using beats to tune

Charles Neuman piano@charlesneuman.net
Thu, 15 Nov 2001 14:35:40 -0500


Richard wrote:
 > In tuning [prior to the middle of the 1800's], one started with ones
 > pitch source and then tuned not by comparing two notes played
 > simultaneously, but by playing one note then tuning the next by ear.
 > Testing was done by listening to chords and not intervals.

I'll bet they put lots of stretch in their octaves. At our last chapter 
meeting, a guy from Steinway did a demo in which we were "tricked" into 
putting way too much stretch in the octaves. The point was to show that 
the ear wants lots of stretch when you play the notes separately like that.

Charles






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