Klarinet Archive - Posting 000359.txt from 2005/04

From: "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] RE: TUNERS
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 19:51:00 -0400

Walter,

I thoroughly agree. But it goes further than that. Even if the basic pitch
remains constant and other players are "in tune", individual notes should
change their pitch according to the harmonic context. For example, if the
basic tonality is C, a B is tuned as the seventh from the tonic. If (when)
the tonality changes to the dominant (V chord) of G, the pitch of B becomes
tuned to the third of the dominant (V), and this is flatter. (I am defining
the right pitch as that required to get beatless chords).

If people MUST use a tuner during rehearsal they should set it to the tonic
of the current key/tonality and take perfect intervals from that.

But that will take more practice than playing in tune ....

Keith Bowen

>
> Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 14:58:58 EDT
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
> Subject: Tuners
> Message-ID: <78.71a7d3b3.2f9aa372@-----.com>
>
> In a message dated 4/22/2005 4:47:42 AM Central Daylight
> Time, andreaduval@-----.com writes:
> <<Yes and no. I really do see people in a couple of the
> bands I play with use a tuner on their stands during the
> whole rehearsal...but no, I did not figure that you used a
> tuner during rehearsal (in that manner anyhow).>>
>
> I have come to the conclusion that having a tuner on the
> stand is a bad idea.
>
> I do find it handy to have one available, to discreetly check
> a note of my own from time to time.
>
> However, the tuner will have no relevance to the actual pitch
> level being produced around you by members of the ensemble.
> It matters NOT that you can "stop the needle" on a given
> note. What is important is that you can match pitch with
> that which is going on before you play or while you play.
>
> Depending on temperature and humidity, the pitch level of a
> band or orchestra will rise or (seldom) fall. Blind adherence
> to a tuner will perhaps, tell you how far the group has
> drifted from whatever arbitrary standard, but will not help
> you play "in tune."
>
> I am also HEARTILY SICK, of those people sitting in a
> rehearsal, listening to another person play, watching the
> "needle," and shaking their head in a wildly disapproving way
> when red lights flash in one direction or another. (Less I
> come off as a hypocrite, I do have to confess to having
> indulged in that behavior previously.)
>
> Now please don't get me wrong. I think these small tuners are
> a Godsend. I wish they would have been available when I was
> much younger. They are a great tool for working with your own
> instrument and observing its tendencies. I use one every day.
> I mean that - every single day ~
>
> However, I do not believe they can tell you the "correct"
> pitch to play in a rehearsal or performance. I can think of
> a half dozen times in the past two weeks, where I have had to
> raise in pitch a note which I know is normally sharp on my
> instrument, in order to "tune" to a piccolo, trumpet, or
> violin with whom I was playing in unison.
>
> Walter Grabner
> www.clarinetXpress.com
> World-class clarinet mouthpieces
>

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