Klarinet Archive - Posting 000906.txt from 1998/05

From: merlinw@-----.ca
Subj: Re: [kl] intonation in large groups
Date: Fri, 15 May 1998 19:43:11 -0400

On 05/15/98 16:35:52 you wrote:

>The recommended note for both orchestra and band winds is concert F.
>This note is an optimum tuning note for all wind instruments.

Sorry, but it's not an optimum pitch for tuning Eb saxophones. The fourth line D tends to be a very sharp note on sax. Concert A is a great tuning note for alto and baritone sax, as it is a very stable note on those instruments.

We sometimes forget that using A as a tuning note for an orchestra is done because all of the stringed instruments have an open A.

There's been plenty of discussion re: tuning - some people like to stand around with electronic tuners for twenty minutes trying to tune every player in the band individually. It seems that the band rarely sounds better after this process than before.

I prefer to warm up a band using a march - a street march that is essentially tutti throughout. This will generally get everyone warmed up. Then, I ask them to tune to the oboists A for the woodwinds, and Bb for the brass. I then played a very slow chorale, and hold the pauses quite long, so that people can hear the root and adjust their tuning. For people who may only play once or twice a week, this can really help to get the ears working - and let's face it - if you don't listen and adjust in context - you can't play in tune.

Merlin Williams
merlinw@-----.ca
http://www.netcom.ca/~merlinw
(A member of the Sax Ring!)

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