Temperament: Difference between revisions
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{{Wikipedia|Musical temperament}} | {{Wikipedia|Musical temperament}} | ||
The term '''temperament''' is used in a number of distinct senses, depending on context. | The term '''temperament''' is used in a number of distinct but related senses, depending on context. | ||
During the | 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. | ||
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. | ||
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In Western music history, the first temperament to be described by theorists was the [[meantone]] temperament, in the beginning of the 16th century. It was developed in an attempt to solve some of the issues of the [[Pythagorean tuning]], the most commonly used tuning system until then. In particular, the pure fifths ([[3/2]]) are slightly compromised in order to obtain either pure major thirds ([[5/4]]), in [[quarter-comma meantone]], or slightly compromised major thirds in other meantone tunings. The linear structure of meantone has laid the foundations for the development of [[regular temperament theory]]. | In Western music history, the first temperament to be described by theorists was the [[meantone]] temperament, in the beginning of the 16th century. It was developed in an attempt to solve some of the issues of the [[Pythagorean tuning]], the most commonly used tuning system until then. In particular, the pure fifths ([[3/2]]) are slightly compromised in order to obtain either pure major thirds ([[5/4]]), in [[quarter-comma meantone]], or slightly compromised major thirds in other meantone tunings. The linear structure of meantone has laid the foundations for the development of [[regular temperament theory]]. | ||
Later in the 16th century, other theorists proposed several [[equal temperament]]s, including [[12edo|12-tone equal temperament]] (12-TET), [[19edo|19-tone equal temperament]] (19-TET) and [[31edo|31-tone equal temperament]] (31-TET). Equal temperaments are now often called [[equal divisions of the octave]] in order to distinguish them from other [[equal tuning]]s with the same number of notes spanning an interval other than the [[octave]] ([[nonoctave]] tunings). | Later in the 16th century, other theorists proposed several [[equal temperament]]s, including [[12edo|12-tone equal temperament]] (12-TET), [[19edo|19-tone equal temperament]] (19-TET) and [[31edo|31-tone equal temperament]] (31-TET). Equal temperaments are now often called [[equal divisions of the octave]] (EDO or edo) in order to distinguish them from other [[equal tuning]]s with the same number of notes spanning an interval other than the [[octave]] ([[nonoctave]] tunings). | ||
Because the previous systems have their own issues, a new kind of temperaments appeared in the 17th century: well temperaments. Their irregular structure allow for more flexibility in the way each note is tuned, and thus how each interval is compromised. As a result, most scales sound different when they are transposed to a different key. | Because the previous systems have their own issues, a new kind of temperaments appeared in the 17th century: well temperaments. Their irregular structure allow for more flexibility in the way each note is tuned, and thus how each interval is compromised. As a result, most scales sound different when they are transposed to a different key. | ||
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* [[Historical temperaments]] | * [[Historical temperaments]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Tuning]] | ||