Ric writes: >If temperament is so important to the music why can't it be recognized >without resorting to electronic devices? Greetings, First, it can be. I have customers that recognize a Kirnberger, and several harpsichordists knew when I had changed to a Young for a performance, after they had been practising with a Prelleur. The use of electronic measurement to extract a temperament is a new approach. While not absolutely "necessary", it may get a researcher more information a lot quicker than spending years becoming familiar with the sounds of the tunings. Groups of piano technicians have also demonstrated that a slightly well tempered piano sounds more in tune than an equally tempered one,(J. Coleman). And the same goes for piano teachers and students, (Jolly). Recognition of the actual temperament is not as important as developing a sensitivity to the tonal palette. One can sense a feeling without knowing the actual chemistry. >Or, if no one can tell by >listening, what difference does it make what temp is used? > ric "I am NOT a skeptic" Many people can tell by listening, and nearly all pianists feel the difference as soon as they play the instrument. Just hang on for a little while and we will have a CD with three tunings used for the same piece. I don't think you will have any trouble hearing three distinct sounds. I don't know which one you will like, but your preference, whatever it may be, will then be credible and supported after hearing all three and rejecting two! On the other hand, if a person is not sensitive to the differences, even after several listenings, then I assume it must be an innate trait, like color-blindness, and there is nothing of interest for that person in the topic of temperament. The computer generated "Magic Eye" pictures offer a suitable analogy to temperament. Some people cannot see the hidden image, at all. These people will not believe that there is an image in there until several others all see the same thing. Temperament is like that. There is an image in the music that is not apparent in some tunings. Those that hear the difference are regarded skeptically by those that do not. Most sensitivities are learned, and a willingness to learn sometimes requires us to question the status quo. This is not always easy, since normal people want there to be some "percentage" in taking chances. So, we have to either know there is a reward, or we adventure out there on faith or curiousity. Curiousity was enough for me, and then musicians began reacting in very favorable ways, giving me some impetus to pursue the field even more. Temperaments, in the hands of a seeking technician, open up large areas of growth, both musically and financially, that otherwise are not even there, like the hidden image in a computer picture. Regards, Ed Foote RPT (yea, I've been told I am out in the tall weeds with all this, but hey, life is too short to stay on the main road ALL the time!)
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