Key of temperament – Kawai CN4 User Manual

Page 44

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KAWAI DIGITAL PIANO CN4

Touch, T

ranspose

and Menu Buttons

WERCKMEISTER III TEMPERAMENT
KIRNBERGER III TEMPERAMENT

These two temperaments are placed in between Meantone and

Pythagorean. For music with few accidentals, this temperament produces

the beautiful chords of the mean tone, but as accidentals increase, the

temperament produces the characteristic melodies of the Pythagorean

temperament. It is used primarily for classical music written in the

Baroque era to revive the original characteristics.

EQUAL TEMPERAMENT (FLAT)

This is “unstretched” equal temperament that divides the scale into twelve

equal semitones. This produces the same chordal intervals in all twelve

keys, and has the advantage of limitless modulation of the key. However

the tonality of each key becomes less characteristic and no chord is in

pure consonance.

EQUAL TEMPERAMENT

This is the most popular piano temperament. The hearing ability of a

human is uneven and is not as accurate with high frequency and low

frequency as it is with the middle range. This temperament’s tuning is

stretched to compensate for this so the sound will be heard naturally to

the ears. This “Stretched” equal temperament is a practical variation of

the “unstretched” equal temperament which was invented on a

mathematical basis.

NOTE

After you have selected the desired temperament, please read the following

section on selecting a key signature for the temperament before

continuing.

9. KEY OF TEMPERAMENT

Limitless modulation of the key became available only after the invention

of Equal temperament. When we use a temperament other than Equal

temperament, we must carefully choose the key signature to play in.

For example, if the song you are going to play is written in D major, choose

“D” as the temperament key.

After selecting the “Key Signature” function by pressing the MENU

buttons, use the VALUE buttons to set the desired key.

The LCD display shows the currently selected key
signature .

Please note that changing the key of the temperament will only change

the “balance” of the tuning, the pitch of the keyboard remains unchanged.

8 Temperament
= Equal(flat)

8 Temperament
= Equal

9 Key of Temper
= C

8 Temperament
= Kirnberger

8 Temperament
= Werckmeister

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