Topic by CHara_020

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  • CHara_020
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  • Registered: 01-09-2025
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Topic: Short-Octave tuning presets

I have made these two tuning presets for fun. They both have a C/E short octave starting at C2 (C), and they go up to C6 (c''') as their highest pitch. One of them is equally tempered while the other is in 1/4-comma meantone. To use them, copy the one that you wish to use to the clipboard (including the comment at the beginning!), open the advanced tuning editor, click the "Temperament"-button, and then click "Copy from Clipboard".

A C/E short octave that stretches from C(C2) to c'''(C6). Tuned in 12-TET.
48
100.
200.
300.
400.
500.
600.
700.
800.
900.
1000.
1100.
2/1
1300.
1400.
1500.
1600.
1700.
1800.
1900.
2000.
2100.
2200.
2300.
4/1
2500.
2600.
2700.
2800.
2900.
3000.
3100.
3200.
3300.
3400.
3500.
8/1
3700.
3800.
3900.
4000.
4100.
4200.
4300.
4400.
4500.
4600.
4700.
16/1

A C/E short octave that stretches from C(C2) to c'''(C6). Retuned to be in 1/4-comma meantone temperament.
48
76.
193.2
300.
5/4
503.4
600.
696.6
800.
889.7
1006.8
1082.9
2/1
1276.
1393.2
1510.3
5/2
1703.4
1779.5
1896.6
25/8
2089.7
2206.8
2282.9
4/1
2476.
2593.2
2710.3
5/1
2903.4
2979.5
3096.6
25/4
3289.7
3406.8
3482.9
8/1
3676.
3793.2
3910.3
10/1
4103.4
4179.5
4296.6
25/2
4489.7
4606.8
4682.9
16/1

Last edited by CHara_020 (22-12-2025 02:10)

Reply by jcitron

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  • jcitron
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  • From: Haverhill, MA USA
  • Registered: 08-02-2020
  • Posts: 125

Re: Short-Octave tuning presets

Thank you very much.

I have an Italian spinet with C/E - f''' and a small clavichord with a C/E-c''' compass and I noticed when the Salodlensis Virginal was first released, that this instrument should have a short octave.

This will make playing the virginal.



CHara_020 wrote:

I have made these two tuning presets for fun. They both have a C/E short octave starting at C2 (C), and they go up to C6 (c''') as their highest pitch. One of them is equally tempered while the other is in 1/4-comma meantone. To use them, copy the one that you wish to use to the clipboard (including the comment at the beginning!), open the advanced tuning editor, click the "Temperament"-button, and then click "Copy from Clipboard".

A C/E short octave that stretches from C(C2) to c'''(C6). Tuned in 12-TET.
48
100.
200.
300.
400.
500.
600.
700.
800.
900.
1000.
1100.
2/1
1300.
1400.
1500.
1600.
1700.
1800.
1900.
2000.
2100.
2200.
2300.
4/1
2500.
2600.
2700.
2800.
2900.
3000.
3100.
3200.
3300.
3400.
3500.
8/1
3700.
3800.
3900.
4000.
4100.
4200.
4300.
4400.
4500.
4600.
4700.
16/1

A C/E short octave that stretches from C(C2) to c'''(C6). Retuned to be in 1/4-comma meantone temperament.
48
76.
193.2
300.
5/4
503.4
600.
696.6
800.
889.7
1006.8
1082.9
2/1
1276.
1393.2
1510.3
5/2
1703.4
1779.5
1896.6
25/8
2089.7
2206.8
2282.9
4/1
2476.
2593.2
2710.3
5/1
2903.4
2979.5
3096.6
25/4
3289.7
3406.8
3482.9
8/1
3676.
3793.2
3910.3
10/1
4103.4
4179.5
4296.6
25/2
4489.7
4606.8
4682.9
16/1

Reply by CHara_020

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  • CHara_020
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Re: Short-Octave tuning presets

jcitron wrote:

Thank you very much.

I have an Italian spinet with C/E - f''' and a small clavichord with a C/E-c''' compass and I noticed when the Salodlensis Virginal was first released, that this instrument should have a short octave.

This will make playing the virginal.

Huh. I actually never thought the the Virginal had a short octave, and was wondering why its lowest note is an E, but it having a short octave makes total sense. Could this also imply that the Giusti Harpsichord (from the Karsten Collection) has a G short octave?

Last edited by CHara_020 (24-12-2025 02:11)

Reply by jcitron

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  • jcitron
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  • From: Haverhill, MA USA
  • Registered: 08-02-2020
  • Posts: 125

Re: Short-Octave tuning presets

CHara_020 wrote:
jcitron wrote:

Thank you very much.

I have an Italian spinet with C/E - f''' and a small clavichord with a C/E-c''' compass and I noticed when the Salodlensis Virginal was first released, that this instrument should have a short octave.

This will make playing the virginal.

Huh. I actually never thought the the Virginal had a short octave, and was wondering why its lowest note is an E, but it having a short octave makes total sense. Could this also imply that the Giusti Harpsichord (from the Karsten Collection) has a G short octave?

Yes it does and that's why the range is so odd on it. This was very common on Italian instruments in the day and on many other instruments from Flanders from the same period. Much of the music by the Elizabethan composers such as William Byrd is written with a short octave in mind to be played on the Flemish virginals found in England at the time.

The other short octave was much lower down to GG. The instrument would be designated GG/BB - d"' for instance which was the range on Bach's harpsichord.

To make things more complex... there are split sharps on some instruments. These instruments not only have the short-octave but they also have a split sharp. This fits in the low C - D-E and gives them the F-sharp and G-Sharp as well. I played on one of these instruments at a Boston Early Music Festival show once and I was very confused at first.

Reply by CHara_020

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  • CHara_020
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Re: Short-Octave tuning presets

I see. I'll take the time in the coming days to make a GG/BB short octave preset, and this time I'll also make it easier to import (I just tried importing it to my computer and had to do like 3 other changes to make it work as intended, thats why you should always test things!!).

I wish that split sharp electronic keyboards were a thing, but maybe someone is gonna diy one (who knows, I may at some point even do it.)

It's also very interesting in general that there are so many possibilities and options when it comes to something as mundane-seeming as what notes the notes on a keyboard should play.

Either way, I'll make some GG/BB presets, and if you want then you can also tell me some temperaments that I can make into (hopefully waaaayy better than the first ones) presets.

Last edited by CHara_020 (01-01-2026 18:22)