Wolftones

Michel Lachance chance@interlinx.qc.ca
Thu, 05 Mar 1998 14:16:39 +0000


Alexander Galembo wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I have two questions to everybody who can answer them:
> 
> 1. I never heard wolftones in pianos, though they were mentioned in
> literature. How they sound? In what range? What a pitch they have? Is there
> any publications describing them?
> 

> Thank you
> 
> Alex
> 
> Alexander Galembo, Ph. D.

Alex,

If we understand wolftones as being sympathical partials that are 
slightly conflicting with each others, causing some beats in the pitch, 
we do encounter this phenomenon in pianos on a quite regular basis.  We 
call it "wild string".  

The unisons on a tricord will muffle the "wave effect" so that the wolf 
will not be so apparent.  We have isolate a wild string to have a better 
perception of its ambiguous frequencies.

If you really want to know how it sounds like, you can ask the piano 
technician of your music faculty; he will certainly be happy to show you 
some.

Regards,

Michel Lachance, RPT


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