Equal temperament

From MusiCAD

The equal temperament is the way in which the problem of 7 octaves and 12 fifths having to end up on the same interval is solved in Western music. By making all fifths a tiny bit smaller (and therefore no longer 'pure' as singers and violinists do) and thus a little bit 'out of tune', the possibility arises to be able to play everything acceptably in any key.

See also