Aural piano tuners listen to beats when they tune a piano. Beats are produced when intervals are not pure. Because of Equal Temperament, most intervals on the piano cannot be tuned pure.
Piano tuners listen to these beat speeds and compare them to each other in a prescribed pattern in order to produce equal temperament.
Here are some beat speed differences for common equal temperament intervals:
Contiguous Major Thirds (e.g. F3A3-A3C#4-C#4F4-F4A4):26%
Whole Tone Major Thirds (e.g. F3A3-G3B3-A3C#4…):>12%
Chromatic Major Thirds (e.g. F3A3-F#3A#3-G3B3…):6%
Perfect Fourths (e.g. F3A#3-F#3B3-G3C4…): 6%
You need a Beat Speed Difference Sensitivity of half of these listed beat speed differences in order to be able to tune the required progressive beat speeds for each of these intervals.
For example, in order to produce an accurate equal temperament of progressive M3 and P4, you need a Beat Speed Difference Sensitivity of 3%.
Take this simple test to determine your Beat Speed Difference Sensitivity.
You can improve your Beat Speed Difference Sensitivity by listening to ear training recordings specifically designed to improve your beat speed difference sensitivity.
