tuning

[Ron Koval]

I'll 'fess up to being in the whole tone camp as well...

The research I've done graphing the individual inharmonicity of groups of 
strings in pianos has led me to believe that while listening or testing for 
partial matches between octaves is very precise, (in a micro-sense) it 
doesn't lead to a more musical tuning.  Again, I stress the difference 
between precision and accuracy.  Only by using the ear in the "better or 
worse" mode to find the best (or least bad!) placement for the octaves will 
lead to the most musical tuning of that particular instrument. (more 
accurate placement for octave stretch in the macro-sense.)

I think the aural community has responded to the early precision of 
machine-tunings to come up with methods that match the temperament 
smoothness - all the while training the technicans' ear to expect, test and 
appreciate that particular approach - at the expense of beautifully matching 
single, double and triple octaves.

Ron Koval
Chicagoland