Why It's Impossible to Tune a Piano

minutephysics · explainer · Watch on YouTube

What it is

A minutephysics video explaining why a piano cannot be perfectly tuned, comparing equal temperament with just intonation and the math of harmonics.

Commenters link it as a quick, clear explanation of why twelve notes only approximate simple ratios.

“A related video on the numbers behind piano music, on why it is mathematically impossible to perfectly tune a piano”
Explains why a piano cannot be perfectly tuned mathematically.
ramanan, 2015-11 · Recommendation · in “Physics of the Piano (2012) [pdf]”
“I like this video for explanation”
Explains why 12 notes approximate simple ratios.
voting749227383, 2021-07 · Recommendation · in “A study of musical scales (2017)”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: equal temperament, just intonation, harmonics, music theory, minutephysics