Klarinet Archive - Posting 000437.txt from 2002/11

From: Wayne P Hill <thanos563@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Dark/Bright debate
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 23:54:26 -0500

Albeit this is a little on the tongue and cheek side but it seems he crux
of this debate on using words to describe tone color is the fact that we
are attempting to use currently existing words with an already engrained
definition. Oe of thebeauties of the English language is that it is
constantly changing, new words are being added (look at computer
terminology) and old words are being thrown out or having their meaning
changed (In the middle ages, if you called someone "nice" you would
likely end up with a knife in your back) So instead of trying to use
EXISTING words.....why not put our heads together and define them through
the creation of our own words. I agree that tone color is not something
you can quantify, there is no mathematical means to do so conveniently
that I am aware of, but it can still be done comparatively ie. word *****
means a tone color similar to that of artist X while another word would
mean tat similar to artist Y. If you think about it many of the things we
look at and direct ourselves by every day are relative even in music. I
would like anyone to give me a definite, quantitative answer for
dynamics. How many decibles should a piano be, how many should a
fortissimo be? In the least it is somehting to think about.

Wayne Hill

---------------------------------------------------------------------