Temperament in music

Temperament in music refers to the system of tuning where the pitches of notes are adjusted to work well across different keys and musical contexts. Unlike just intonation, which uses pure intervals based on simple ratios, temperament introduces slight alterations to ensure that music sounds consonant and balanced in various keys. Equal temperament, the most common today, divides the octave into 12 equal parts, allowing instruments to play in all keys with minimal discord. This tuning method enables greater flexibility and consistency across compositions, facilitating the modern music that traverses diverse tonalities comfortably.