On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 9:55 PM, Burkhard Wölfel <versuchsanstalt@xxxxxx> wrote:
I recently got into an argument (on the python list so more OT there than here :-) ) about whether a B# is the same as C.They are different pointers to the same acoustic phenomenon. Which can be useful to have in one context and confusing in another one.
I dont have a B# vs C example ready offhand but here is an example where G# is a different acoustical phenomenon from Ab in C major context.
In Beethoven piano sonata no 32 2nd movement there is a Ab and a G# within a couple of bars of each other.
If I put my keyboard in 'Just major-C' tuning, the G# sounds right, the Ab sounds wrong
If I put it into 'Just minor-C' tuning the Ab sounds right the G# sounds wrong
My explanation (to be taken with liberal salt given my music theory and tuning theory novice status):
The augmented fifth (G#) is a different note from the minor sixth (Ab)
Equal temperament chooses a midpoint between the two as an approximation to both
They are 772 800 813 cents in http://www.kylegann.com/Octave.html
The above is a more theoretical discussion.
Pragmatically, one cannot play Beethoven in Just intonation.
But equally(!) Equal temperament is suboptimal
It's the listening ear that turns sound into music.
Nice quote!
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