Tuning of diatonic scales by violinists, pianists, and nonmusicians

The present study shows that playing a particular musical instrument influences tuning preference. Violinists (n = 7), pianists (n = 7), and nonmusicians (n = 10) were required to adjust three notes (E, A, and B) in computer-generated, eight-tone ascending and descending diatonic scales of C major. The results indicated that (1) violinists set the three tones closer to Pythagorean intonation than do pianists (p < .01), (2) pianists fit closet to equal-tempered intonation (p < .01), and (3) nonmusicians do not show any preference for a specific intonation model. These findings are consistent with the view that tuning preference is determined by musical experience more than by characteristics of the auditory system. The relevance of these results to theories of cultural conditioning and assessment of tonal perception is discussed.