Klarinet Archive - Posting 000154.txt from 1994/02

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Joshua Proschan's notes to this board
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 10:35:34 -0500

Joshua may have been a lurker in the past, or else he is new
to this board, but every note that he has posted thus far is
an absolute winner! Intelligent, jam-packed with solid information,
great writing style, and clearly knowledgeable.

Don't go away Joshua!

Regarding the submittor who suggested that there is a belief held
by some which asserts that an instrument played out of tune by
someone can become permanently out of tune by virtue of this event,
I am puzzled. This is the first time I have ever heard such an
assertion, though it may be widespread, and I cannot think of a single
scientific reason to support the belief.

There is an old joke told about a harp play who kept tuning his/her
instrument prior to a concert and a stagehand finally asked "Wasn't
that thing tuned at the factory?" I don't perceive much difference
behind the humor of this joke and the theory that an instrument played
out of tune will remain that way (or become that way, or be susceptible
to being that way).

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Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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