Just intonation

Just intonation is any musical tuning in which the frequencies of notes are related by whole number ratios. Any interval tuned in this way is called a just interval; in other words, the two notes are members of the same harmonic series. Although in theory two notes tuned in the frequency ratio 1024:927 might be said to be justly tuned, in practice only ratios using quite small numbers tend to be called just. Intervals used are then capable of being more consonant.

Singing in just intonation

The human voice is the most pitch-flexible instrument of all. Pitch can be varied with no restraints and adjusted in the midst of performance, without needing to retune (as even with the otherwise very flexible string instruments). Although the explicit use of just intonation fell out of favour concurrently with the increasing use of instrumental accompaniment (with its attendant constraints on pitch), most good ensembles naturally tend toward such singing when performing a cappella. Two exemplary contemporary ensembles that meticulously tune their singing in accordance with just intonation (whenever indicated) are The Hilliard Ensemble and Orlando Consort.

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