Klarinet Archive - Posting 000165.txt from 2005/10

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Low/High Pitch (was Pruefer Clarinet)
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 23:41:52 -0400

At 09:04 AM 10/18/2005 -0700, Ormondtoby Montoya wrote:
>But buried in all of these standards is the implication that one
>particular pitch is "best". Thus the article which Bill Hausmann
>quoted talks about oboe makers "sneaking up" to a higher pitch despite
>having agreed to a=440.
>
>I wonder why that is? Simply in order that their oboes will stand out
>above the remainder of the orchestra, similar to strings sneaking
>upwards in order to take center stage?

"Best" is logically that which will blend properly with everyone else in
the ensemble. That was made much easier when the international A=440
standard was agreed to. If only everyone would actually stick to the
agreement! String players are the most notorious pitch creepers, since
twisting a tuning peg is easy to do. Of course, you can't stand out from
the crowd by tuning sharp when everyone else cranks their instrument up to
the same pitch with you. It is a little more difficult for us woodwind
players, though. Our instruments can only get so short (shorter barrels,
etc.) before they become seriously out of tune with themselves. The oboe
makers referred to are probably just trying to give their customers a
little adjustment slack to be ON pitch when everyone else is tuning at 442.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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