Another question regarding Well Temperament

Billbrpt@AOL.COM Billbrpt@AOL.COM
Sun, 27 Aug 2000 03:37:28 EDT


In a message dated 8/27/00 2:26:48 AM Central Daylight Time, 
remoody@midstatesd.net (Richard Moody) writes:

<<  But I hear these in ET
 3rds quite often in certain ranges and these beats are not proportional that
 I know of.   Not all the time so I think "conditions" must be
 nvolved.  ---ric >>

The answer is simple but it's the one you really don't want to believe or 
even think about, the "Emperor has no clothes" answer.  The "conditions" you 
speak of are a temperament that isn't really equal but something else, 
something close to ET but still enough different to have distinctly 
beneficial properties.  The opportunity is yours however, to explore what 
that nuance is and why it has an appealing sound. 

If you find that it really makes the piano sound "better" under all or even 
most circumstances, then it is time to realize that standard ET with 
conservatively stretched octaves is but one option and can hardly be 
considered to be "better" than any other arrangement, much less *ideal*.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin


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