Key coloration is the difference between the intervals of different keys in a single non-equal tempered tuning, and the overall sound and "feel" the key created by the tuning of its intervals.
Historical irregular musical temperaments usually have the narrowest fifths between the diatonic notes ("naturals") producing purer thirds, and wider fifths among the chromatic notes ("sharps and flats"). Each key then has a slightly different intonation, hence different keys have distinct characters. Such "key coloration" was an essential part of much eighteenth- and nineteenth-century music and was described in treatises of the period.
For example, in tunings with a wolf-fifth, the key on the lowest note of the fifth will have a dramatically different sound than the other keys (and is often avoided). In Pythagorean tuning on C (C, E+, G: 4, 5, 6), the major triad on C is just while the major triad on E♯+++ (F♮) is noticeably out of tune (E♯+++, A+, C: 4.125, 5, 6) due to E♯+++ (521.44 cents) being a Pythagorean comma(23.46 cents) larger sharp compared to F♮.
Modern music lacks key coloration because it uses equal temperament in which all keys have the same pattern of intonation, differing only in pitch.
Read more about this topic: Musical Keys
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