Roland MP200 Owner's Manual page 18

Creating Your Own Piano Tone (Piano Designer)
Items Value
You can play classical styles such as Baroque using historic temperaments (tuning methods).
Most modern songs are composed for and played in equal temperament, the most common tuning in use today. But at one
time, there were a wide variety of other tuning systems in existence. By playing in the temperament that was in use when a
composition was created, you can experience the sonorities of chords originally intended for that song.
Equal
(default value)
Just Major
Just Minor
Pythagorean
Temperament
Kirnberger I
Kirnberger II
Kirnberger III
Meantone
Werckmeister
Arabic
C–B
Temperament Key
(default value: C)
Off, 1–10
Hammer Response
(default value: 1)
18
Explanation
This temperament divides the octave into twelve equal steps. It is the temperament that is most
commonly used on today's pianos. Every interval has the same slight amount of dissonance.
In these temperaments, the primary triads are perfectly consonant. It is unsuited to playing melodies
and cannot be transposed, but is capable of beautiful sonorities. The Just tunings differ from major
and minor keys.
This tuning, devised by the philosopher Pythagoras, eliminates dissonance in fourths and fifths.
Although triadic chords are slightly dissonant, this tuning is suitable for songs that have a simple
melody.
As in the Just temperaments, the primary triads are consonant in this tuning. Beautiful sonorities are
obtained when playing songs that are written in keys appropriate for this tuning.
This is a revision of Kirnberger I that reduces the limitations on the usable keys.
This is an improvement of the Meantone and Just tunings that provides a high degree of freedom of
modulation. Performances are possible in all keys. Since the resonance differs depending on the key,
chords played in this temperament resonate in diverse ways when compared to equal temperament.
This temperament slightly narrows the fifth relative to Just temperaments. While the Just
temperaments contains two types of whole tone (major whole tone and minor whole tone),
meantone temperament uses only one type of whole tone (mean whole tone). Transposition within
a limited range of keys is possible.
This temperament consists of eight perfect fifths and four narrowed fifths. Performance in all keys is
possible. Since different keys produce different sonorities, chords will resonate in diverse ways when
compared to equal temperament (Werckmeister I (III)).
This tuning is suitable for the music of Arabia.
When playing with tuning other than equal temperament, you need to specify the temperament key
for tuning the song to be performed (that is, the note that corresponds to C for a major key or to A
for a minor key). If you choose an equal temperament, there's no need to select a temperament key.
Adjusts the time from when you play the key until the piano sound is heard. Higher values produce
a greater delay.