[CAUT] WT intonation/violin

[A440A at aol.com]

Inre the Coleman 10,  Jeff writes:

<<  Is this a smoother tuning than Coleman 11? <<

   Yes, Jim's numbers rise with the amount of contrast, his #16 is almost as 
tempered as a Young. 

>>The same piano will  be used for a jazz performance the next night, and I 
am considering 

leaving the Coleman on instead of changing it back to ET.  What do you 

think? >>

      The # 10 is a subtle departure from the strictness of ET, I would say 
keep it on there.  Few musicians can tell what difference there is, and if your 
octaves and unisons are impressive, they will love the way the piano 
responds.  

>>And should the pianist be "warned" (or maybe better, consulted) 

before I do that - or should I wait for the reaction (or lack thereof)?<< 

       I am inclined to say no, don't roil the waters. And don't be surprised 
or disappointed if nothing is said, 'cause that happens, a lot.   People are 
easily threatened, and serving notice of every change around them can make 
them defensive and longing for the familiar.  Give them a clean tuning with one 
of these temperaments and 99% of them will like the response.  I have seen a 
lot of artists play a ragged ET with clean octaves and unisons, and they thought 
the piano sounded fine!  Pushing the tonality a little towards a historical 
shape does not make an alien sound, but rather, something that "feels" more 
right.  
     I think it is a question of faith.  The artist, or customer, will know 
how you feel about your work by your body language, and facial expression, than 
they will from you by words. If you feel like your tuning was the way to make 
the piano sound its best, and you know you did your best, you will be 
relaxed,  and they will usually be the same. 
     If we tune an instrument so that it sounds best to us, as opposed to 
tuning it so that matches a universal pattern, we will perhaps learn how the 
world responds to us, instead of vice versa. 
Regards,  
Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
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