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Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 20:55:44 -0400
From: Robert Howe <arehow@vgernet.net>
Subject: Re: Asian Instruments
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comIn the 1960s the Cleveland ORchestra did a piece by Takemitsu that used
a shakuhachi, the player was imported for the job. My oboe teacher,
Felix Kraus, learned Japanese for this occasion and to prepare for an
upcoming far East trip. He then visited this fellow during the tour in
Japan and tells many fine stories about the trip.RObert Howe
---------------------------------------------------------From: "Stew Taylor" <staylor@cyg.net>
Subject: A440
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 09:39:54 -0400
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comI don't know why but Musser/Ludwig are now sell their Glockenspiels/Bell
tuned to A 445.
Stew Taylor
---------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 19:59:46 -0600 (MDT)
From: Shouryu Nohe <jnohe@nmsu.edu>
Subject: Re: A440
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comSometimes I think standards are created to be ignored; while most bands
and wind ensembles adhere to the A440 standard, orchestras typically
struggle, because string players have a tendancy to drive the pitch up,
under the impression that it makes them sound 'brighter' (which in my
opinion, is a crock - it makes them sound sharper).A442 and 443 are fairly common amongst orchestras in mainland Europe and
the US sometimes too. At least according to several of the professors
here say so. I know that the El Paso Symphony tunes to 442, because the
conductor has perfect pitch, and he absolutely cannot hear A anywhere
else (this is a guy who, instead of yelling at or giving an annoyed look
at a player who knocks over a stand, will look up and immediately say
"That's three cents shy of a middle D sharp!" in total seriousness).While I don't have proof, Yamaha sells percussion instruments tuned to
442, and the Buffet E series clarinets are tuned to 445 (they come with a
friggin 64 mm barrel instead of the standard 66, which is way weird).
I've heard of other companies having 442 as an alternate pitch standard.
I don't think they would be doing so if 442 weren't commonly used.(Of course, that's just my opinion.)
I'm not on Klarinet anymore, but I imagine Grant still is; why don't you
inquire of their experience, Mr. Green?J. Shouryu Nohe
http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe
Professor of SCSM102, New Mexico State Univ.
"If I wanted a 'job,' I'd have gone music ED, thank you very much!"---------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 22:21:05 -0400
From: Robert Howe <arehow@vgernet.net>
Subject: Re: A440
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comStew Taylor wrote:
> I don't know why but Musser/Ludwig are now sell their Glockenspiels/Bell
> tuned to A 445.
>
> Stew TaylorBecause many Central and Eastern European ensembles, including the
Vienna Phil, play at that pitch."Better to play sharp that to be out of tune"
Robert Howe
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 10:33:41 -0700
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Re: A440
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com>Sometimes I think standards are created to be ignored; while most bands
>and wind ensembles adhere to the A440 standard, orchestras typically
>struggle, because string players have a tendancy to drive the pitch up,
>under the impression that it makes them sound 'brighter' (which in my
>opinion, is a crock - it makes them sound sharper).Perhaps the idea is that the strings, when tuned sharper, are under higher
tension, and sound "brighter" for that reason. Greater tension shifts the
timbre toward increased higher harmonic content. Of course, that doesn't
explain why they finger the non-open-string notes sharp...>I'm not on Klarinet anymore, but I imagine Grant still is; why don't you
>inquire of their experience, Mr. Green?Actually, I unsubscribed klarinet a while ago: I found that my emailbox
routinely overflowed over the weekend, and klarinet generated the most
traffic (and the greatest number of messages that I deleted without
reading).Grant
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant Green gdgreen@contrabass.com
http://www.contrabass.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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