Equal Temperament vs. Third-Comma Meantone
Compare the tuning characteristics of Equal Temperament and Third-Comma Meantone — cent deviations per note, practical guidance, and historical context.
At a Glance
| Feature | Equal Temperament | Third-Comma Meantone |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Third-Comma Meantone minus Equal Temperament: positive means Third-Comma Meantone is sharper.
| Note | Equal Temperament (¢) | Third-Comma Meantone (¢) | Difference (¢) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C4 | 0.00 | +13.69 | +13.69 |
| Db4 | 0.00 | -17.59 | -17.59 |
| D4 | 0.00 | +5.21 | +5.21 |
| Eb4 | 0.00 | +27.37 | +27.37 |
| E4 | 0.00 | -3.42 | -3.42 |
| F4 | 0.00 | +18.90 | +18.90 |
| Gb4 | 0.00 | -13.69 | -13.69 |
| G4 | 0.00 | +9.78 | +9.78 |
| Ab4 | 0.00 | -22.80 | -22.80 |
| A4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Bb4 | 0.00 | +22.48 | +22.48 |
| B4 | 0.00 | -9.78 | -9.78 |
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 Third-Comma Meantone when:
Choose Third-Comma Meantone for a balance between pure minor thirds and accessible distant keys. Historically used alongside quarter-comma for some Baroque keyboard works.
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
- Third-Comma Meantone
- Developed by Francisco de Salinas (1577) — Renaissance / Baroque era
Compare Temperaments in Tunable — Get Tunable.
Tunable supports Equal Temperament, Third-Comma Meantone, and 14 other tuning systems. Hear the difference in real-time as you play.
