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Brief explanation of temperaments – Kawai CN4 User Manual

Page 43

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TOUCH, TRANSPOSE AND MENU BUTTONS

Touch, T

ranspose

and Menu Buttons

After Selecting the “Temperament” function by pressing the MENU

buttons, use the VALUE buttons to select your desired

temperament.

The LCD display shows the type of temperament
currently selected.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF TEMPERAMENTS

EQUAL TEMPERAMENT (PIANO ONLY)

This is the default temperament. If a piano sound is selected the tuning is

stretched like an acoustic piano (EQUAL TEMPERAMENT). If any other

type of sound is selected the tuning will be EQUAL (FLAT). An explanation

of EQUAL TEMPERAMENT and EQUAL TEMPERAMENT (FLAT) is

provided later in this section.

NOTE

If a piano sound is used in a layer with any other sound then both sounds

will use the EQUAL TEMPERAMENT (Stretched) tuning.

MERSENNE PURE TEMPERAMENT (MAJOR)
MERSENNE PURE TEMPERAMENT (MINOR)

This temperament, which eliminates dissonance’s for thirds and fifths is

still popular for choral music because of its perfect harmony.

You need to be aware what key you are playing in with this temperament.

Any key modulation will result in dissonance’s. When you play music in a

particular key, you need to match the key of the temperament as well.

When playing in a major key select Pure (Major) and when playing in a

minor key select Pure (minor).

PYTHAGOREAN TEMPERAMENT

This temperament, which uses mathematical ratios to eliminate

dissonance for fifths, is very limited for use with chords, but it produces

very characteristic melodic lines.

MEANTONE TEMPERAMENT

This temperament, which uses a mean between a major and minor whole

tone to eliminate dissonance for thirds, was devised to eliminate the lack

of consonance’s experienced with certain fifths for the Mersenne pure

temperament. It produces chords that are more beautiful than those with

the equal temperament.

8 Temperament
= Equal(P.only)

8 Temperament
= Pure(minor)

8 Temperament
= Pythagorean

8 Temperament
= Pure(Major)

8 Temperament
= Equal(P.only)

8 Temperament
= Meantone