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Chapter 8 Changing Various Settings
Chapter 8
■ Changing the Tuning
Choosing the Tuning
You can play classical music such as baroque pieces using
their original tuning.
Most modern songs are composed and played with the
assumption that equal temperament (the most common
tuning in use today) will be used, but when classical music
was composed, there were a wide variety of other tuning
systems in existence. Playing a composition with its original
tuning lets you enjoy the sonorities of the chords that the
composer originally intended.
1. At the Piano Customize screen (p. 142), touch
<Tuning>.
The following screen will appear.
fig.08-06.eps
2. Touch any one of the icons to choose the tuning
system.
You can choose from among the eight tunings described
below.
Tuning system Characteristics
Equal
This tuning divides an octave into 12 equal
parts. Every interval produces about the same
amount of slight dissonance. This setting is in
effect when you turn on the power.
Just Major This scale eliminates dissonance in fifths
and thirds. It is unsuited to playing
melodies and cannot be transposed, but
produces beautiful chords.
Just Minor The scales of the major and minor just
intonations are different. You can get the
same effect with the minor scale as with the
major scale.
Arabic This scale is suitable for Arabic music.
Kirnberger This scale is a modification of the meantone
and just intonations that permits greater
freedom in transposition to other keys.
Performances are possible in all keys (III).
Mean Tone This scale makes some compromises in just
intonation, enabling transposition to other
keys.
Pythagorean This scale devised by the philosopher
Pythagoras eliminates dissonance in fourths
and fifths. Dissonance is produced by third-
interval chords, but melodies are
euphonious.
Werckmeister This is a combination of the mean tone and
Pythagorean scales. Performances are
possible in all keys (first technique, III).
3. Touch to choose the keynote.
When playing with tuning other than equal
temperament, you need to specify the ground note for
tuning the song to be performed (that is, the note that
corresponds to C for a major key or to A for a minor
key).
If you choose an equal temperament, there’s no need to
select a keynote.
Changing the Tuning Curve
A piano is generally tuned to a pitch with a lower bass range
and a higher treble range than equal temperament. This
special tuning method for pianos is called “Stretch Tuning.”
A graph that shows the changes in pitch of actual tuning
compared with the changes in equal temperament pitch is
called a tuning curve. Changing the tuning curve produces
subtle variations in the reverberations of the chords you play.
1. Touch the <Stretch Tuning> icon to choose the
tuning curve.
Display Characteristics
ON This tuning curve expands the bass and treble
ends somewhat (Stretch Tuning). It is suitable for
performances such as piano solos. This setting is
in effect when you turn on the power.
OFF This is the standard tuning curve. It is suitable
when playing layered tones, or for playing in
ensemble with other instruments.
Touch <Exit> to go back to the Piano Customize screen.