Klarinet Archive - Posting 000462.txt from 2000/08

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: Re: [kl] Tuning: let's get it sorted out
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 05:34:41 -0400

On Wed, 16 Aug 2000 21:49:23 -0400, bhausmann1@-----.com said:

> I may be wrong about this, but I don't think the overtones are exact
> multiples of the fundamental.

No, that's absolutely right. On a real piano, they aren't.

> And if that is true, you can't just sample one wavelength and repeat
> it.

Well, you *could* do that; but if you did, the overtones in the result
then *would* be exact multiples of the fundamental. I suspect that that
wouldn't alter our perception of the sound, except of course that it
would have a slightly higher perceived pitch, because the overtones
wouldn't have the flattening effect.

This is the bit that we need to find out about -- how the sampling is
done.

In any case, I'm sure you're now in agreement with me that 'stretch
tuning' can't be turned on and off, and that the different temperaments
that are available are something else.

> Also, I believe the smaple for the attack is separate from the decay,
> and variable depending on how hard the key is struck. These clever
> engineers have thought of almost everything!

Yes, I'm sure that's true. Attacks are notoriously difficult,
particularly variable ones, as we know from our own playing experience!

The decay, being also variable, must be an electronic modification of
the 'steady state' sample we're talking about.

So, OK, here's my bet (no money, though):

Because any sample has to be repeated, the most sophisticated electronic
pianos repeat a wavelength sample at the frequency of the note.
Therefore, the sound is harmonic, unlike a real piano, but we don't
notice the difference.

And there's a prediction:

I therefore predict that electronic pianos are easier to play in unison
with.

So now, who shall we ask? I'll try to hunt up somebody, but Mark, do
you have any suggestions?

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE GMN family artist: www.gmn.com
tel/fax 01865 553339

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