Klarinet Archive - Posting 000574.txt from 1998/09

From: Matt Palasik <mattp169@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Pitch standard confusion
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 02:09:02 -0400

ok im starting to better understand the stabndard of a@-----. BUt I have
a few questions. If an instrument is designd to play at the standard in
tune. Then if you try to tune concert a at say 442 or even father from
the standard say a=446 then will an instrument still play reasonably in
tune at a=446?
Secondly are the instruments designed to play at a=440 when the temp is
72 degrees only. or are they designed to play at a=440 no matter what
the temperature is?

Bill Hausmann wrote:
>
> At 07:57 AM 9/15/98 MDT, JW wrote:
> >So, zillions of bytes of text on the above, which could easily be distilled
> >into the following:
> >
> >* A=440 is A=440 no matter the conditions; 32 degrees, 100 degrees, sea
> level,
> > high in the mountains, etc. Only thing that matters here is vibrational
> > speed of the pitch, either 440 or NOT 440.
> >
> Yes. This is true.
>
> >* HOWEVER, the speed of sound IS affected by the density of the medium it
> > travels thru - all other things equal, this means that any
> > sound producer will probably produce different pitches in a cold room vs.
> > a warm room(tuning fork, clarinet, etc). It is a well know fact that
>
> > the speed of sound is MUCH different when travelling thru water than thru
> > air, even though the producer of the sound may be the same, for example.
> >
> No. While the speed at which the sound travels will vary, the pitch
> remains the same. A given number of cycles per second is just that,
> dependent upon TIME, not temperature.
>
> >* A tuning fork or clarinet will expand or contract depending upon the
> > temperature change, affecting the pitch produced.
> >
> YES. THIS is the reason pitch changes with differing temperature conditions.
> >
>
> >As far as orchestra pitch, it therefore really does matter at what temp.
> >you tune, NOT because of A=440, but because of expansion/contraction/
> >air temp inside the instrument will affect the produced pitch.
> >
> If you tune the orchestra so that it plays at A=440 in the GIVEN
> environment, WHATEVER the temperature (and of course, you don't tune until
> the instruments and instrumentalists are "warmed up" and the
> expansion/contraction has already occurred), it should, theoretically at
> least, STAY in the vicinity of 440.
>
> Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
> 451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
> Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
> ICQ UIN 4862265
>
> If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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