Microtonal, just intonation, electronic music software Microtonal, just intonation, electronic music software

Encyclopedia of Microtonal Music Theory

@ 00 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Login   |  Encyclopedia Index

temperament ordinaire

(French: "ordinary temperament")

[Joe Monzo]

A closed 12-note tuning, designed specifically for application to keyboards, which may be viewed as a variant of the well-temperament concept. It arose and became popular in France during the 1600s; a good example is the tuning designed by Chaumont.

A temperament ordinaire generally has most of its "5ths" tuned narrower than "pure" (i.e., the 3:2 ratio) as in 1/4-comma meantone, then a few "5ths" tuned wider than "pure" by some fraction of the syntonic comma.

This is contrasted with a well-temperament, where most "5ths" are tuned pure and some are narrowed by a fraction of the pythagorean comma.

. . . . . . . . .

The tonalsoft.com website is almost entirely the work of one person: me, Joe Monzo. Please reward me for my knowledge and effort by choosing your preferred level of financial support. Thank you.

support level