Voicing with tuning lever

Donald E. Mannino DonMannino@worldnet.att.net
Sun, 09 Mar 1997 21:21:52 -0800


Paul N. Bailey wrote:

>Pianos sound better in well temperaments than they do in equal=20
temperament. <<

The use of a subjective expression like "better" always raises a red =
flag to me. What does this mean? You dismiss allotting this to taste a =
little to easily.

Was it "better" in all keys? What kind of music was being played? Was it =
more "resonant" in the F# and C# notes along with the Cs and Fs? This =
wouldn't make sense, at least not to me.

I'd like to suggest that a "better" way to express this would be =
something like "it sounded better to me and others present," under the =
circumstances at the time.

There is something to be said for a tuning system that has been so =
successful for so long. There is also much to be said for the =
alternatives under some circumstances. But saying emphatically that one =
makes pianos sound "better" than another is removing the possibility of =
taste from the discussion.

So what, are just trying to stir the pot a bit and see what it smells =
like?

Don Mannino RPT




This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC