source file: mills3.txt


Subject:  Re: Tuning of meantone guitars.

From:  mr88cet@texas.net

>Gary asked how I tune my negative meantone guitars.
>I use A4=440, as my reference pitch ... I tune the open strings to EADGBE
>from the IV or III frets
>This ritual usually includes.

   I was guess I should have been more specific than "how do you tune" (if
that's how I phrased it).  I was specifically wondering about your choice
of open-string pitches, not absolute pitch reference nor the procedure by
which you tune those pitches.

   Based upon the traditional EADGBE tuning, then as I think about it,
you're probably right that it is possible to get 12 consistent pitches per
octave across its whole range with frets that go straight across the
fingerboard, but you'll be somewhat biased toward sharp-based key
signtures.

   EADGBE tuning spans a stack of five fifths:  G-D-A-E-B.  Once you set
all of those fifths at what the meantone dictates, you will have
established straight-across frets to match those pitches on all strings,
the pitches for G, D, A, E, B, F#, C#, G#, and D#.  The only three
remaining pitches to establish are Bb, F, and C.  That gives you four
sharps and only one flat, which is fine but a little off-balance in terms
of existing repertoire.



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