Equal Temperament vs. Meantone 1/3 Comma
Compare the tuning characteristics of Equal Temperament and Meantone 1/3 Comma — cent deviations per note, practical guidance, and historical context.
At a Glance
| Feature | Equal Temperament | Meantone 1/3 Comma |
|---|---|---|
| Category | equal | meantone |
| Formula Type | equal-division | fractional-comma |
| Historical Era | Modern | Renaissance / Baroque |
| Key Advantage | All 12 keys are equally in-tune — transpose freely without re-tuning. | Pure minor thirds (6:5) — better suited to minor-mode Renaissance music. |
| Key Limitation | Pure fifths (2 cents flat) and major thirds (14 cents sharp) are slightly impure in every key. | Wider wolf fifth and less pure major thirds than quarter-comma meantone. |
| Typical Use | Standard tuning for all modern Western instruments since the 20th century. | Renaissance music with emphasis on minor thirds and minor-key tonality. |
Cent Deviations: All 12 Notes vs. Equal Temperament
Positive cents = sharper than equal temperament. Negative = flatter. Difference column shows Meantone 1/3 Comma minus Equal Temperament: positive means Meantone 1/3 Comma is sharper.
| Note | Equal Temperament (¢) | Meantone 1/3 Comma (¢) | Difference (¢) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C4 | 0.00 | +15.64 | +15.64 |
| Db4 | 0.00 | -20.86 | -20.86 |
| D4 | 0.00 | +5.21 | +5.21 |
| Eb4 | 0.00 | +31.28 | +31.28 |
| E4 | 0.00 | -5.21 | -5.21 |
| F4 | 0.00 | +20.86 | +20.86 |
| Gb4 | 0.00 | -15.64 | -15.64 |
| G4 | 0.00 | +10.43 | +10.43 |
| Ab4 | 0.00 | -26.07 | -26.07 |
| A4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Bb4 | 0.00 | +26.07 | +26.07 |
| B4 | 0.00 | -10.43 | -10.43 |
When to Choose Each
Choose Equal Temperament when:
Choose Equal Temperament for modern ensembles, fixed-pitch instruments (piano, guitar, wind instruments), and any music that modulates freely across all 24 keys. It is the universal standard for contemporary Western music.
Choose Meantone 1/3 Comma when:
Choose Meantone 1/3 Comma for Baroque keyboard music, Renaissance organ, and harpsichord repertoire where pure or near-pure thirds are the primary consonance.
Historical Context
Meantone temperaments dominated keyboard music from roughly 1500-1700, while Equal Temperament only became the universal standard around 1900. The 200-year transition from meantone to equal represents a deliberate trade-off: surrendering key color and pure thirds in exchange for unlimited modulation across all keys.
- Equal Temperament
- Developed by Theoretical development (12-TET standardized c. 1900) — Modern era
- Meantone 1/3 Comma
- Developed by Francisco de Salinas (1577) — Renaissance / Baroque era
Compare Temperaments in Tunable — Get Tunable.
Tunable supports Equal Temperament, Meantone 1/3 Comma, and 16 other tuning systems. Hear the difference in real-time as you play.
