Meantone Tuning (Simple Instructions)

To play using quarter comma meantone temperament, you’ll need a microtonal keyboard:

• If your keyboard has global tuning, tune each key to the cent values from the keyboard chart above.
• The cent values have been rounded to the nearest cent to allow keyboards with a 1 cent tuning resolution to use the temperament.
• This chart centers on the key of C major. However, it can also modulate to G major; D major; and C natural, harmonic, and melodic minor.

Unlike the well temperaments, meantone temperaments aren’t circular, meaning that only some of the keys will work.

• The sharp and flat labeling gives you a clue where the problems occur, which explains why we won’t use enharmonic equivalents.
• The major thirds can be very much in tune harmonically: C&E, F&A, G&B, D&F^#, A&C^#, E^b&G, A^b&C, and B^b&D.
• Or they’re entirely out of tune: E&A^b, F^#&B^b, C^#&F, and B&E^b.
• The minor thirds can be fairly in tune harmonically: C&E^b, D&F, E&G, F&A^b, G&B^b, A&C, B&D, C^#&E, and F^#&A.
• Or they’re entirely out of tune: E^b&F^# and A^b&B.
• All the fifths are fairly in tune harmonically until you come to the wolf interval between C^#&A^b.
• Melodically, the leading tone (B) is very low.

As you play, listen to which combinations of notes work and which don’t.

Back in the 1700s, keyboardists (harpsichord and piano) would tune their own instruments.

• Since meantone tuning limits what major and minor keys can be played, keyboardists tuned the keyboard to the key of the musical composition.
• This explains why you get music with titles like Minuet in C, Sonata in D, etc.
• It’s because the performer had to know the key of the piece in order to get the keyboard properly tuned.