aural - Korg MT1200

[Susan Kline]

At 06:07 PM 10/04/2000 +0000, Ron Koval wrote:
>  the Korg is only accurate to +/- 1 cent.  So keep on your toes and use 
> your ears, 'cause the machine doesn't have the precision or accuracy to 
> do a fine job on its own. (check those thirds!)


Ed --
I second the welcome, and I think that your method of using the Korg to 
rough in the temperament and then doing the rest by ear has a lot of merit 
as a way to learn. Personally, since I have an aural bias, I wouldn't worry 
a bit about inaccuracies of up to a cent. Once the machine has set your 
temperament, just check by running thirds, and with that to give you a 
hint, check carefully for nice and equal fifths and not quite so nice (but 
equal) fourths. If the octaves, fifths, and fourths are decent and uniform, 
with only a slight bias towards the octaves, fifths next in importance, and 
fourths last, you'll get very, very decent results. I check fifths and 
fourths all the way to the top of the piano, and nudge the octaves a tad if 
need be, to keep the 4ths and 5ths good, but not to the point that the 
octave has an audible beat.

IMHO, the thirds are a good diagnostic, but small changes in the speed of 
chromatic thirds, even more than 1 cent's worth, will have little if any 
musical effect, compared to the fifths and fourths. Sometimes fudging the 
thirds a little is the only thing that will let the perfect intervals (P8, 
P5, P4) come out well, especially as one approaches the low end of the 
tenor on short uprights.

Regards,

Susan