Contiguous Major Thirds Accuracy?

[John Formsma]

I'm not sure I can answer your question exactly.  Aural tuners don't usually
think in terms of cents when tuning, unless it's to calculate overpull or
something like that.
We listen for a number of things, and if they all work, then we have equal
temperament.  (Which I might add, might last perfectly for 24 hours or so
before things begin to drift. So some of our quest for perfection seems
rather meaningless when it lasts for so short a time. But I digress.)

And then, you're asking to measure things in cents, which only an ETD can do
accurately.  Two different categories: one listens for the right sounds, the
other measures frequencies deemed correct by software, formulas, and
measuring equipment.

If you're judging accuracy using aural standards, it is possible to be
extremely accurate with contiguous M3s. This accuracy comes from experience,
but more so in verifying octave widths before proceeding to the contiguous
M3s.  In an F3-F4 temperament, the A3-A4 and the F3-F4 must be the same
size, or you will not have a chance of correct contiguous M3s.

-- 
JF

On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 6:26 AM, Jeff Deutschle <oaronshoulder at gmail.com>wrote:

> List:
>
> There are many posts in the archives saying that a ladder of CM3s
> (Contiguous Major Thirds) is very accurate, but nobody has says *how*accurate.
>
> I am hoping that some of the members of this list could say how accurately,
> in tenths of cents, they are able to set a ladder of CM3s aurally before any
> other notes are tuned for other checks.
>
> Please don't think I am trying to start a fight. When I set a ladder of
> CM3s, I am never sure that each note is *exactly* where it ought to be.
> And when I do the math, it seems that there could be errors of 1.5 cents and
> still have progressively beating M3s, although they might not sound evenly
> progressive or have a 4:5 beat ratio. I am wondering how accurate they are
> usually tuned by an experienced tuner.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Jeff Deutschle
>
> Please address replies to the List. Do not E-mail me privately. Thank You.
>
>
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