Tabula rasa...yup

Thanks to Paul Erlich for his interest in my comments regarding the Monz
I-IV-V7-I tuning experiment.
Here are some more...

Incidentally, I found this experiment the *most* interesting thing I have
done on the Tuning List so far. Wow. [& golly, gee wiz, etc...]

However, I must confess that my observations were "flavored" by the use of
a poor sound card at "work..." [yes, I also got my DMA, but ended up
having to.... blah, blah]

Well, anyway, I figured out, *FINALLY* how to get the files to play through
my AWE64 sound card... probably pretty similar to the card that Joe Monzo
was using to create them. The problem before was the fact that I never
thought to play the sound card through the *sequencer!* Duh! I was using
some little MIDI utility with the computer. No wonder the card wouldn't
bend properly!

Now, however, I believe I have an accurate representation of the files.

I am doing what I can to forget *everything* I have thought about the
files, and also the comments by both tuning Sysop (almost! -- remember
those early on-line forum days??) Paul Erlich and Joe Monzo. This is not
difficult to do, since my memory is rather poor anyway.

So we will try to begin with a "tabula rasa." Yup. Not difficult.

The adaptive JI example devised by David Keenen [BTW I'm really missing him
and especially Monz... hope they come back soon!] seemed about the most
natural of the JI's -- however I found the V-7 chord sounding a little
"pinched." Is that the smaller third??... well probably the whole 4:5 and
4:7. Not bad, though... I could certainly get used to it...

The good ol' 12-tET... well, I'm so used to hearing this version that I can
hardly hear it at all anymore! Certainly the third seemed *very* large on
the V-7. After hearing so many other things these days, I personally don't
like it very much any more. I'm sure that makes a lot of difference to a
lot of people...

The 5 limit 9:16 [you are *SO* right as always P. Erlich, I had omitted
it!] is actually not so bad for me...For me it seems fairly similar to the
Keenan. Is it?? I'm not getting the math here... I need a quick
"rundown.."

The 5 limit 5:9 is really terrible. The V-7 is awful. I think almost
everyone agrees on this one... I don't know mathematically why this is so
bad. I guess 27/20 is a pretty "big number" ratio in this context... I
guess the "new" "adaptive" one that Keenan devised and Monz never got to
would raise *all* the members of the IV chord +7.2 cents, and *lower* the
V-7 by -7.2 cents. It would be pretty kuhl to hear that one...

With the system I am now using, I have to concur that the 7-limit is
schlectikeit. Pooh. No dig. The transition between the V-7 is really not
smooth... I revise my previous opinions... based, I believe on
equipmental, rather than "operator" error...

The Pythagorean this time came off very similar to the 12-tET. I guess
that's not terribly surprising... The third of the V-7 seemed *terribly*
large though.

And the last entry, the "historically graced" 1/4 comma-m-t... Well, this
time the thirds seemed a little small, cramped to me. However, I have the
feeling I could "get used to" it. Certainly the overall quality of the
progression seems smooth and balanced.

AND THE WINNER IS: ta da... Keenan Adaptive JI and 5 limit just 9:16!!!

_________________
Joseph Pehrson