> Does anyone know whether there is an electronic tuner that can be set = > for the various meantone tunings, or at least one that will show exactly = > at how many vibrations per second a given string is resonating?
Normally, tuners have an indicator which shows the deviation from the intended note in cents. cents are a logarithmic unit. 1 octave is divided into 1200 cents, one equal temperament half step is 100 cents. It is better to think in cents than in hertz (vibrations per second), because the cents for an interval are always the same regardless of the octave (treble, mid, bass). E.g., one pure fifth has got 702 cents, one equal tempered fifth is slightly smaller, i.e. 700 cents. The difference for thirds is much bigger, as Steward has stated, I believe 386 as opposed to 400 cents. There are table for the different mean tone temperaments with the deviation for each note given in cents. Therefore, even with the simplest of electronic tuners, it is possible to experiment with different temperaments. But, my experience is that the cheaper tuners are not always accurate enough. See also http://www.microtonal.co.uk/meantone.htm for an in-depth explanation of anything related to the subject, they've got many useful links. good luck g
