Tuning Systems

Tuning Systems

• Just Intonation
• Microtonal

Tuning Systems

• Magazines and E-zines

Tuning Systems Links

• Tuning and Temperament Bibliography Huge list of print books, magazines, and journal articles on tuning systems. A must-visit for people seriously researching tuning systems.
  
  
• The History of Musical Tuning and Temperament Two academic papers, covering music before 1750, and music during the Classical and Romantic periods.
  
• Comparison of Temperaments Table comparing various temperaments, including Equal Temperament, Pythagorean, another natural tuning, two mean-tone tunings, two Well temperaments, two Indian tunings, and two Persian tunings.
  
• The Argument for Equal Temperament Lerdahl's cognitive constraints.
  
• A Tour Up The Harmonic Series Basic introduction to the Pythagorean circle of fifths and the physical basis for the need for alternative tuning systems.
  
• Historical Tuning Includes information on the differences between equal temperament and well temperament and why Bach rejected equal temperament and celebrated well temperament.
  
• Equal Temperament Tuning An introduction to equal temperament for guitarists who have problems tuning their guitars.
  
• Tantrum Tool for the study of temperament anomalies.
  
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Well Tempered Tuning (Wohltemperirt) Paper on the history of the tuning system, as well as information about tuning a harpsichord in this system.
  
• Keyboard temperament analyzer/calculator - Bradley Lehman Excel spreadsheet that analyzes keyboard temperaments: gives beat rates for tuning, and harmonic-tension charts in all keys.
  
• Julian Carrillo and the Thirteenth Sound (1875-1965), Mexican music creator of the microtonal system called the 13th Sound. He reformed the theory of music, invented a new musical written based in numbers and built instrument capable to produce those small intervals.
  
• Modes and Scales in Indian Music Article by David Courtney.
  
• The Alternate Tuning Internet Mailing List For exchanging ideas relevant to alternate tunings, including just intonation, paratactical tunings, experimental musical instrument design, and non-standard equal temperaments.
  
• Understanding Temperaments Tunings used for harpsichords.
  
• An Introduction to Historical Tunings On the development of tuning systems in Medieval Europe (Kirnberger, Young, mean-tone systems, etc.)
  
• World Scale Depository Construction of a reference center of scale measurements throughout the world.
  
• Huygens-Fokker Foundation Center for microtonal music. Promotes microtonal music in all its forms
  
• Tuning by Ratios This paper explores the use of simple ratios to tune musical intervals and chords. Included are a tutorial, a set of computer programs, and a re-tuned two-part invention by J.S. Bach.
  
• Alternate Temperaments: Theory and Philosophy Introduction to tuning systems, based on the cents system. Written by Terry Blackburn.
  
• Pythagorean Tuning and Medieval Polyphony Article by Margo Schulter.
  
• A Beginner's Guide to Temperament Written by Stephen Bicknell for the electronic mailing list Piporg-l.
  
• Justonic Tuning Inc. Pitch Palette software tunes a microtunable synthesizer to just intonation, world scales, historic scales and user scales in real time.