Can anyone recommend a reading (or other educational) source for BASIC information on historical temperaments (i.e. what are they, where did they evolve from, what effects do they have on music pieces, etc.). I have looked hi and low, but have yet to find good HT 101 -type info. Anyone? Terry Farrell Piano Tuning & Service Tampa, Florida mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Jorgensen" <Michael.Jorgensen@cmich.edu> To: <Pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Monday, April 10, 2000 9:20 AM Subject: Theory Lecture on Temperaments > Hello List, > This morning I lectured on temperaments to three sections of music > theory. Before telling the students anything and with no signs on the > pianos, I compared the quasi pure triads and thirds of meantone with > those of equal temperament and asked the music students which they > preferred. In two of three sections the class laughed at the ET triads > considering them to be grossly out of tune. Others gave funny looks as > they compared these. They all laughed when I told them that is how all > professional technicians including myself tune most of the time. (All > were freshly tuned pianos). A few from the 9:00am class preferred the > ET triads. I think the faster fifths of MT were the reason as they > changed their mind when I just played the thirds. All were shocked at > the MT wolf intervals which I played only after the classes had voted > for the MT. > I also used the RCT Pianalizer to demonstrate inharmonicity and the > need for octave stretch. I taught them how every interval on the entire > piano is completely out of tune (tempered) including octaves and > explained why. > I believe all music students should be exposed to the realities of > tuning as they can learn to play better with pianos and other > instruments of fixed pitch. It also answers giant questions about our > system of notation and why it evolved as it has. My demonstration > included pianos in well, equal and meantone. > The pianos will be on display for a while so that all faculty and > students may sample these temperaments. I look forward to their > comments. > > It was fun > -Mike Jorgensen RPT > Central Michigan University School of Music. > >
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