Tuning (English spelling)

The process of adjusting the pitch of an instrument to suit the purpose of its performance. In the case of instruments (such as gongs, drums, and cymbals) where the issue is sound quality or tone color and a clear pitch is not required, this is called "voicing." However, tuning in the broad sense also includes tasks such as "voicing" and "adjustment," which is the process of improving the playing mechanism of an instrument.

There are two ways to determine pitch: adjusting each note independently by dividing the string length or tube length, and adjusting by the beat or resonance that occurs between two or more notes. Using both methods, pitch is determined by a specific tuning (12-tone equal temperament is the standard in Western music) and a standard pitch ( _A4 = 440 Hz is also the standard), but there is no need to look back at the history of tuning in Western music, from the Pythagorean tuning of ancient Greece, through the meantone tuning of the 15th to 19th centuries, to today's 12-tone equal temperament, and in reality there is a certain degree of deviation from the theoretical value, so it is desirable to adjust it aurally with a musical ear.

There are two types of tuning: semi-permanent tuning done at the time of manufacture (metallophones, xylophones, bells, woodwind instruments, etc.), and frequent tuning done due to changes in temperature, humidity, and use (keyboard instruments such as pianos and organs), which are often done by professionals such as tuners. In addition, there are also adjustments made by players each time they prepare for a performance, such as "tuning" the open strings of a stringed instrument (guitar, koto, etc.), and "tuning" to align the overall pitch in an ensemble such as an orchestra.

[Akiko Kawaguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

楽器の音高を演奏の目的にあった状態に整えること。音質や音色が問題で明確な音高を必要としない楽器（ゴング、ドラム、シンバルなど）の場合は「整音」とよぶが、広義の調律にはこの「整音」や、楽器の演奏機構を整備する「調整」などの作業も含まれる。

　音高を決定するには、弦長、管長の分割などによって一音一音独立して整える方法と、二つ以上の音の間に生じるうなりや響きぐあいによって整える方法とがある。両者を用いつつ音高は特定の音律（西洋音楽では12平均律が標準）と標準音高（同様にA₄＝440ヘルツが標準）によって決定されるが、古代ギリシアのピタゴラス音律から15～19世紀の中全音律を経て、今日の12平均律に至る西洋音楽の調律の歴史を顧みるまでもなく、実際には理論値に対してある程度の偏差をもっており、音楽的な耳で聴感的に調整されることが望まれる。

　調律には、製作時になされる半永久的なもの（鉄琴、木琴、ベル、木管楽器など）と、気温や湿度、使用に伴う変化のためしばしばなされるもの（ピアノ、オルガンなどの鍵盤(けんばん)楽器）とがあり、これらは調律師などの専門家の手によってなされることが多い。このほか、奏者によって演奏準備のためそのつどなされる調整として、弦楽器の開放弦を調律する「調弦」（ギター、箏(そう)など）や、オーケストラなどの合奏で全体の音高をそろえる「音合せ」などがある。

［川口明子］

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