12 WT (Vallotti)

For a general introduction to European historical tunings and these presets, please visit Introduction to European historical tunings and temperaments.

About this tuning

12-tone well temperament Vallotti (1754). Six fifthsPitches a fifth apart have a 2:3 frequency ratio (in just intonation) or a difference of 700 cents (in 12 tone equal temperament).Visit the link to learn more, falling between the seven diatonic notes A B C D E F G are each narrowed by 1/6 of a tertialIn Just/Rational Intonation tunings, ratios are often categorized by the prime numbers that constitute them. The Latin-derived terms "tertial" and "quintal," initiated by composer Catherine Lamb, are used to semantically describe the color and function qualities of the specific primes referenced (3 and 5), as well as the chordal and scale structures these primes generate. Higher primes have traditionally been named in similar manner, i.e. "septimal" (7), "undecimal" (11), "tridecimal" (13), etc.Visit the link to learn more (PythagoreanPythagorean tuning is an approach to tuning based on stacking pure fifths (i.e. fifths with an exact frequency ratio of 2:3).Visit the link to learn more) commaA comma is a small difference in pitch between the same interval in different tuning systems.Visit the link to learn more: F-C, C-G, G-D, D-A, A-E, E-B. The remaining six fifths are tuned as 2:3 frequency ratios.

Learning more

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