GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: The centuries old struggle to play in tune

Post Subject: AdsPosted by steverino on: 6/7/2014

Sorry but I couldn't get to the article through all the ads and surveys and wait screens.

Musicians will more or less adapt to any tuning system thrown at them. Or course those that can "cheat" because of the construction of their instruments (eg fretless strings, trombones, voices) will do so to better convey the musical phrase. Violinists play leading tones slightly sharp for example. Indian vocalists also adjust the pitch of notes depending on their relation to the following note. To the extent possible one should play music in the tuning that it was composed for; thus pre WTK Bach keyboard music should be played in mean tone temperament with true major thirds and narrower fifths, unaccompanied vocal music in just intonation, the WTK in well tempered intonation which is slightly different than equal temperament. On top of this, the increasing preference for dissonant music runs counter to the idea that purer truer intervals are more desirable. All of these tuning issues stem from the 5th being slightly more than half an octave.

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