Klarinet Archive - Posting 001183.txt from 1999/03

From: haydenmusic@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Tuners - what's a good one to buy?
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 11:05:22 -0500

Ed.
I did not mean that the tuning fork vibrated exactly at 440. The use
of the fork was just a reference and it was not meant to tune exactly. I
feel sorry for the upcoming musicians, because I also seen the use of
tuners in concert bands and orchestra's. Also I've notice that the use of
all kinds of gadgets to try to make the clarinetist play better is widely
used. They are so busy buying all kinds of junk to try to make them play
better instead of good old fashion practice and fiddling around with these
gadgets during rehearsal and performances. I own a music store(Hayden
Musical Instruments)and specialize in the repair of woodwinds(especially
clarinets)in Cape Coral, Florida and I just refuse to sell these crazy
gadgets or customize a clarinet with crazy octave keys, pads and
tubes(especially when the clarinetist complains of grunting in the altissimo
register(A"' & above, pianissimo). This is caused by a lack of air pressure
to support the note.
Well I think I've said enough.
Aaron
-----Original Message-----
From: Edwin V. Lacy <el2@-----.edu>
Date: Sunday, March 21, 1999 7:06 PM
Subject: Re: [kl] Tuners - what's a good one to buy?

>On Sun, 21 Mar 1999 haydenmusic@-----.com wrote:
>
>> I think that clarinetists have to re-examine the use of tuners for
>> everyday practice.
>
>I thought your comments about the use, misuse and overuse of tuners were
>very good.
>
>> Are you going to take your tuner and put it on your stand when you
>> perform.
>
>I have recently seen musicians doing just that. (In an orchestra
>rehearsal, with a tuner on the stand and a contact microphone clipped to
>the bell of the instrument and plugged into the tuner.) What is the world
>coming to?
>
>> When I studied clarinet with my teacher(David Weber) we tuned to
>> Concert A with a tuning fork (the old time ones mounted on hollow
>> block of wood and you would have to make it vibrate when you tuned the
>> note.
>
>But, there is a fallacy in this procedure. There is a surprisingly broad
>range of pitches which will excite vibrations in such a tuning bar or
>fork. You could make the bar vibrate, and still be up to three or more
>cycles per second sharp or flat. I've also seen trumpet players playing
>in a recital, having the pianist hold the pedal down, and blowing their
>tuning note, very loud, directly into the piano. They get a false sense
>of security that they are in tune when they hear the same pitch vibrating
>in the piano strings. Once again, using the ears is the solution.
>
>Ed Lacy
>el2@-----.edu
>
>
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