We techs don't always use proper notation but Musicians don't always know why they have both flats and sharps. They often think it's due to tradition, key signatures, or an archaic system which should be abandoned. When I lecture for theory classes I tune three pure major thirds stacked on top of each other to form a ghastly sounding augmented 7th, (always amusing). I then tune the A7 into a P8 thus forming a diminished fourth out of one of the thirds. I then have demonstrated why G#-C is not a third. From there I usually explain temperament and the sizes of all common intervals and how they don't fit into an octave coupled with a general overview of how history has dealt with it. If time permits, I explain inharmonicity which answers alot of questions about why some intruments just don't match. The students and professors love it, as it is an eye opener and no one can ever again complain about being marked wrong for a misnotated interval. I believe all musicians should be aware of these things but most standard theory curriculums do a poor job of explaining it if they even do at all. The most common mistake is confusing well temperament with equal temperament. -Mike Jorgnesen RPT Central Michigan University
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