Klarinet Archive - Posting 000333.txt from 1999/05

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] re: Timbre
Date: Sun, 9 May 1999 23:31:14 -0400

At 03:28 PM 5/9/99 -0400, David Blumberg wrote:
>But Bill, the test would not matter if it was that way. If the pitch is not
>preserved, what would be the point???? If the pitch is not preserved, then
>it would be like playing a piece on Bb that was written for A... and not
>bothering to transpose the part.
>
Obviously I am referring to playing UNACCOMPANIED, so there would be no
clash with anything other than the perfect pitch of the listener. Without
hearing something else to set a key frame of reference, you could tell me
that a concert G is "do" and I would believe it. This is what I believe is
"relative" pitch. Set a pitch and I will run with it. If the first notes
I hear you play are a written C scale, regardless of what key instrument
you are using, that will be the concert C scale in my mind until someone
tells me otherwise or the music stops for a while.

Example: I have a Music Minus One recording of the Mozart Quintet. I got
it cheap, but it is meant for an A clarinet, which I do not have. With the
pitch adjustment on my turntable, I can raise the pitch to Bb (in effect,
transposing the accompaniment) and play it that way. The change in concert
pitch bothers me not in the slightest (although the increased tempo causes
me some grief). If I had an A, I would surely use it for the Mozart
Quintet. But I am not going to go out and get one just to play along with
the one record I have that could use it, especially since the pitch change
is transparent to me.

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.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org