Printed chart tuning versus MS tunings
Bunting's printed chart varies not only from the tuning for the 'Hempson Harp 1702'
written down by Bunting in MS29 but also from the pattern of the tuning system given by
Patrick Byrne to John Bell.
The other two slightly different systems tune the pitches d, a, e, b & f# to the fifth below
(and Bunting's MS notes again show c & f tuned to a fourth below). This creates a single
series of strings within one octave g-G which are not tuned using octave intervals, ie, f e
d c b a G.
The printed chart on the other hand would create the series bb aa f e d c. The
appearance of string names which use the word 'freagrach' (responsive) in MS12 f18v
might reflect the primary nature of the strings g d & D in the published tuning system.
The form of diatonic scale created by all three of these tunings is first recorded in
European history in the late fifth century BC in the writings of the theorist Philolaus
where it formed part of a theoretical tuning system for the Greek lyre.