Klarinet Archive - Posting 000153.txt from 2002/11

From: Karl Krelove <karlkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Tuners
Date: Sun, 3 Nov 2002 10:34:24 -0500

These are, for me, very revealing. If I'm interpreting the graphs correctly,
it seems as if the only register in which there is a real emphasis on
odd-numbered partials (for this particular player) is in the Chalumeau (the
low F and the E a seventh above). After that the partials seem to roll off
at a fairly even rate. Can anyone recommend URLs (or even up-to-date
<shudder> printed matter) for similar representations of, say, trumpet or
oboe or, for that matter, string instrument tones for comparison? I know
from past discussions here that the physics gets very involved and the math
that explains it goes quickly beyond my limits (pun intended), but the
question these graphics suggest to me is why clarinets are still
identifiable higher up in the registers where the harmonic distribution
(having right now little to compare it to) seems so non-idiosyncratic.

Harry Olson in Music, Physics and Engineering (1952) - the only source of
similar frequency graphs that I have at hand - includes some hand-drawn
graphs showing the harmonic spectra of several tones on a number of
orchestral instruments. His clarinet graphs show similar shapes, but with
more relative strength in the fundamental and the twelfth (3rd partial),
even as high as f=932 (very close to Pyne's 924). Maybe it would be
interesting to see these analyses of individual players - might confound the
issue even further.

One thing I found striking (and, I know I'm off-topic) is that in several of
Olson's samples the fundamental is not where the greatest sound energy is
generated - mostly very low instruments, but including the oboe at f=523
(very near the A we all tune to), the lowest range of a trumpet, and human
soprano and alto voices, the greatest sound energy shown in Olson's graphs
is not in the fundamental at all, but in the octave (2nd partial) harmonic.
His vocal tenor and bass graphs show the greatest energy level in the 3rd
partial (the twelfth)!

But there must be sources newer than this.

Karl Krelove

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Charette [mailto:charette@-----.org]
> Sent: Saturday, November 02, 2002 11:08 PM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: RE: [kl] Tuners
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Karl Krelove [mailto:karlkrelove@-----.net]
>
> I'm sure I'm working with incomplete and oversimplified information, but
> doesn't the clarinet produce only odd-numbered partials (starting with the
> fundamental as the first)?
> ----
> Not quite.
>
> The even numbered partials are present, though they are not very
> audible in
> the chalumeau registers (2nd harmonic down -40db relative to the
> fundamental
> at E3) but even there the even numbered higher partials contribute a small
> but significant amount of energy. The clarion and altissimo ranges show
> higher levels of even-numbered partials.
>
> A more complete definition would perhaps say that the clarinet emphasizes
> the odd partials and can only overblow odd partials.
>
> See the site I put together for Dr. Jim Pyne at Ohio State some years back
> that shows some spectra produced via a calibrated microphone and recorder:
>
> http://hughes38.som.ohio-state.edu/
>
> (it runs on the "original" Sneezy machine from 6 years back ...)
>
>
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>

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