Stretch Vs.Temperament, (was Beat Rates)

[Richard Brekne]

Hi RicM

Richard Moody wrote:
> 
>
> >      I have met people that don't register any difference
> between
> > temperaments, ET or otherwise, and those that feel it is one of
> the most
> > profound discoveries in their musical pursuit,..........
> 
> Ed's statment above hits the bedrock of the so called temperament
> debates.  Some people are more sensitive than others.  Being a
> "less sensitive" doesn't mean I disdain tuning in other than ET.
> Unfortunatly I can't hear the difference in music being played, or
> in music when I play it.
> Only when I test the intervals as a tuner does can I hear the
> difference.

Dont you think this is something you can learn to hear ?
Listening to beats in the first place is something nearly
every piano technician has had to struggle with for a while
to some degree or another me thinks... after a while (some
take longer then other) we get pretty clever at identifying
which is what beatwise... seperating them as it were... But
isnt listing to beatrates and their net effect within chords
pretty much the same kind of thing ? 

> Now for people who claim to hear the difference and seek tunings
> other than ET I hope they have all the right in the world.   If I
> prefer ET I hope I have the same rights.

Well said, to be sure ! On the other hand it seems like the
more informed our personal choices are, the better. Which
implies to me that we should learn as much as we can about
as many aural effects, and the theoretical basis for them as
we can. 


>    If indeed there exists a substantial number of people who can't
> hear the difference, I as a piano tuner am willing and able to
> satisfy their desires and tune for them a very good ET.  If there
> is a substantial number of people who can appreciate the
> difference, then yes, let them  be educated and then choose any
> number of different temperaments.
> 
> Ed Wrote
> 
> > Greetings,
> >   I think it was Don that wrote:
> > >>It is my contention that the octave stretch style used has a
> much larger
> > >>affect on the sound of the piano than the often subtle
> differences between
> > > >temperaments.
> >
> >     Well, my experience leads me to disagree.
> 

Perhaps I misread Dons post, I thought he was refering to
slight differences resulting from errors in setting  ET
temperaments. In this I certainly agree that Octaves have a
larger impact on the sound of the tuning then the
temperament does.


> It may be that those who can't hear the difference in temperament
> may be more sensitive to octave stretching.    A few simple tests
> can be designed to reveal the difference if it exists.    If
> enough participate in blind tests offering HT's Vs ET or stretched
> ET's we will progress a long way in the question of temperament
> and tuning and its effects on tonality.
> 
>     ---ric

Cheers !

RicB