The archive contains posts discussing equal temperament.
What is equal temperament, and why do we use it to tune?
Equal temperament (ET) is the standard for tuning pianos. ET first came into common use in Europe, but Zhu Zaiyu of China first worked out the math in the late 1500s. However, ET did not impact the everyday Chinese music of the time.
The Chinese had tuned bells, one for each month. Moreover, the bells required a special tuning. They needed to be tuned so that the pitches cycled back to their starting point at the new year.
ET solved this problem. The rest of Chinese music remained pentatonic based, which musicians tuned using concepts from the monochord.
ET in Europe came into use to solve a problem. Namely, the issues caused by the mismatch of vocal versus instrumental tuning.
In the Medieval period, the instruments were tuned using Pythagorean tuning. However, when singers harmonize, they approximate just intonation. This means that instruments tuned to Pythagorean tuning do not support vocal harmony very well.
Diverse compromise systems had gained popularity over the years. Keyboardists tuned up using meantone in Mozart’s day. Meantone does a good job of tuning the major thirds, but can function in only a limited number of keys.
J.S. Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier creates a showcase for Bach’s tuning. We do not know exactly how Bach tuned his keyboard. However, generally the well temperaments can use every key, but some keys remain better in tune than others. Plus, it also creates key coloration.
Equal temperament could be thought of as a very regular well temperament. This gives it several advantages:
However, ET does not work nearly so well with the organ’s tone color. Also, the equal tempered major third remains barely in tune. For this reason, I created Supplemented Equal Temperament (SET). SET is an enhanced version of ET. ET gets discussed in the archive posts mostly in relation to SET.
© 2021 Geoffrey Keith
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Want to get the authentic sound of country blues guitar? Frustrated that your guitar sounds different from your favorite blues artist? The guitar’s tuning impacts the sound. Read more to learn how to tune country blues guitar to achieve an authentic blues sound.
Estimated reading time 7 minutes.
Do you want to know how Alex Lifeson tunes his guitar in the sci-fi rock opera 2112? How does experience with playing the violin or viola impact how guitarists tunes? This space opera may be the only example of a guitarist’s tuning being included as part of the finished product. At the beginning of the section entitled Discovery the hero finds a guitar, then tunes and plays it. Read more to learn about 2112’s guitar tuning.
Estimated reading time 7 minutes.
Frustrated with your out of tune synth chords? Do you want your brass, woodwind, and string programs to sound better? It’s not only the program you select which controls how your synth sounds, the tuning has an impact as well. I created Supplemented Equal Temperament (SET) to produce chords that sound better in tune than equal temperament (the piano’s tuning). Read more to learn how SET minor keys work.
Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Have you just bought a parlor guitar and thought it’d be cool to learn parlor guitar style? The guitar’s tuning impacts how it sounds and what styles will sound good on it. Read more to learn how to play and tune parlor guitar style. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Have you tried retuning your synth, but gotten frustrated by the limited number of keys? Do you want your keyboard’s chords to sound stronger when playing brass, string, and organ sounds? Supplemented Equal Temperament (SET) is a new and powerful tuning system that allows your chords to sound stronger and more in tune. Kurzweil’s PC3K synth also makes it a breeze to switch keys while using SET. Read more to learn how to change keys in Supplemented Equal Temperament. Estimated reading time 7 minutes.
Does singing in tune seem like a mystery with no clues? Knowledge is power. Read more to find out how a harmony’s length impacts singing in tune. Estimated reading time 7 minutes.
Do you want your ukulele to sound like the Hawaiian players? How you tune impacts your ukulele’s sound. Read more to learn how to tune your ukulele like a Hawaiian. You will also learn the song “Aloha ‘Oe (Farewell to Thee).” Estimated reading time 6 minutes.
Are you tired of your band sounding out of tune? Can’t get the classic rock sound when jamming with your group? Read more to learn how to jam like a rock star with open E tuning. You will also learn the song “Gimme Shelter.” Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Do you want to capture the sound of 70s rock guitar? Amp settings, effects, pickups, and strings all play a role in crafting your guitar sound. Nevertheless, the tuning you choose remains an important factor in your guitar sound that you might have overlooked. You will also learn the song “Brown Sugar.” Read more to learn how to sound like a rock star with open G tuning. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Have you had a hard time getting the sound of your favorite rock guitarist? Have you ever felt frustrated that the guitar sounds out of tune? In the post, “Tune Like a Rock Star,” we talked about how Keith Richards tunes his guitar without holding down any frets. Today, you will play an 80s rock guitar style that works well with this special open tuning. Read more to learn how to play like a rock star with open G tuning. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.