Temperament: Difference between revisions

m Wording in intro; misc. cleanup
***definition of tempering***
 
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The term '''temperament''' is used in a number of distinct but related senses, depending on context.
The term '''temperament''' is used in a number of distinct but related senses, depending on context.


During the {{w|common practice period}}, the term ''temperament'' was used to describe a [[tuning system]] that slightly compromised the pure [[interval]]s of [[low-complexity just intonation]] to meet other requirements. Nowadays, a temperament in this sense can also be called a '''tempered tuning system''' (often shortened to '''tempered tuning''') to avoid any ambiguity, and it can be designed to approximate any set of pitches.
During the {{w|common practice period}}, the term ''temperament'' was used to describe a [[tuning system]] that adopted the technique of '''tempering''', i.e., slightly compromising the pure [[interval]]s of [[low-complexity just intonation]] to meet other requirements. Nowadays, a temperament in this sense can also be called a '''tempered tuning system''' (often shortened to '''tempered tuning''') to avoid any ambiguity, and it can be designed to approximate any set of pitches.


In regular temperament theory, the term ''temperament'' usually refers to a [[regular temperament]], an abstract mathematical structure from which tempered tuning systems can be derived.
In regular temperament theory, the term ''temperament'' usually refers to a [[regular temperament]], an abstract mathematical structure from which tempered tuning systems can be derived.