Re: meantone pattern of keys default

--- In MakeMicroMusic@y..., "X. J. Scott" <xjscott@e...> wrote:
>
> [Paul:]
>
> > this would be the typical D-d "octave" of a 12-note implementation
> > of
>
> > this tuning (three sharps and two flats, the usual default) . . .
of
> > course there's no reason to stop at 12 as opposed to, say, 7 or
19;
> > and maybe C-c would be preferable for some users . . .
>
> Paul & Judy,
>
> Q1. What's the pattern?
>
> Based on what you said, I first thought it must be: "2 up,
> then 1 down":
>
> C,G, F, D,A, Bb, E,B, Eb, F#,C#, Ab [12]
> C,G, F, D,A, Bb, E,B, Eb, F#,C#, Ab, G#,D#, Db, A#,E#, Gb, B#
> [19]
>
> But that gives two sharps and three flats.
> Then thought the pattern might be "3 up, 1 down":
>
> C,G,D; F; A,E,B; Bb; F#,C#,G#; Eb; [12]
> C,G,D; F; A,E,B; Bb; F#,C#,G#; Eb; D#,A#,E#; Ab; B#,FX,CX [19]
>
> Which does it, but that sure seems lopsided for a default 12
> note meantone keyboard tuning.

the "pattern" is usually "1 up, 1 down" starting from D as *center*:

D; A; G; E; C; B; F; F#; Bb; C#; Eb; G# [12]
D; A; G; E; C; B; F; F#; Bb; C#; Eb; G#; Ab; D#; Db; A#; Gb; E#; Cb
[19]

> Q2. Was C really considered the center of this default three
> sharp two flat meantone tuning?

not the center -- however, when specifying a 12-tone tuning, it is
*extremely* customary to go from C to c.

> Was the default selection of sharps and flats pretty much what
> to always expect

no; in some places and times Ab was "default" rather than G#.

> or would a performer shift the C# to Dd on
> occasion?

if you didn't have split keys, retuning your keyboard for the piece
was expected from most performers in the renaissance era -- in the
baroque and classical eras some regions adopted well-temperaments and
so didn't have to go through this process.

> If so, how often? And how often to go further and
> tweak the F# to Gb? Would it ever go further? How often?

the most common tradeoffs were:

G# vs. Ab
D# vs. Eb

Gb is rare in keyboard music from this period.