4 ms·

Do you mean that there are issues otherwise? Which ones?

• analog31 5y ago
  Many issues. The tuning of each instrument is a bag of compromises, especially on instruments where the notes are not entirely independent of one another. Woodwind instruments have fewer keys than notes, so each key has multiple roles. Each octave has its own quirks. Woodwind instruments have "bad" notes, and I once saw an advertisement for a flute with a "new improved scale." Brass instruments have their main valves, but also little tuning slides with hooks on them so you can work them in and out with your extra fingers while playing. It's fascinating to see someone play tuba, it takes both hands to work the thing properly. Intonation is a lifelong journey for most musicians. Near the end of his life, they interviewed Ray Brown and asked him if he still needed to practice. He said that he still practiced every day, to improve his intonation. If players sound in tune, it's because of an almost obsessive effort to make that happen. What I'm saying is you can't begin to talk about temperaments until you can play the same note at the same pitch, in any octave, at least twice. I'm a double bassist, and I'm still working on that, after playing for nearly 40 years.
  • narag 5y ago
    Thank you for the detailed explanations. For some reason these details don't get to the widely available texts.