Re: [linux-audio-user] in tune - stupid thread

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Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] in tune - stupid thread
From: John Anderson (ardour_AT_semiosix.com)
Date: Mon Dec 20 2004 - 08:29:43 EET


On Mon, 2004-12-20 at 01:40, Lee Revell wrote:
> On Sun, 2004-12-19 at 23:29 +0200, John Anderson wrote:
> > It's a long story, so I won't go into detail. Google for Just Intonation
> > if you want to know more. It sheds a different light on various
> > questions like, where *is* that confounded blue note? Why do major
> > chords sound crap on overdrive? What's the deal with barbershop and
> > string quartets? Why is D minor the saddest key? If I tune the B string
> > by ear to the G string, why is it out of tune with the E string?
>
> I think this is called "well tempered tuning".

Well-tempered tunings were compromises between "pure" just intonation,
and the ability to play in more than one key, and modulate between keys
without retuning the instrument. In well-tempered tunings, the intervals
are slightly different for each key. Which explains why classical
composers used to argue about what "colour" a given key was. And why you
never find baroque music in F# (the 5th was about 20 cents out - the
wolf fifth).

bye
John


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