source file: mills2.txt
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 1997 08:21:15 -0700

Subject: Re: Post: RE: NYC music

From: mr88cet@texas.net (Gary Morrison)

>Alternate-tuned guitar means any tuning other than EADGBE -- though still
>equal temperament in all probability. This is the ALTERNATIVE tuning mailing
>list, meaning non-12tET. The fact that Beck is an "alternative" artist
>should not help his case either.

   That's another annoying little terminological problem.  I personally
think that "alternate" and "alternative" is too small a linguistic
distinction to expect people to learn and make in normal speech.  I
therefore using "microtones", "xenharmonics", "unusual tunings", or (in
some cases) "nontraditional tunings".

   That latter term, however, I apply to a smaller group of tunings than
"xenharmonics" or "unusual tunings" for example.  To me at least, 5-limit
diatonic JI, and most typical usages of meantone are traditional but
unusual tunings.  They are traditional in that they have a historical
underpinning, and also in that they are capable of (only) diatonic melody
and well-known 5-limit harmonies.  The are unusual though in that those
melodic and harmonic possibilities sound different from 12TET.

   "Nontraditional" tunings to me are those that provide nondiatonic
melody, or nontraditional (e.g., 11-limit) harmonies.  These are clearly
unusual as well.



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