An EBVT Quest

Billbrpt@AOL.COM Billbrpt@AOL.COM
Thu, 8 Jun 2000 08:56:24 EDT


In a message dated 6/6/00 7:45:54 PM Central Daylight Time, 
pianoola9@hotmail.com (Ola Andersson) writes:

<< Mr. Bill Bremmer
 
 Question 1
 You want me to tune the EBVT this way.
 
 1. A4
 2. A3
 3. E4
 4. C4
 5. G3
 6. B3
 7. D4
 
 And then you want me to tune
 8. F3
 pure to C4 and check if it has same 6bps to A3
 If not you want me to retune.
 
 I tune this way
 
 1. A4
 2. A3
 3. F3 6bps to A3
 4. C4 pure to F3
 5. E4 6bps to C3
 And then I check E4 with A3 to see if I have less then 1bps
 If not I retune and try usally a slower speed on the thirds.
 If it's Ok I continue
 
 Is it possible to start a EBVT temprement this way?
 
 
 Thanks
 
 Ola Andersson
  >>

Yes, it is OK.  The A3-E4 5th should beat at no more than 1 beat per second 
but may be slightly less.  It should sound to you as if it is just slightly 
more tempered than you would allow if you were tuning ET.  The inharmonicity 
of the piano's scale will affect the rate of all beating.  There is a small 
amount of tolerance within which you can work and still have the temperament 
be correct.

Many people have asked about this.  Viirtually an error in ET renders it a 
"non"-ET but the Cycle of 5ths based temperaments will permit some tolerance 
or manipulation of intervals and still retain their basic intent.

While the suggestion you have made does not follow the usual pattern for 
constructing a Cycle of 5ths basewd temperament, the fact that the F3-A3 3rd 
beats exactly the same as the C4-E4 3rd makes it possible for you to tune 
F3-A3 as your 1st interval.  This may seem more familiar to those who are 
used to tuning ET.  This interval will beat just a little more gently than it 
does in ET.

Please let us know how your pianos sound when tuned this way.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin


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