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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000050.txt from 2006/03

From: john vasko <boanerges@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Are my ears playing tricks on me?
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2006 23:10:33 -0500

If this persists, see an ENT doc and get audiometry. I doubt the
tuners are false.
Years ago I noticed that when I whistled a tune it came out in major
thirds. After my original amusement with
my new ability, I sought medical attention and found I had an
inflammation of the inner ear. In a few days I was normal again.

Dr. John Vasko

On Mar 12, 2006, at 7:57 PM, ContraReed@-----.com wrote:

>
>
> A couple of nights ago I got out my contra to practice, (for the
> first time
> in about 2 weeks), and thought my ears were playing tricks on me.
> It sound,
> at least to my ears, that the lowest 4 or 5 notes are almost 1/2
> step flat.
> If I play descending arpeggios, starting with F-C-A-F, then E-B-G#-
> E, and so
> on down chromatically, the low D starts to sound flat, and by the
> time I get
> to C, I feel like I'm playing a B. I've tried it with a couple of
> tuners
> which will 'hear' down to the Low C, and they show the notes being
> right on, and
> do make the differentiation between C, C#, & D. I also have an
> early style
> of tuner which shows you how many vibrations per second you're
> playing, and
> although it tends to want to hear octave overtones, it's still
> giving a
> read-out of the correct number of vibrations for either of the
> next two C's.
>
> I don't want to trust technology when my ears tell me something is
> weird.
>
> FWIW, my contra has issues with the bell wanting to stay attached
> to the
> body, and when I take it off, it sounds like these notes are
> better in tune
> (except, of course, the low B-flat)
>
> Is it possible that a person's hearing can change that much? I
> played a
> concert 3 weeks ago, and didn't notice these problems. Could
> there be some kind
> of mechanical problem with the horn which is making these notes
> sound flat?
> It's a Fox Contra, #92, which I've had for 25 years. I'm using a
> Dallas
> bocal and Popkin reeds.
>
> Thanx in advance for any thoughts.
>
> Richard Spittel
> Baltimore, MD
>
>
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