Klarinet Archive - Posting 000226.txt from 1999/05

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] intonation problems
Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 07:24:08 -0400

On Fri, 7 May 1999, Chris and Jacque McCurdy wrote:
> does your band all tune from the tuner or by chord tuning.......do you just pull
> the barrel in and out or other areas......

I have a university band which tunes to the oboe - first on an A, second
on a Bb, and third on an F. The A is best for Eb saxophones (the f# is
quite stable), the F is great for Clarinets, horns, and trombones
(trigger), and the Bb is standard. Their are a wide range of notes than
to tune on - Bb - (plus ocatve and fifth), etc.

> i think thats why i prefer chord tuning....from bottom to top or tuba to flute....

A number of band directors and public school teachers use this approach.
It works in those instances because the people playing tuba often don't
have much flexibility in terms of adjusting the basic pitch - they can get
close to Bb concert with a tuner, but it might be slightly out. This way,
the upper instruments, which can adjust more easily, do so. It doesn't
work with an orchestra though - string players play best at the pitch they
normally tune at (pegs and all), and the lower instruments (string basses)
can match. Therefore, the winds must work to remain in tune with the
strings. Our only hope is that the oboist gives the pitch at or below
440.....the pitch always goes up.
Roger Garrett
Professor of Clarinet
Director - Concert Band, Symphonic Winds & Titan Band
Advisor - Recording Studio
Illinois Wesleyan University

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