What is "Key Color?"

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

 Dear List,

The issue of whether ET has "key color" has come up from time to time.  Since 
I will be demonstrating a way to tune the piano that restores color to the 
temperament and tuning, I decided that it would be best to describe what I 
mean by this term in an essay that will be a handout.  It appears below in a 
e-mail format.  All of the bold face italics appear as normal print.  I 
figure it would be better that way anyway because it looks less emotional.  
Believe me, it's nothing to get upset about at all, it only has to do with 
beat speeds and nothing more.  

I am sure that there are different views on what key color is.  I welcome 
those views, especially anyone who can explain logically how it can be heard 
in ET.                                        



                                       What is "Key Color"?

People often like to think of the different keys of the cycle of 5ths as 
having some kind of distinction, one from the other.  When a musical ensemble 
of some kind that does not include a piano, whether it be instruments or 
voices performs, the musicians practice what is called intonation.  Very 
simply put, it means playing (or singing) in tune with each other.
    
All of these instruments or voices will use what is called vibrato (it means 
literally in Italian vibrated) to give their tones a warm, musical sound.  
Only for a special effect might a modern musician play or sing with none.  A 
good musician knows what kind of intensity of vibrato to use in various 
musical contexts.  Sometimes, a musician is criticized for  having just one, 
"warbly" sound that may be appropriate at times but stands out badly in 
others.

Keyboard instruments have been used throughout music history to compose.  The 
manner in which they were typically tuned greatly influenced all performers 
and listeners as to what the specific keys of the scale should sound like.  
Progression from very restrictive tunings and temperaments to ones which made 
all keys accessible certainly did take place.  J. S. Bach's Music for the 
Well-Tempered Clavier demonstrates the earliest of these endeavors.

There has been much confusion however, about that jump from what is thought 
of as Meantone to Equal Temperament (ET).  It has been clearly established 
that Bach did not use what we think of today as ET but the temperament he 
used may well have been thought of as "equal" and actually called "ET".  The 
1/4 Syntonic Comma Meantone  and ET are really at opposite ends of the 
spectrum.  There are hundreds, if not an infinite number of possibilities 
between the two.

 Some say that Bach discovered ET and it has been universally accepted ever 
since.  I say that Bach discovered Well Tempered Tuning and it has been 
mistakenly called and thought of as ET ever since.

The entire premise behind the concept of ET is to have no distinction 
whatsoever from one key to another.  Many people insist that they still hear 
something.  Surely, the intensity increases slightly from one key to the next 
as you climb the scale chromatically but each major or minor triad is still 
analogous to the other.

You do not get in ET the very marked differences in quality as you get in any 
Meantone or Well Tempered Tuning.  What do those qualities consist of?  It is 
really nothing mysterious or intangible at all.  It has any and everything to 
do with the speed at which any given interval beats.  It is nothing more nor 
less.  The beating of the intervals and chords produces a vibrato-like effect 
that is essentially the same as what a performing musician does when using 
vibrato.

It has been well documented that until the 20th Century, true ET virtually 
was never practiced but the name, ET may have been used and even believed in. 
 All of the forms of music that are enjoyed today adhere to the basic 
precedents that were established 300 years ago and more.  There are many 
forms of popular music which could easily work in 1/4 Syntonic Comma Meantone.

However, the modern piano is called upon to be supremely versatile.  It must 
be able to play anything, as they say.  It therefore makes sense to consider 
that to really tune a true ET does more than is necessary for meeting this 
goal.  If virtually all of the music to be performed is tonal, then why must 
we tune a temperament which takes away all distinction between keys?

Restoring the color to a temperament is what the Historical Temperaments are 
all about.  The exact sound that a triad has depends upon the speed of the 
3rd and whether or not the 5th is tempered and if so, how much.  It is 
possible to have a great deal of variety and texture in a temperament and 
still have it sound normal, acceptable and perhaps even more appealing than a 
temperament which by definition, is completely neutral. 

Inequality does not necessarily mean having a sound that the contemporary ear 
cannot accept.  The PTG RPT Exam is very challenging but it still provides 
for a certain range of tolerance.  It is possible to work within that range 
and produce a number of different effects.  The Equal Beating  (EB) effect is 
one which can only exist between octaves in ET. 

The canceling out effect that it has that can produce chords which are 
seemingly much purer than they really are.  Temperaments which have a high 
incidence of the EB effect produce an uncanny and very regular, clean 
sounding resonance to the piano.  In ET, there is always a mismatch in 
temperament that prevents the EB effect from occuring.   ET does however 
produce a very regular, organized sounding resonance to the piano that has 
its own appeal.

There is only one ET but there are many, many possibilities that are fairly 
close that will be accepted by the contemporary performer and listener.  
There are also many professional piano technicians who obviously please their 
customers but who cannot produce a tuning that will pass that exam.  This 
indicates that the range of what might be acceptable to the modern pianist 
could be quite large.  Finding what may please the pianist the most could be 
in itself a challenge.

If the technician knows what the historical precedents are and decides upon a 
tolerance within which to work, there is still a lot of color that can be 
extracted out of that which is supposed to have none.  It is also quite easy 
to cause tonal distinctions to be made at random.  It is even a fairly common 
error to make these distinctions in direct opposition to historical 
precedents.  Whether the difference from true and exact ET is deliberate and 
calculated or made in error, tuning instability or carelessness, there will 
be an effect on the tonality.

Not all pianists will want color.  There are a very few who have learned to 
accept and require the completely uniform sound of ET.  It is there for them 
if there is a technician who is skilled enough to provide it.  For all 
others, there is room for a little variety.  It would serve these people best 
for the technician to know how to manipulate the temperament and octaves to 
suit the situation.  If there is going to be color or tonal distinction, it 
should be done purposefully.

Learning to do this will show you that it is not as hard as it may seem.  You 
will discover that there is more tolerance available to you in having an 
acceptable outcome where there is so very little when attempting ET.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin
September 1999