Temperament - Kawai ES3 Owner's Manual

5. TEMPERAMENT

The ES3/5 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
NOTE:
If a piano sound is used in a layer with any other sound then both sounds will use the EQUAL
TEMPERAMENT (Stretched) tuning.
Deep Produces a more intense resonance.
After selecting the "Sympathetic Resonance" function by pressing
the Harpsi/Mallets button, use the Value buttons to select the desired
setting.
After selecting the "Temperament" function by pressing the Strings
button, use the Value buttons to select your desired temperament.
The LED display shows the type of temperament currently selected.
EQUAL TEMPERAMENT (PIANO ONLY)
This is the default temperament. If a piano sound is selected the
tuning is stretched like an acoustic piano (EQUAL TEMPERA-
MENT). If any other type of sound is selected the tuning will be
EQUAL (FLAT). An explantion of EQUAL TEMPERAMENT and
EQUAL TEMPERAMENT (FLAT) is provided later in this section.
MERSENNE PURE TEMPERAMENT (major)
MERSENNE PURE TEMPERAMENT (Minor)
This temperament, which eliminates dissonance's 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 tempera-
ment. Any key modulation will result in dissonance's. 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).
PYTHAGOREAN TEMPERAMENT
This temperament, which uses mathematical ratios to eliminate
dissonance for fifths, is very limited for use with chords, but it
produces very characteristic melodic lines.
– 22 –