<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16674" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello list,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As the subject has recently come up I am curious about a scale that I am working on - it probably applies to most scales but I am a beginner and am not quite certian how to phrase it so here goes.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Note #10 is a monochord with tension of (295lb)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Note #11 is a bichord with unison tension of 156X2 = (312 lbs.)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My initial desire was to reduce the unison tension of #10 and or increase the unison tension of #11 to make them more equal - or closer anyway.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My question is in regard to power and tone - an imaginary single wire at note #11 of 156 lb tension will have a characteristic tone and related power, probably weak and a bit lifeless? Will adding the second wire change the character enough to make a seamless transition tonally - power too? Will one weak, lifeless wire add up to twice the lifelessness or something more? Another imaginary wire at the same note #11 with 295 lbs tension would certainly sound different, no second wire required. Is it a good idea to make the unison tension close or equal in this area? Is a 17 lb difference between these notes worth changing?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Similar situation with note #30 bichord - unison tension = 232X2 = (</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>464lbs)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and note #31 plain steel trichord - unison tension = 149X3 = (447lbs) difference is also 17 lbs.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Again, is looking at the tension of each individual string more significant than looking at unison tension when it comes to tonal color and power?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Will three plain strings of 149 lbs give similar sound as two wound of 232 lbs? Again I imagine one individual wire on note #31 being weak and lifeless, will three weak and lifeless wires add up to that or something more?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am willing to sacrifice a smooth inharmonicity curve for a less noticeable tone/power change at the break.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When tuning I always hear power/color changes in these break areas and know it is an issue but predicting how a new rescale will sound eludes me.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks for any comments.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Gene Nelson</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>