In a message dated 8/21/99 11:44:45 AM Pacific Daylight Time, you write: << > tuning four fifths flat 1/4 comma to produce a pure third. I would be most useful, in thinking through these concepts, if you people would use "expanded" and "contracted" intervals. I get confused when trying to "flatten" an interval using the lower note to contract an interval. I am interested in HTs but am mainly an ET tuner now that I am out of the University scene. >> You are absolutely right. Strictly speaking, you would have to tune both notes of an interval flat of standard pitch in order for the *interval* to be "flattened". However, to be kind, and also to understand what people meant historically, "narrowed", "contracted" and "flattened" could all be taken to mean the same thing as well as "widened, "expanded" and "sharpened" (when speaking of an interval). Also "pure", "perfect" and "beatless" may be considered synonymous. There still seems to be the mindset that as a tuner, you could only do two things: tune a perfect ET or tune something at completely the opposite end of the spectrum, the 1/4 comma meantone. I haven't really tuned either one for over 10 years for any customer and I have never been associated with any university. There have been only a few exceptions and those have been the tuning of ET for a PTG RPT "Master" Tuning and once when I did the 1/4 comma meantone on my own piano at home and once when I did it for Owen Jorgensen at the Convention in Dearborne. The 1/4 comma meantone is really a very extreme way to tune a modern piano. It absolutely kills every bit of resonance that the piano is capable of producing. You get the stillest, quietest sound you could possibly imagine. It transforms the very nature of the piano into having a kind of "antique piano" sound. Many would call it "weird". It is however appropriate for playing very early music. Owen Jorgensen himself states plainly that ET is not. It is suggested that a technician learn to do it as a very basic skill in HT tuning, on one's own piano or that of a friend who might be interested. It will be so far off from ET that it will take at least two tunings to get it back to ET or whatever other milder temperament you may desire. My interest has been in finding the most musically appropriate temperament and octave arrangement for tuning the modern piano. Some, if not most believe that strict ET with "naturally" stretched octaves serves best as a "one size fits all" arrangement but I believe there is a more appropriate choice and that is what I do for all of my customers. Bill Bremmer RPT
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