Language

[Susan Kline]

At 08:45 PM 3/16/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>Susan, I don't understand some of your terminology here, and I thought I'd
>learned to speak fairly fluent Tunese:

Probably my fault -- laziness.


>There are as many tests as one feels like pursuing, but
>in everyday work I tend to focus on three: the tenth test
>in the middle range, but only if the timbre of the octave
>isn't pleasing me; the sixth test in the bass, ditto, and
>I temper fourths, fifths and octaves all the way to the
>top and most of the way to the bottom. Octaves the straightest,
>then a little curl to the fifths and a little bit bigger curl
>to the fourths, but basically making all of the perfect
>intervals (4, 5, 8) as clear as possible.
>
>A. "tenth test" 10ths against 3rds? running 10ths? both?

Octave test, seeing if the upper and lower notes of the octave
beat equally against a note a major third below the lower note.
I don't always insist that they beat exactly the same -- the
upper note can beat a little faster. But I like for all the
octaves to have about the same difference.


>B. "sixth test ... bass" major 6th/minor 3rd? running 6ths?

Minor third/major 6th, within the octave, to check for the bass
octave size. I use running almost everything when checking the
temperament, but usually not later on. If the deep bass is really
puzzling me, I'll sometimes run consecutive (what is it? 15ths?)
octave+minor sevenths.



>C. "I temper fourths ..." not sure what you mean here ... extending the
>temperament into bass, treble?

Tune octaves by ear; check fifths, check fourths. Make sure none are
obnoxious, or if obnoxious, make sure that all three intervals are
obnoxious in the same pattern: octaves best, fifths next best, fourths
least best -- <grin> -- but nothing wonderful at the expense of
something else becoming godawful. I do this all the way to C88,
and down toward the low octave as long as the clarity of the bass allows.


>D. "Octaves the straightest" purest 6:3s ??

not so much checking one test (6-3's) against another (2-1, or 4-2) ...
purely aural, by timbre.


>E. "a little curl to the fifths ... little bigger curl to the fourths"  ya
>really got me here ... ???

Well, you know ... a curl is a slow, tired little beat ... a
"miao"


>F. "perfect intervals ... as clear as possible" clear=pure?

Why, sure, except that thirds and sixths and all that aren't
pure. Perfect intervals (as opposed to major/minor intervals)
are fifths, fourths, octaves, and unisons.


>Appreciate a little comment, thanks,
>
>Alan Barnard
>Salem, MO

No problemo .. well, I hope, anyway.

Susan