Re: [Harp-L] Temperments of other instruments

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

jazmaan wrote:
> As I understand it, harmonicas can be ET or JI or compromise in-
> between variations.   Pianos are ET.  What about other instruments 
> in the band?   Correct me if I'm wrong, but the human voice is
> JI and fretless instruments are JI.  But what about guitars?  Sax, 
> trumpet?   

For instruments that are capable of producing only one tone at a 
time (in traditional use) like a trumpet or saxophone or clarinet, 
there would be no need to tune to just intonation.  No chords are 
available to exploit that system, and it would create an undue 
hardship as the music originated or modulated through different 
keys.  Indeed, many of these instruments can vary pitch slightly 
through subtle manipluations by the player.  

To say that a continuously variable instrument like a fretless 
stringed instrument (violin, cello, fretless electric bass, etc.) or 
a slide trombone has any "intonation" would apply only to the open 
tunings of the strings, not to any note produced by stops.  Those 
instruments offer truely microtonal capabilities, under the 
influence of the musician.  

Likewise, the human voice obviously has no built in temperament or 
intonation, since it is probably the most felxible of "instruments" 
when it comes to producing pitch variations.  Human nature (or 
perhaps the influence of western music) would be to produce JI 
intervals in the absence of other references (such as an equally 
tempered dominant instrument).  

Remember that 12-tone equal temperament and 7-limit just intonation 
are just two of a myriad of intonation systems developed over the 
years.  While it's true that harmonicas are generally 12TET or 7-
limit just or some compromise in-between, the harmonica is a 
relatively "young" instrument, are tunings reflect only about 100 
years of needing to get along in a musical world.  The history of 
intonations is far richer, with many systems developed for specific 
instruments or specific needs.  To call a piano tuning 
purely "equally tempered" would be a disservice to the tuner, who 
works hard to create pleasing intervals from a basis of 12TET.  

Perhaps JRRoss will weigh in here, he knows far more about tuning 
and temperaments that I do.  

-tim