower note of the octave are equal. This type is used mostly
in the lower Tenor section and upper Bass on most pianos and I recommend 
using for the entire Bass for small pianos especially.

Get Rick Baldassin's book "On Pitch" which is available from the PTG home
office. It has a world of good information like this. He also defines the
P in perfect 4ths or P5ths as being the normal type of 4ths or 5ths. If
a 4th is widened by a semi tone, it is called an augmented 4th. If a 5th 
is narrowed by a half step, it is called a diminished 5th. These are
music theory terms. We use little m to designate the 3 half-step 3rds and
M (big M) to designate the 4 half-step 3rds.

Jim Coleman, Sr.




On Tue, 16 Nov 1999 DaveAAAP@AOL.COM wrote:

>  Can someone help me out in understanding tuning shorthand?  When I start 
> studying different temperament and tuning techniques, I get bogged down 
> trying to figure out what they are trying to say.  I'm sure it's simple and 
> logical, but I've never seen a dictionary of terms and I don't want to miss 
> anything.
>   Why is tuning an A3 to an A4 a 4:2 octave and tuning A2 from A3 a 6:3 
> octave?  How do you figure these ratios?
>   Is the big "M" different from the little "m" (I'm assuming Major and minor) 
> and does "P" mean perfect or pure?
> 
> Dave Streit
> Beaverton, OR
>