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Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 15:47:40 -0700
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Another WSQ CD
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comJust discovered a new World Saxophone Quartet CD ("M'Bizo"). Hamiet
Bluiett is listed as playing bari, bass sax, and contrabass clarinet.
World jazz, with a group of native African singers and a few African
instruments. Listening to it now: so far, so good ...Grant
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Grant Green gdgreen@contrabass.com
http://www.contrabass.com
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---------------------------------------------------------Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 21:07:09 -0400
From: jim and joyce <lande@erols.com>
Subject: stray comments
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com>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...jeeps, why not just make the neck an inch longer and crank 'em up like a
cross bow?<<Actually, I unsubscribed klarinet a while ago: I found that my emailbox
>>routinely overfloweddigest mode is OK (except that when there are 30 e-mails in a single
digest, you can't always find the one you are looking for. On the other
hand, somebody will probably reply to it and repost the whole thing, so
I don't look too hard. Oh, and there have been some very silly flame
wars. And you all missed my post on clarinet player noses. I contended
that we have been breeding clarinet players with longer noses in the
quest of 'darker sound'. And we all know what happened when when
lassie dogs got bred for longer noses -- less room for brains. Oh
well, you had to be there.jim lande
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Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 09:12:31 -0700
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Re: stray comments
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com>jeeps, why not just make the neck an inch longer and crank 'em up like a
>cross bow?Then you'd have to change all your finger positions - violin players would
complain that it felt like a viola... ;-)>I contended
>that we have been breeding clarinet players with longer noses in the
>quest of 'darker sound'. And we all know what happened when when
>lassie dogs got bred for longer noses -- less room for brains. Oh
>well, you had to be there.The fallacy with that argument is that it assumes that successful
clarinetists are *more* likely to breed and pass on their
characteristics...Grant
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Grant Green gdgreen@contrabass.com
http://www.contrabass.com
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---------------------------------------------------------Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 09:49:50 -0700
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Today's bass sax for sale...
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comGee, it must be weeks since someone's posted a bass sax up for auction.
Here's todays', starting at $3.2K:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120981711The one-year-old Fox contrabassoon is racking up bids - 25 bids, with the
current one at $8302 (and the reserve is yet to be reached). I *suspect*
that the reserve is at least $10K. See
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=119457512
Looks like a beautiful horn, but my wife would definitely detonate if I
brought it home, even at that price. I asked....Grant
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Grant Green gdgreen@contrabass.com
http://www.contrabass.com
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---------------------------------------------------------Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 15:11:13 -0500
From: John Howell <John.Howell@vt.edu>
Subject: String tuning
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com>From: Shouryu Nohe <jnohe@nmsu.edu>
>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).
>
>From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
>
>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...Friends, as an orchestral violist let me simply say that these comments,
nearly always made by wind players, are simply not true! I know they've
become urban legend, but they're still not true. If they were, all
orchestras would play out of tune and all string sections would play sharp
to all wind sections and IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN!!!!!What does happen is fairly simple. Both winds and strings start out tuning
to a reference pitch, but it doesn't stop there. Tuning is a constant
activity, note by note, chord by chord. When I tune my viola I tune it so
that I will be IN TUNE with the concentus pitch--the pitch the orchestra
actually plays at, which is basically set not by the oboe but by the entire
wind section. I learned from a very fine teacher that if I tune perfect
5ths down from my top string, my bottom strings will be flat--flat to a
piano and flat to an orchestra. Therefore I have to temper my 5ths so they
are narrower than pure. When I do it right, my open strings are exactly in
tune with the orchestra's average and the sound is wonderful. When I
don't, I'm flat and the sound is horrible.So: Yes, I do tune (some strings) sharp, knowingly, on purpose, for good
reason. No, I do not PLAY out of tune. I couldn't stand it and neither
could any other string player with half an ear.Tune sharp because the tone is "brighter"? Gimme a break!! We're talking
viola, here!Oh, and like singers, we're trained to stretch leading tones sharp--sharper
than equal temperament. That may be why wind players perceive some notes
as being sharp. In fact, when I got into historical music I had to
consciously break that bad habit and learn to play acoustically pure
intervals. It's good training for both string AND wind players.John
John & Susie Howell
Virginia Tech Department of Music
Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240
Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034
(mailto:John.Howell@vt.edu)
http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html
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Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 17:26:42 -0500
From: Bonnie/Oscar <bgyoaw@swbell.net>
Subject: Orchestras go sharp
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comThis is a long standing observation.
Why??
My simple explanation.Violinists (and other string players) tune perfect fifths.
Perfect fifths are larger than equal tempered fifths.
Tune the a string perfectly (440)
Tune the other strings to perfect fifths.
The g strings are a tad flat.
The c strings are flat.
Now play for a bit.
Damn, my g string is flatter than the woodwinds. Here is a rest. Quick twist,
that's better. Ah, between movements, hmmm, my d is a little flat.<twist twist>.
Damn now my a is flat. Iterate (Repeat to 'Now')Pretty soon the oboe switches to the 442 reed and the concert continues.
Blame it on the pythagorean comma.
Oscar Wehmanen
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