Klarinet Archive - Posting 000372.txt from 1995/08

From: "Barry B. Bean" <bbbean@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Intonation
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 1995 16:58:06 -0400

On Mon, 28 Aug 1995 13:36:37 -0400 you wrote:

>The ear has to ultimately, be the deciding factor. The musician should make
>his or her own adjustments throughout a performance, rehearsal, whatever.
>Putting down certain keys is ideal, but more important, knowing when and if
>you do have to put them down, is something that has to be addressed every
>time you play the note.

Something else should be taken into account here: Although we tend to
think of intonation in pianistic, quantum terms, many genres revolve
around a more vocal, continuous scale. In a jazz setting, relative
pitch is MUCH more important than absolute pitch, and some notes
SHOULD be a little sharp or flat to flavor the music.

Naturally, this in no way excuses sloppy intonation, but I find I get
a much more lyrical soud out of my horn (hence music instead of notes)
when I think of the scale as being a continuous curve rather than a
quantum progression.

B.B. Bean bbbean@-----.com
Team OS/2 strictlow@-----.com
Bean & Bean Cotton Co/Bean Farms 75474.2654@-----.com