Sweet Sound Tuning

[John Woodrow]

>Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 11:43:24 -0400
>From: nhunt@jagat.com (Newton Hunt)
>Subject: Re: Sweet Sound Tuning
>
>Leaving aside the issues of temperament and unisons the remaining issue
>is octaves and in tuning octaves on a piano there is indeed a "sweet >spot".
>
>It is initially noticable in the lower (bot  not lowest) where an octave
>acquires a larger tone than at any other point of expansion.  Another
>place to learn to listen for this "power point" is tuning octaves up >from
the temperament octave around C5 or so.
>

Newton,
I was always told that you cannot set octaves by ear as you 'lose your
compass' and that they had to be measured hence the 3rd-10th test for a
4:2.  In practice I use the machine to set the A3-A4 temperament octave as
a 4:2 1 cent wide.

Now you have upturned my world (which according to you folk in the Northern
half is now the right way up) by my interpretation of what you have said in
that you set your octave by directly listening to it for the "sweet spot".

Can you please help me stop my head spinning in the opposite direction and
help me understand this more fully.

Regards,
John Woodrow
Sydney, Australia