Hearing the difference (or maybe not)

[David Andersen]

>Dave writes: 
><< OK.  Great idea.  Let's stop talking about it and do it.  Bremmer, Foote, 
>Jorgenson:  line up 6 C7s; tune 5 in various HT's; tune one by Virgil 
>Smith in ET; it would be the real truth..... 
>
>   Uh, Dave?  it's deceptively easy to volunteer others, however, where's 
>your name on the list?  You would have to put your rolling-fourths ET up 
>there, no?
No problem.  My pleasure. I am a newcomer to this.  I didn't want to but 
my name up there with 
you recognized all-stars.
>  And, what would the music be?  All Mozart?  2 pieces from each 
>century of the piano' history? Ives?  The Scott Joplin junkie may find a 
>different truth than our Bach specialist.  However, there is another problem 
>with the return you would get on this much work.
I envisioned it more like a smal group, or even individuals, playing the 
different pianos or listening to them being played, in a non-stressful 
environment where it's not "OK, you professionals:  I command you to 
listen! This is a class, and there WILL be a test...." 
>   After hearing three or more temperaments in quick order, the objectivity 
>fades.
In your opinion or experience, or is this a documented fact of aural 
perception and fatigue?
>   The problem comes from trying to make decisions on sensory values, 
>not intellectual ones.  The physical, scientifically demonstrated effects of 
>dissonance cause a lot of things to go on in a listener. (One of my friends 
>can't listen to classical music in WT because it makes him too nervous) 
That may answer the qustion above. 
>Judgement is like a muscle, it is especially tiring to use when  it is 
>undeveloped and the new listener is often overwhelmed in short order.   
But these are all lovers and users of the magic of the ear; highly 
professional listeners, if you will.
>Since 
>the player, the score, and the mood of the listener all play a part in how 
>attractive the music is, it is not simply a matter of putting out a large 
>number of tunings and getting a "sift" effect to turn up the "best" one. 
No---not a competition; no best; not the intention I had.  Just to hear 
masters
making  fine pianos sound the best they can, with different parameters, 
at the highest musical level----how thrilling.  How inspiring. How 
historic.
>     I think side by side comparisons are more effective when trying to 
>encourage more acceptance of non-ET.  And having an ET piano beside one in 
>something like a Coleman 11 is always an ear and eye-opener.  This is the 
>arrangement I use in my classes at the conventions.  The structure of the 
>class is to create a new perspective from which to listen to familiar 
>intonation. The aim is to encourage the technician to broaden their view of 
>what "in tune" really means.  We do this by comparing the effects of 
>different keys in a WT, and then comparing that with ET.  It is always a lot 
>of work, but fun.
> Time is usually cramped, hours odd, pay non-existant, 
>noisy environment at times, but if you would volunteer to tune the ET version 
 
>this summer in Dallas, it would sure be a help. 
It would be an honor and a pleasure.  I commit to it now. 
>Thanks, 
>Ed Foote RPT 
No..thank YOU.  I'm excited to learn about HT from a master.
Dave A.