source file: mills3.txt Date: Mon, 25 Aug 1997 22:11:43 +0200 Subject: Srutis From: alves@orion.ac.hmc.edu (Bill Alves) The first known Indian treatise to describe the octave divided into 22 srutis is the Natyasastra of Bharata. Estimates of its date range from the 5th century BC to the 4th century AD. I tend to trust Jairazbhoy, who estimates that it comes from the "first few centuries AD." Bharata discusses two grama, or scale-types: Sa-grama -- 4 3 2 4 4 3 2 -- and Ma-grama -- 4 3 4 2 4 3 2. He does not discuss their precise tuning. The first treatise that I know of to introduce the modern concept of 12 pitch levels (svarasthanas) per octave was the Chaturdandi Prakasika of Venkatamakhi, from the mid-17th century. The reconciliation of these 12 to the 22 sruti is a controversial issue to the present day. The first treatises to describe the tuning of the sruti in terms of string lengths also come from the 17th century and describe just intonation. However, the idea that sruti should be tuned in JI is by no means universally accepted in the 20th century. Bhatkande went with 22TET, though with the qualification that practical music making would deviate from that ideal. Jairazbhoy argues for the expressive use of temperament, though not for any particular fixed tuning system. Empirical studies by Jairazbhoy's student Mark Levy failed to find any consistent preference for a particular tuning system among Indian vocalists. Bill ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ Bill Alves email: alves@hmc.edu ^ ^ Harvey Mudd College URL: http://www2.hmc.edu/~alves/ ^ ^ 301 E. Twelfth St. (909)607-4170 (office) ^ ^ Claremont CA 91711 USA (909)607-7600 (fax) ^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ SMTPOriginator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu From: lucy@ilhawaii.net Subject: Clarification of L & s in LucyTuning. PostedDate: 28-08-97 09:37:49 SendTo: CN=coul1358/OU=AT/O=EZH ReplyTo: tuning@eartha.mills.edu $UpdatedBy: CN=notesrv2/OU=Server/O=EZH,CN=coul1358/OU=AT/O=EZH,CN=Manuel op de Coul/OU=AT/O=EZH RouteServers: CN=notesrv2/OU=Server/O=EZH,CN=notesrv1/OU=Server/O=EZH RouteTimes: 28-08-97 10:20:01-28-08-97 10:20:03,28-08-97 10:17:36-28-08-97 10:17:36 DeliveredDate: 28-08-97 10:17:36 Categories: $Revisions: Received: from ns.ezh.nl by notesrv2.ezh.nl (Lotus SMTP MTA v1.1 (385.6 5-6-1997)) with SMTP id C1256501.002DC44C; Thu, 28 Aug 1997 10:19:53 +0200 Received: by ns.ezh.nl; (5.65v3.2/1.3/10May95) id AA03073; Thu, 28 Aug 1997 09:37:49 +0200 Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 09:37:49 +0200 Received: from ella.mills.edu by ns (smtpxd); id XA03071 Received: (qmail 19024 invoked from network); 28 Aug 1997 07:37:46 -0000 Received: from localhost (HELO ella.mills.edu) (127.0.0.1) by localhost with SMTP; 28 Aug 1997 07:37:46 -0000 Message-Id: Errors-To: madole@mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@eartha.mills.edu