Learning Aural Tuning (Broadwood)

[Richard Moody]

Below is from James Broadwood in 1811---the sequence for tuning ET

 "From whatever tone the tuner begins, it is still the practice,
as in the old system of temperament, to the end the succession of
fifths {tuned up from the starting note} at G# and those {tuned
down} at Eb, whereby the  inequalities arising from careless or
defective divisions are thrown into the key of A flat; with this
view I prefer tuning from A{4} the second space in the treble clef
as being less remote from these two finishing fifths; ..the A
being tuned to the fork, tune A{3} below an octave, then E{4}
above, a fifth; then B{4} above a fifth, then B{3} below an
octave, then F#{4} a fifth above, then its octave F#{3} below,
then C?{4} its fifth above, then G#{4} its fifth above, and then
G#{3} its octave below.  We then take a fresh departure from A{4},
tuning D{4} its fifth below, then G{3} its fifth below, then G{4}
its octave above, then C{4} {middle C}  its fifth below, then C{5}
its octave above, then F{4} its fifth below, then B flat{3} its
fifth below,  then B flat{4} its octave above, then E flat{4} its
fifth below."
 "If the whole be tuned correctly, the G sharp with the D sharp,
(which is the same tone on the piano-forte as E flat) will be
found to make the same concord, that is, possess the same interval
as the other fifths."

For those who find this difficult Broadwood offers....

       "Those who after giving this method attentive trial, are
still unable to satisfy themselves may have recourse to a set of
twelve forks correctly tuned, to twelve semitones.".  "Some
gentlemen who have made trial of this mode have written to me that
they have succeeded beyond their most sanguine expectation, and
find themselves competent to put their instruments in better tune
than they could before get done for them in their neighbourhood."


---rm