Klarinet Archive - Posting 000509.txt from 2000/08

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: Re: [kl] inharmonic (anharmonic) vs. decay vs periodic vs recipe
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 03:41:09 -0400

On Thu, 17 Aug 2000 19:51:34 -0700 (PDT), Bilwright@-----.net said:

> 'Harmony' is probably the most important concept in music, followed
> closely by expression and emotion. And the sensation of 'harmony'
> proceeds from a vibrating object whose motion begins with SHM (simple
> harmonic motion). To eliminate this central and all important quality
> from the discussion is wrong, and inevitably it will lead to
> misunderstandings of some sort.

[snip]

> But it's important to me that I remind myself that 'harmonic' means
> more than just mathematical deconstruction of a periodic wave which
> may or may not be based on SHM. And I think that other people on this
> list should be aware of the possibility also.

OK, I understand this. SHM has a sort of 'purity' for you, and the
word 'harmonic' is associated with good sound, whereas the way I used
it could apply to just any old (clarinet) sound.

I don't have that sort of association with the word -- but then, I don't
think the way I represent sounds to myself is connected with words at
all, so we're just different.

> > I wasn't redefining the word 'harmonic'. I was using it to
> > characterise a particular quality. What word would *you* suggest?
>
> Coming up with words on the spur of the moment is always dangerous.
> Five minutes after I hit the SEND button, I'm probably going to wish
> that I hadn't answered this question. But right now, I would suggest
> a phrase that doesn't say anything more than exactly what you mean,
> such as "Fourier analyzable" or "periodic."
>
> WHY DO WE NEED THE WORD 'HARMONIC' AT ALL? What does it say that
> periodic doesn't?

I suppose we need a frequency domain word to correspond to the time
domain word, 'periodic'.

(I *particularly* need it, because I was thinking about this digital
piano question in the wrong one of these domains, I now realise:-)

Thanks for your reply, Bill.

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

... Let's organize this thing and take all the fun out of it.

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