Dear Ed, Seeing as you ask, I use an old Korg MT-1200 set to Vallotti. As I understand it, Vallotti is the same as sixth comma meantone as far as the white notes (on the piano) are concerned, so the two temperaments amount to the same thing.
When I have tuned with the box (by listening to the note, not using the needle), I play a few chords to make sure everything sounds OK. I always include these two chords in my check: _c___d__ _e___d__ _f___f__ _e___f__ _c___f__ _____d__ What you say about adding or subtracting two cents from equal temperament is quite true. I would add that you add or subtract more and more cents, the further you go round the circle of fifths: Gb Db Ab Eb Bb F C G D A E B F# C# G# So, if you tune A to 440, you add or subtract the following cents for sixth comma meantone: Gb(+18) Db(+16) Ab(+14) Eb(+12) Bb(+10) F(+8) C(+6) G(+4) D(+2) A E(-2) B(-4) F#(-6) C#(-8) G#(-10) etc. For anyone unfamiliar with the circle of fifths, it is the order you add sharps or flats to the key signature to make scales: C - no sharps or flats G - one sharp (F#) D - two sharps (F#, C#) A - three sharps (F#, C#, G#) etc. or going the other way F - one flat (Bb) Bb - two flats (Bb, Eb) Eb - three flats (Bb, Eb, Ab), etc. When you go round the circle of fifths with equal temperament, you get back to where you start, because F# is the same as Gb, C# is the same as Db, etc. This is why you can talk about "going round the clock", because there are only twelve different notes. With meantone temperaments, these pairs of notes are nowhere near the same - F# is 24 cents lower than Gb - about a quarter of a semitone, so the ends of the circle never meet up. Best wishes, Stewart. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed Durbrow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "lute list" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 12:03 PM Subject: Re: Sixth Comma Meantone > >Does anyone know whether there is an electronic tuner that can be set = > >for the various meantone tunings, or at least one that will show exactly = > >at how many vibrations per second a given string is resonating? > > The Peterson V-SAM allows you to save user definable temperament. > They claim an accuracy of one one-thousandth of a Cent. > > >If so, is anyone = > >mathematician enough to tell me by how much to vary the pitch of A on = > >the tuner for each string? > >... > >After all these questions, it probably would have been easier just to = > >ask Stewart how he goes about tuning the strings to a precise number of = > >vibrations per second. > > I'd be interested to know that too, but I'll throw in my 2 yen. Bear > in mind that's worth less than 2 cents (pun?). > > For 6th comma meantone (I assume you've set your frets), tune your > 1st and 6th courses, then just try to tune the 5th string 2 cents > sharp; the 4th 4 c sharp; the 2nd 2 c flat the 3rd 4 c flat. In my > experience, since the pitch of a lute drops over time, and pegs and > strings are not perfect, it is very difficult to get it spot on, but > that is what I am for. I also have a tastini glued at the first fret > on the fourth string for F sharp. > cheers, > -- > Ed Durbrow
