Temperament - Kawai Anytime Owner's Manual

6. TEMPERAMENT

The Anytime piano offers not only equal temperament (the modern standard) but also
immediate access to temperaments popular during the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
It should be interesting and educational to try some of the different temperaments,
although the equal temperament is dominant today.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF TEMPERAMENTS
EQUAL TEMPERAMENT (PIANO ONLY)
This is the default temperament. If a piano sound is selected, the tuning is stretched
like an acoustic piano (EQUAL TEMPERAMENT). If any other type of sound is
selected the tuning will be EQUAL (FLAT). An explanation of EQUAL
TEMPERAMENT and EQUAL TEMPERAMENT (FLAT) is provided later in this
section.
If a piano sound is used in a layer with any other sound then both sound will use the
EQUAL TEMPERAMENT (Stretched) tuning.
MERSENNE PURE TEMPERAMENT (MAJOR)
MERSENNE PURE TEMPERAMENT (MINOR)
This temperament, which eliminates dissonances for thirds and fifths, is still popular
for choral music because of its perfect harmony. You need to be aware what key you are
playing in with this temperament. Any key modulation will result in dissonances.
When you play music in a particular key, you need to match the key of the temperament
as well. When playing in a major key select Pure (Major) and when playing in a minor
key select Pure (Minor).
MEANTONE TEMPERAMENT
This temperament, which uses a mean between a major and minor whole tone to
eliminate dissonance for thirds, was devised to eliminate the lack of consonance's
experienced with certain fifths for the Mersenne pure temperament. It produces chords
that are more beautiful than those with the equal temperament.
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