Re: [Harp-L] Re: Temperments of other instruments

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

Piano strings are complex because they are not perfect (limber) strings but 
have stiffness.  This means that the pitch and overtones are slightly 
different when just struck by the hammer and when reverberating later. 
However, we become accustomed to ET and this "imperfection" and relish both 
as characteristic of the instrument.  Guitar strings have less stiffness and 
sound different.

In a similar fashion we have become accustomed to hearing the minor seventh 
of a cross-harp scale and now relish it as a defining characteristic of the 
blues.  The sometimes-dischordant drone of the fifth banjo string is 
characteristic of bluegrass and the one-chord drone is characteristic of the 
bagpipe.  We adapt our tastes to the peculiarities and limitations of our 
instruments.   Then, the instrumental anomalies become integral to the 
music.

Is it true that ET is used whenever the same instrument is used to play in 
different keys because JT in one key isn't JT in others?

Is it true that the human ear prefers JT chords and that performers that use 
their ears to set the pitch of each note (string quartets and a capella 
vocal groups) naturally revert to JT?  Isn't that the charm of the string 
and barbershop quartets?

Vern
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