I have met and tutored with Bill Bremmer twice. Once he even met me in a "classroom" at convention to go over my tuning before taking my first exam. It was on his own time and nickel. I believe him to be a man who is interested in helping improve the aural tuning sequences by making it as simple and accessible to everyone. I know this thread is not "bashing" Bill personally I just thought I would add my impression of Mr. Bremmer. Thank You Bill.
That being said: On page 4 he encourages ETD users:
As an exercise in listening, use your ETD to tune the three notes F3, A3 and C#4. Listen to thatsmall difference between the rates of beating in the two contiguous M3s. Now, set your ETD onA3 and tune A3 just one cent flatter. You’ll surely hear the beat rates and ratio change! Try alsosharpening A3 from its normal position and try sharpening and flattening F3 and C#3 similarly sothat you become accustomed to hearing the significant difference that only a one cent changemakes in the beating of a M3 and the ratio of beating of two contiguous M3s.
Try it. On the best piano you can spend a little time with. Tuning aurally requires practice. In time using just this exercise I think you will hear and feel the sounds ET presents.
Best wishes and keep practicing.
Steven HoppMidland, TX
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2010 06:50:45 -0400
From: a440a at aol.com
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Tuning a temperament without counting beats
Duaine Hechler writes:
Steps 13 - 21 - "comparing" beats - wow - thats just another way of
saying - oh - now - I have to count the beats - and - remember them.
When trying to find out which way to go faster or slower or "beating
exactly the same" - guess what - BS - you - still - are - counting - beats.
Actually, there is a difference between counting beats (which is intellectual), and sensing differences in tempering, (which is sensual). I believe it may be a control issue and listeners(mainly us techs) who listen to music intellectually, rather than sensually, generally are unable to appreciate the difference between beating and musical texture.
Artists such as Dr. John can make captivating music on pianos with wild unisons because they are letting that particular sensual signal help carry the message. Some of his music, (example would be "Flaming Sword" on his "Duke Elegance" CD) would sound sterile and boring if the piano were perfectly aligned to a mathematical standard. It is the difference between an architect's drawing of a house and a painter's representation. Sometimes, precision has its own costs. Some people think brick is a far better than natural stone for a
building, but I would suggest that the optimum material depends on the
architecture. In the same way, the optimum temperament depends on the music being played. To play everything on ET is akin to building a city out of nothing but brick! Hence, I consider having a narrow range of what is "acceptable" a limitation, not an asset.
My
definition of "out of tune" is when the tuning calls attention to
itself, rather than to the music. When I hear Bach played on ET, it
sounds out of tune to me because I am hearing beating in places it was
not originally intended. Same with Beethoven and Brahms. One who has listened to only ET will not be
distracted, though I suspect they are not getting the maximum emotional
impact. They may also be disturbed by a blues singer really flattening a note for effect, while others really enjoy the departure. I, personally, have found that my appreciation of all music
has greatly increased as a result of expanding my tempering experience.
Mark Twain once remarked that as a boy, he took great comfort from sitting by the river, watching the water move. However, after learning how to pilot a riverboat, he lost that source of solace, as he now recognized those swirls as signaling a snag, or those ripples indicating a hidden sandbar or other danger. As
technicians, we risk losing touch with the sensual nature of the music because
we are listening intellectually, conditioned to accept a 14 cent third as the only size that is
musical. It ain't necessarily so..........
Regards,
Ed Foote RPT
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
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