D4 + Major 3rd (F♯4)
293.66 Hz + 369.99 Hz
▸ What am I hearing?
You're hearing two notes played together — a root and an interval above it. When you toggle between Equal and Pure, the upper note shifts by a few Hz. That tiny difference changes whether the sound wobbles or rings.
▸ Equal Temperament vs Just Intonation
Equal Temperament is the tuning system used by pianos and fretted instruments. It divides the octave into 12 equal steps (each a ratio of 21/12). This is a compromise — it lets you play in any key, but no interval except the octave is perfectly pure.
Just Intonation (Pure tuning) uses simple mathematical ratios: 3/2 for a perfect fifth, 5/4 for a major third. These ratios produce sound waves that align cleanly, creating a resonant, "locked-in" sound with no beating.
▸ Why does this matter for violinists?
Unlike a piano, the violin has no frets — you choose your pitch. Great string players instinctively tune intervals pure, adjusting by tiny amounts to eliminate beating and make chords ring.
The "wobble" you hear in Equal Temperament is acoustic beating: two close frequencies creating a pulsing amplitude. In the Major 3rd, the equal-tempered F♯ is about 3 Hz sharp compared to the pure F♯. That's enough to hear a clear tremor. Training your ear to notice (and eliminate) that wobble is a core skill for intonation.
▸ Tips for practice
- Start with the Major 3rd — the difference is most dramatic.
- Toggle back and forth while listening. Focus on the "pulse" in Equal vs the "calm" in Pure.
- Try the Perfect 5th next — the beating is subtler (~2 cents), which trains finer discrimination.
- Use headphones for the clearest perception of beating.
- Switch between Drone and Piano mode to hear how the effect differs with sustained vs decaying tones.