Cracking the unisons

[Susan Kline]

Hello, Ed

Weinreich effect? Any place I can find out about that? But I agree that
it happens, as you describe it. One can even pluck across unisons, and
find a different profile for some which still sound uniform with the
others, just listening with bare (if aging) ears.

My feeling is that there's a lot more than just frequency for setting unisons,
since one has to make false beats (even small, slow ones) cancel each other in
a particular way for the beauty of sound to emerge. Not, perhaps, the most
efficient way, which sometimes causes the sound to contract and go thin and
white. And of course, it has to be stable.

I don't use the box, so this is off the top of my head, but I feel that to
get the sound consistent and warm and round and all those good things one
needs such a connection with the sound and its properties that one feels
immersed in it. I don't think I'd like to share the mental space with a
very factual widget with flashing lights or turning circles, etc. Besides,
flashing lights make me uneasy.

Just MHO (Marshall, "my HUMBLE opinion" ... i.e., if this seems arrogant,
it is unintended.)

As usual, Ed, you give us a good and interesting read, which sets me to
thinking of various things.

ssssssssnnn

At 10:45 AM 1/6/2006 -0500, Ed Foote wrote:
>David writes:
>
><< I think those who use an ETD tune unisons without it because it's faster.<<
>
>    Damn right.  Consistant unisons might sound alike, but upon closer
>measurement, we find the three strings all over the place on certain 
>notes.  This is
>the "Weinreich" effect. Simply stopping all strings to the SAT will leave a
>very inconsistant bunch of notes,(at a recording/concert level of 
>examination).
>    I usually let the SAT tune the outer strings of a trichord, then use my
>ear to settle all the phase requirements as I drop the middle string into the
>mix.  It lets the organic quality of my judgement have the final say in the
>fastest time possible. Some notes, I ignore the machine and place 
>everything by
>ear, since the box will occasionally get confused.
>
> >>Though tuning unisons in the bass can sometimes be problematic with an 
> ETD,
><<
>
>         I agree, aural unisons in the bass are faster because you are going
>to have to aurally check wherever the machine puts the notes, anyway!
>
>
> >>And for the very high treble, an ETD for tuning unisons can be quite
>useful. >>
>
>Becomes more true every year...
>
>
>
>Ed Foote RPT