Tuning and temperament

[chuckles]

Could I trouble the techs and tuners amongst you out there for some clarification?

I understand that nowadays most pianos are tuned to equal temperament, but I also the process is largely aural and by instinct and experience and allowances have to be made for the overtones or partials.

How is 'equal temperament' achieved then while tuning aurally? I understand each key has to be precisely and equally 'out of tune' with each other?

Or perhaps each tuner has his or her own preference and tunes instead to a personal 'well-temperament' which makes all keys playable but some sound different but acceptable (ie werkmeister etc)?

I hope I haven't posted something really offtopic here, but it is of great interest to me. Thanks

Cheers.

[Barrie Heaton]

Could I trouble the techs and tuners amongst you out there for some clarification?

I understand that nowadays most pianos are tuned to equal temperament, but I also the process is largely aural and by instinct and experience and allowances have to be made for the overtones or partials.

How is 'equal temperament' achieved then while tuning aurally? I understand each key has to be precisely and equally 'out of tune' with each other?
.

If you have 3 years to spare you could learn we listen to the beat rate of the intervals the scale is the hardest part to learn in tuning training is normally done on a one to one it is like playing the piano the more you practices the better you get

Or perhaps each tuner has his or her own preference and tunes instead to a personal 'well-temperament' which makes all keys playable but some sound different but acceptable (ie werkmeister etc)?
.

If the tuner is tuning in ET then ET it is However, there is a growing number of piano player who are requesting some of the older scales go and read this page on our site http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html

And if your are keen go here http://www.ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech/
and search on Historical Temperaments there is about 1335 post

I hope I haven't posted something really offtopic here, but it is of great interest to me. Thanks

Cheers.

Nope if it is about pianos it is on topic have fun

Barrei,