1/5 Comma Well-Temperament

1. Tune A4 to fork. The number 4 indicates notes in the octave above middle C4.
2. Tune A3 to A4. The number 3 indicates notes in the octave below middle C4.
3. Tune F3 to A3 making a wide 3rd with 4 beats per second.
4. Tune C4 to F3 making a perfect 5th.
5. Tune D4 to A3 making a wide 1/5c 4th beating around 2 beats per second.
6. Tune G3 to C4 and D4. Make a wide G3C4 1/5c 4th and a narrow G3D4 1/5c 5th. 1/5 Comma 5ths beat a little less than 2 beats per second.
7. Tune E4 making a narrow 1/5c A3E4 5th. The C4E4 3rd should beat 2 beats per second.
8. Tune B3 making a wide 1/5c B3E4 4th. The G3B3 3rd should beat around 1½ beats per second.
9. Tune C3 to C4 making a good octave with a perfect C3F3 4th and a narrow C3G3 5th.
10. Tune D3 to D4 making a good octave with a wide D3G3 4th and a narrow D3A3 5th.
11. Tune E3 to E4 making a good octave with a wide E3A3 4th and a narrow E3B3 5th.
12. Tune F#3 making a perfect F#3B3 4th.
13. Tune C#4 making a perfect F#3C#4 5th.
14. Tune Bb3 making a perfect F3Bb3 4th.
15. Tune Eb4 making a perfect Bb3Eb4 4th.
16. Tune G#3/Ab3 making a perfect G#3C#4 4th and a perfect Ab3Eb3 5th.
17. Tune F4,F#4,G4,G#4 etc. checking 4ths,5ths and octaves.
18. Tune Eb3,C#3,B2,Bb2 etc. checking 3rds, 4ths, 5ths and octaves

    The results look like this with five 1/5 comma tempered 5ths. 1/5th comma 5ths are narrow by around 1½ to 2 beats per second. 1/5 comma 4ths are wide by around 2+ beats per second.

    F - C 1/5 G 1/5 D 1/5 A 1/5 E 1/5 B - F# - C# - G# - Eb - Bb - F

    Cents and Frequency table

    for 1/5 Comma Well-Temperament

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    Tuning and Temperaments     Early Music Institute     School of Music     IU Bloomington    

    I welcome any comments or suggestions, email me at psloffer@indiana.edu

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