source file: mills2.txt Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 18:30:52 -0700 Subject: Why ET-x? From: DFinnamore@aol.com Excuse me if this question sounds a bit ignorant. I expected to find discussions mostly of just tuning issues on this list, but there seems to be as much discussion of various ET scales. This puzzles me. We've been stuck with a handful of pitch "islands," to use Brian Eno's term, for a few hundred years now. Finally, technology is giving us keyboards with virtually continuous pitch possibilities, allowing us to produce music that is more consistent with natural principles (acoustics, psycho-acoustics, etc.). Why continue exploring various equal temperaments? What is the value in it? Please understand, I'm not registering a complaint or leveling a criticism; I just don't know what the heck's the dang big deal with ETs. Myself, I'm glad to be rid of the dern varmints. But I'd be fascinated to see a good apology (justification) in favor of them. David J. Finnamore Nashville-based musician, recording engineer, music technology consultant, co-author of CD "Rings of Power, Volume One" (instrumental music for fantasy role-playing) Received: from ns.ezh.nl [137.174.112.59] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Sat, 3 May 1997 11:12 +0200 Received: by ns.ezh.nl; (5.65v3.2/1.3/10May95) id AA03388; Sat, 3 May 1997 11:12:37 +0200 Received: from ella.mills.edu by ns (smtpxd); id XA03396 Received: from by ella.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) id CAA09967; Sat, 3 May 1997 02:08:18 -0700 Date: Sat, 3 May 1997 02:08:18 -0700 Message-Id: Errors-To: madole@mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@ella.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@ella.mills.edu