Klarinet Archive - Posting 000630.txt from 1996/02

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Air Varie`e by Paul Ben-Haim
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 1996 23:50:03 -0500

Bruce,
I think this phenomenon can be explained thusly: String players
play the high notes by use of differents sets of overtones than
clarinetists do. While we overblow at the 12th and then squeak up another
fourth or fifth (such as the e and a, which are both overtones), they do
only octaves. And if I remember correctly, 12th's are wider than octaves
in terms of the relationship between the notes. So if clarinet and
strings are playing the same pitch, but using different overtone
relationships to get the pitch, our pitches will be different and guess
who will be higher? That is why French horns have so many different
fingerings for high notes - they chose which overtone they want (based on
the fundamental) depending on who they are tuning to. This also could
help explain why so many clarinetists seem flat in the throat tones when
playing with strings. Actually, THEY ARE! Even if they are in tune in
the upper register. So, the moral is tune the lower notes and learn not
to bite so much on the upper ones so you can play them slightly lower.

Fred Jacobowitz

On Tue, 20 Feb 1996, B HUDSON wrote:

> David,
>
> I started to send this to you directly, and then I realized that this might
> be of general interest to the LIST. You were sitting beside me during
> David Campbell's masterclass at the Clarinet ChamberFest, and when David
> was working with the tuning of the quartet against the first clarinet that
> played. And you said something to the effect of the following: "the age
> old tuning problem. If the strings are in tune with concert 440 A, the
> clarinet is sharp in the upper register." And of course correct me if I
> misheard you. Feeling like a fish on a very slippery slope between land
> and water (as one of the oldest and least experienced participants present)
> I nodded my head hoping some discussion would fill in the gap later. And
> of course guess what .... .
>
> The issue has come up again in that I think you know my musical world is
> dominated by string players (cellist wife and colleagues), and repeatedly I
> hear them complaining that my favorite players in the region are sharp in
> the upper registers-- probably f above the staff and everything above it.
> And a few string players I've asked about this comment vaguely that that's
> why strings have a tendency to tune sharp to 440.
>
> All explanations appreciated.
>
> Bruce Hudson, xdpw41a@-----.com
>
> Raleigh, NC
>