Thread: The key to keys
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Old 02-11-2019, 10:07 AM
stanron stanron is offline
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The program is not primarily about keys and emotions, although that is mentioned. A harpsichord maker brings in a harpsichord tuned in an way optimised for one or two keys only and plays a piece by William Byrd. It sounds sweet. He then plays it in a different key and it sounds comically out of tune. He then changes the tuning to demonstrate other tuning conventions. Other musicians give demonstrations of different keyboard instruments tuned to different temperaments.

To achieve these different temperaments on guitar you would have to refret the instrument each time. At one time frets were gut or string tied around the neck and I presume that they could be moved.

Although equal temperament was spoken of as a bad thing the program showed that it is a compromise, and a compromise that guitar players have to live with.
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