Klarinet Archive - Posting 000086.txt from 2004/09

From: "David Renaud" <manonrivet@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Stretch octaves
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2004 13:15:16 -0400

> Would you, Dave, be willing to make a post explaining why stretch octaves
are
> necessary on the piano, and how we need to understand them in order to
play
> acceptably in tune ourselves?

I think that my second post, just made, addresses why pianos require
stretch,
and why some more then others.

Next you asked how we need to understand them?
An excellent question.

I think we need to understand that the stretch does vary piano to piano,
so we must listen carefully to match, and not assume we are right.
Also be aware that the stretch is exponential. I posted numbers to
illustrate this.
Everything remains within 1 cent untill we get above clarion G or A.
So listen very carefully above these notes for matching, aware a piano
if well tuned is likely becomeing increasingly sharp above this point.
Its also worth noting that if you are practicing in a room with an
cheap spinet piano, this problem is more pronounced. So don't blame
yourself for strugling with the piano top end, become discouraged
,and drill yourself to play that sharp in the top end. A bigger concert
instrument requires half the stretch up there, and in much easier to match.

As for the second part of the question.
Older "pianoforte" instruments had much lighter hammers, and thinner string.
Less stretch was required. The trend has been towards "more power",
"more core", "brighter", and instrument manufacturing has complied.
Bigger heavier harder hammers, higher tension scales result.

Also there has been stylistic trend of stretching more to prioritise
matching double
octaves and beyond harmonic contect for big instruments. This works on big
instruments
only, where there is less stretch built into the sound anyway, and pushing
it to match
higher harmonic content still leaves the number relatively low. I like the
sound this
produces when a good piano allows a good technician to go there.

> A part of that might be to explain to me why I'm perhaps wrong to have
> assumed that modern pianos need *more* stretch. I'd always assumed that
> higher tensions need more correction, and that we're less 'stretched' in
> another sense on period instruments.
>
> No?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tony

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