HackerTubewatch
Surprise me
Frame from Quarter-comma Meantone with split sharps Plays via YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed

Quarter-comma Meantone with split sharps

Simon Lloyd
Demos
YouTube
Cited on HN 3 times, 2019–2022, never outright recommended score 0
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

Used as a concrete example of split-key instruments and an audible demonstration of the D-sharp versus E-flat difference.

A short recording of a 1565 organ in Mantua tuned in quarter-comma meantone, showing split sharps in use. The extra keys provide separate D-sharp and A-flat for more tonalities.

“can you hear the difference in the video linked in the article” (HN, 2022)

3 citations · Demos · intermediate

3 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@mastazi Oct 2019 Cites it
on HN thread Scala: A software tool for microtonic, macrotonic and other alternative tunings
The list of export formats is really impressive. It's interesting to note that Hauptwerk (a pipe organ software emulator) is among the supported targets; some early organs used historical temperaments which sound different compared to equal temperament and some of those had split keys [1][2]. [1] This is an example of meantone organ with split sharps [this video] [2] This is an explanation of Meantone and split keys [link]
Example of a meantone organ with split sharps.
@rdlw Feb 2022 Cites it
on HN thread Music theory for nerds (2016)
Except for voice [0], any fretless stringed instrument [1], any fretted string instrument with separate frets for sharps and flats [2], keyboard instruments that allow expression [3], keyboard instruments with split flat/sharp keys [4], and electronic instruments that allow unorthodox tunings without huge hassle [5]... I'm sure I'm missing some, but other than that you're totally right ;) [0] [link] , [link] [1] [link] [2] [link] [3] [link] [4] [this video] [5] [link]
@PeterisP Aug 2022 Cites it
on HN thread Why are D-sharp and E-flat considered to be two different notes?
No, and yes. The difference is obvious even those who don't distinguish pitches much (can you hear the difference in the video linked in the article - [this video] ) because the 'wrong' one played in a scale or a chord sounds really, really horrible; that's why we have all the work done on 'tempered' tuning to reduce the gap so that everything is just slightly off.
Demonstrates audible difference between D-sharp and E-flat.

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Search
j k
Next / previous video
r
Surprise me
l
Like (video page)
w
Watch later (video page)
?
This help
Esc
Close