Another question regarding Well Temperament

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 8/26/00 8:49:52 AM Central Daylight Time, 
remoody@midstatesd.net (Richard Moody) writes:

<< The only notible coincidence arithmeticaly I could find is that
 13.327/5.549=  2.401693998919  while 7.778/5.549= 1.401693998919  an EXACT
 difference of 1 !.   Such an exactness to the 13th place is too signifigant
 to be ignored, yet what does it mean??---other than a numerical
 significance between between G--B--D  in ET, possibly some kind of
 proportional.  I suppose if this is an aesthetic proportion depends on the
 polls. All those who like ET raise their hands.
     Besides the musical dexterity of ET, perhaps this proportion has  some
 kind of harmonic appeal just as the simple harmonic proportions of Just Int.
 or Pythagorean or Meantone.  ---ric
  >>

Well, this is the very appeal that ET has, of course.  Every chord sounds 
only "a little" off.  The idea being that if everything you play sounds only 
a little off, you won't be able to identify any particular problem with how 
the temperament interferes with the music because it will only interfere just 
a little and equally so.  You won't be able to pick through intervals and 
"bang" on any that sound a little too "sour" or too "dead" because if you've 
really got the temperament perfectly equal, each and every interval and 
musical chord will be impure by the same amount.

But then, who really ever gets the temperament perfectly equal?  Yes, today, 
with modern ETD's people do much better than they used to but not all tuners 
use an ETD and among those that do, how many really get the tuning to hold on 
perfectly to the program.  What if the program itself is erroneous?  How many 
times have you heard tuners claim that "the temperament doesn't matter, only 
the unisons and octaves do"?  What kinds of effects are found in these 
renderings that are intended and believed to be ET but really aren't?

Now, I'll be immediately accused of thinking that I am the only one in the 
world who knows how to tune a piano and everyone else only thinks they do.  I 
have never said that but it sure was put in writing on this List for all to 
seize upon and take up arms.  But what if it really does come close to the 
truth?  What if it is a case of "The Emperor Has No Clothes!"?  That is, 
something which should be obvious to all but for which the realization is 
just too threatening to accept.  The high and mighty ET never really was, is 
not now and hardly could ever be.  If we can ignore the reality, though and 
just maintain our steadfast *belief* in it, at least we will have our *faith* 
in it as a principal to hold on to.  Right?

Once a few people start to really get it, they start saying things like, 
"...it actually sounds better after it "ripens" a little bit".  What happens 
to these dandy little proportions in a case like that?  What kind of effect 
on music does one of those temperaments, hastily constructed that favors pure 
5ths and lets 3rds become haphazard or even the reverse of what would be 
found in a Well-Temperament or Meantone?  What kind of effect does a lifetime 
of backwards temperament have on people for whom it is offered and identified 
as ET, the preferred way or even the only *correct* way to tune the piano?

ET has no proportionate nor equal beating intervals.  When tuned as designed 
and used as intended, it offers complete neutrality, the absence of any 
distinction or "color" whatsoever.  The defenders of the use of ET point to 
this as some kind of musical advantage when in reality, it represents a 
disadvantage albeit slight and evenly distributed to all keys.  So starved 
are musicians and listeners alike to hear some kind of tonal distinction, 
that a mere change of pitch is perceived as that distinction.

I'd rather concentrate on attaining true tonal distinction, proportionate and 
equal beating than just wishing it were there.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin