Re: [Harp-L] Which tuning

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

capt ron wrote:
> Great observation, thanks.  What tunings do people who play in 12 
> position usually prefer - equal temperment?

Obviously, there's no one right answer.  The best temperament for a 
tuning is probably best dictated by the style of the player.  The 
original poster said he rarely used chords, and that he played in 
different positions, but never mentioned 12th specifically.  I just 
picked that as an example.  In another example, just intonation would 
place the 2, 5 and 8 blow notes - E on a C harp and the tonic in 5th 
position - something like 14 cents flat of 12TET.  

Someone who rarely plays chords is not going to get a lot of benefit 
from a temperament that optimizes the consonance of chords, but might 
see some problems with the intonation of individual notes.  The 
deviation from 12TET and where those notes fall in the scale will make 
that more or less of a problem.  Another issue might be the need to 
double other chromatic instruments.  Those players would probably be 
better served by 12TET.  

-tim