source file: m1348.txt
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 98 18:39 GMT0

Subject: Re: Meantone

From: gbreed@cix.compulink.co.uk (Graham Breed)

Bob Lee wrote:

> Second question: I notice that the tuning above has the "in tune" fourths
> tuned to 502 cents.  I'm tuning a pedal steel with the fourths at 503 cents.
> I really like it.  What should I call this temperament?

For a start, you're mistaking 1/64ths of a semitone for cents.  1/4
comma meantone has a fourth of about 503.4 cents.  Your temperament,
then, isn't far off.  The fourths and fifths will be better, but the
minor thirds will be worse.  I've got it tuned up on my keyboard,
and it does sound good.  Given the accuracy of most tuning meters,
you can probably call it 1/4 comma meantone for the difference it
makes.  More accurately, it's 0.230416 comma meantone.


Now, on the meantone thread, I do now own a guitar and I'm thinking
about how to refret it.  I've decided it has to be a meantone
temperament, with 19 frets per octave and a bonus fret at the top.
At the moment, I'm planning on a tone of 160.8 moct, which makes a
fifth of about 696.5 cents.  Comments would be welcome, but I'm
fairly independently minded, so I'll probably go ahead with this
anyway.