About Tuning
What’s the Difference Between Tuning and Tuning Systems?
Feb 13, 2025
The terms tuning and tuning systems are often confused, creating misunderstandings about how instruments are tuned or misinterpretations of articles and discussions on the subject. This distinction is crucial because these terms refer to different aspects of music: practical and theoretical.
It’s also worth noting that in some contexts, such as discussions about alternative tunings, the term "tuning systems" may be used to describe practical tuning methods, like open tunings or microtonal scales, rather than theoretical frameworks. While this usage is common in casual conversation, it can blur the distinction between these two concepts. For more on specific tunings like Open D or Drop C, see the article Exploring Alternative Tunings: Open Tunings and Beyond. This article aims to clarify the difference and establish a clear understanding of both terms.
Tuning
Tuning is the process of adjusting an instrument to produce specific pitches, ensuring it sounds correct and harmonious, either alone or with other instruments. It is tailored to each instrument and typically aligns with a global standard like A = 440 Hz. For more details on how tuning works, check out What is an instrument tuning.
Key Characteristics:
Instrument-Specific:
Tuning is customized for each type of instrument:
a. Guitar: In standard tuning, the strings are tuned to the notes E - A - D - G - B - E, ensuring chords and melodies sound correct. Guitars can also use alternative tunings like Open D (D - A - D - F# - A - D) or Drop C (C - G - C - F - A - D) to achieve different tonalities or play specific genres.
b. Piano: Each key is tuned to a precise pitch (e.g., Middle C at 261.63 Hz). Multiple strings for each key must be carefully adjusted to create consistent sound across its wide range.
Practical Application:
The goal is to align the instrument’s pitches with a predefined standard to ensure accurate and harmonious sound.
Immediate Adjustment:
Tuning is done in real time to fix pitch deviations caused by environmental factors, wear, or playing.
Tuning Systems
A tuning system is a theoretical framework that determines the relationship between pitches in a musical scale. It defines how intervals (the spaces between notes) are organized and adjusted, shaping the tonal character of music. For an in-depth look at how these systems evolved, see The History of Tuning Systems: From Just Intonation to Equal Temperament.
Key Characteristics:
Theoretical Structure:
A tuning system establishes how the frequencies of different notes relate to each other. Examples include:
Equal Temperament: The most common modern system, dividing the octave into 12 equal parts. It allows modulation to any key, but the intervals are slightly adjusted, making them equally "imperfect."
b. Just Intonation: Based on pure intervals derived from the harmonic series, creating a richer, more resonant sound. However, music played in some keys can sound dissonant due to the lack of flexibility for modulation.
c. Pythagorean Tuning: A system based on pure perfect fifths (a ratio of 3:2), prioritizing consonance in melodic lines and scales. While it creates pleasing sounds in certain keys, other keys can sound less harmonious, particularly for chords.
Divisions of the Octave:
Tuning systems are not limited to the 12-tone division common in Western music. Other systems divide the octave differently:
24-tone Quarter-Tone Systems: Common in Middle Eastern and Indian music, dividing the octave into 24 steps for greater microtonal flexibility.
b. 31-tone Equal Temperament: Divides the octave into 31 equal parts, offering near-perfect intervals for both thirds and fifths, closely approximating just intonation.
Cultural and Historical Variability:
Tuning systems vary widely across cultures and time periods, reflecting different musical traditions and aesthetic preferences. For instance:
Indian Classical Music employs a system of shrutis (22 microtones per octave).
b. Middle Eastern Music uses maqamat, incorporating quarter-tones.
Impact on Tonality:
The choice of a tuning system affects how music sounds in different keys. For example, just intonation sounds exceptionally pure in one key but becomes dissonant in others, whereas equal temperament sacrifices purity for the ability to play in all keys equally well. This explains why some music "sounds better" in specific keys when using certain tuning systems.
How They Interact
While tuning is a practical task and tuning systems are theoretical, they are deeply interconnected:
Tuning Implements the System: When you tune an instrument, you're applying a specific tuning system, such as equal temperament or just intonation.
System Choice Affects Tuning: The chosen tuning system dictates the target pitches for tuning. For example, tuning in equal temperament results in slightly adjusted intervals compared to just intonation, where ratios are pure.
Why the Distinction Matters
Understanding the difference between tuning and tuning systems is crucial for musicians, composers, and instrument makers:
For Performers: Knowing the tuning system in use ensures accurate tuning and better performance.
For Composers: The choice of a tuning system affects the tonal palette and emotional impact of a composition.
For Instrument Builders: Instruments must accommodate specific tuning systems to meet musical and cultural expectations.
Final Note on Terminology
While the distinction between tuning and tuning systems is clear in technical contexts, casual usage of the term "tuning systems" to describe practical methods (e.g., open tunings or microtonal tunings) is widespread. To avoid confusion, it’s helpful to specify whether the discussion focuses on practical tuning arrangements or theoretical systems of pitch organization. For more on alternative tunings like Open D, check out Exploring Alternative Tunings: Open Tunings and Beyond.
By clarifying these terms, musicians and enthusiasts can better understand both the practical and theoretical aspects of music, enhancing their appreciation and ability to engage with diverse musical traditions.