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Equal Temperament for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: 'ikwəl_'tɛmpərəmənt

What does Equal Temperament really mean?

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Sure, I'd love to help you understand the term "Equal Temperament." Alright, so let's break it down. "Equal Temperament" refers to a system of tuning musical instruments such as pianos. This system divides the octave into 12 equal parts, basically making all the notes sound the same distance apart from each other. In other words, it allows for all the musical intervals to be the same size, so that you can play any piece of music in any key and it will still sound good.

Imagine if you have a dozen cookies and you want to share them equally among four friends. In equal temperament, each friend gets the same number of cookies, just like how each musical note is equally spaced in the octave. Now, imagine if you had to divide the cookies in such a way that one friend gets a little more than the others. That would be like using a different temperament system in music, where the intervals between notes are not all the same.

So, in simple words, equal temperament is like dividing the musical "cookie jar" evenly so that all the notes on the piano sound balanced and in tune with each other. It's like making sure everyone gets their fair share of delicious cookies without anyone feeling left out. I hope that makes sense! Let me know if you have any more questions.

Revised and Fact checked by James Lee on 2023-11-17 04:56:43

Equal Temperament In a sentece

Learn how to use Equal Temperament inside a sentece

  • In music, equal temperament is a way of tuning musical instruments so that all intervals, or distances between notes, are the same. This means that the notes are evenly spaced and sound balanced when played together.
  • When a piano is tuned using equal temperament, it means that every key on the piano produces a note that is equally in tune with every other key, making it easier to play in different keys and sound harmonious.
  • An orchestra uses equal temperament to ensure that all the instruments are in tune with each other, allowing them to play together as a cohesive unit and create beautiful music.
  • Equal temperament is important in recording studios, as it allows different instruments and voices to be combined in a way that sounds pleasing to the ear, without any dissonance or harshness.
  • When a guitarist uses an electronic tuner to ensure that their guitar strings are in equal temperament, it means that all the strings will sound in tune with each other, regardless of which frets are being pressed.

Equal Temperament Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.