<HTML>In a message dated 4/9/02 8:24:10 AM Central Daylight Time, davidlovepianos@earthlink.net (David Love) writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">In contrast to what Mr. Bremmer has suggested, I think jazz is best served by ET.  Maintaining the continuity of character of altered chords in various keys, I think, is a benefit that is served not only by an equal temperament, but from one that is not overly stretched.  A cleaner tuning will keep the thirds more in check so that the dissonances brought out by the liberal use of 2nd's, 9ths, 7ths, etc.,  will bring more color and contrast</BLOCKQUOTE> Well, in spite of this opinion, I've used HT's and the EBVT with Tempered Octaves for Jazz for 15 years, never having once heard a complaint about it but instead, praise for how "in tune" and clear the music sounds.  ET will do what it does to all other music:  neutralize all harmony.  Yes, some people are used to this and like it.  But a well chosen HT or my EBVT give the music a texture which most people will prefer.  The insistance upon ET by technicians who adhere to the one and only, no option ideas taught for the entire 20th Century as being correct forces a particular sound upon the piano and the music which is not supported by the music itself. Minimal stretch will make the treble sound dull, flat and uninteresting to the audience for Jazz as it would many other types of music.  Circumstances vary and stretch can, of course be overdone.  A closely miked piano for a recording is one circumstance, a noisy nightclub is another. Recently, I was the technician for a new Jazz CD which will be on the market soon.  I used the EBVT with Tempered octaves.  The musicians were all from New York and praised the "crystal clear" sound of the 2 pianos used.  I would not hesitate to offer this kind of tuning in contrast to ET with minimally stretched octaves for any kind of music, no matter what it is.  It would appeal to most people over ET by a very comfortable margin in any and all circumstances.  Over a decade of trial and experience has confirmed this. Bill Bremmer RPT Madison, Wisconsin <A HREF="http://www.billbremmer.com/">Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e m m e r . c o m =-</A> </HTML>