You can tuna fish, but you can't tune a piano - Page 2

Slartibartfast · 07-10-2004, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Slarti, what wolf is describing (I think) is the resonance of the other strings. That is, you purposely strike one key, and the string vibrates--but those vibrations in the air also cause the strings around it to vibrate slightly as well, even though you didn't hit their keys. Dampen all the other strings so they can't start vibrating on their own, and the overall sound you hear is very different.

I''m not sure Clodfobble. On a piano, all the strings have a damper on them to begin. When you strike a key, the damper on those strings alone rises to let them vibrate. As soon as you let a key go, the damper comes down again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

I played the viola for about 7 years--like the guitar, the note of each string can also be played on the lower strings by holding the fingertips down higher along the fingerboard. One of the ways you tested your instrument's tuning was to play the note on a lower string, and if you'd done your job right, the open string of the same note would start vibrating very strongly on its own.

This sounds like the other string is resonating because it has the frequency of the first, do I have this right?

wolf · 07-11-2004, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

I''m not sure Clodfobble. On a piano, all the strings have a damper on them to begin. When you strike a key, the damper on those strings alone rises to let them vibrate. As soon as you let a key go, the damper comes down again.

Clod described what I want you to do accurately. Don't let ANY of the other strings resonate, and you'll hear the difference between the note you play and the note you hear.

the damper on the strings really doesn't stop them from moving along their length. The resonance of ALL The other strings is critical to the sound that we call "the piano".

This might get overly scientific

Slartibartfast · 07-10-2004, 07:20 PM

Patrick sounds like a natural. Rock on!

Elspode, that first link mentions what I started off talking about, only in terms of a guitar rather than a piano, very cool stuff! Here is one that talks piano: http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/

Pythagoras' tuning method, like many others until recently, had a built in dissonance - a wolf. It was when you played E flat and G sharp. Calling it a wolf makes for a great turn of phrase. Musicians had to avoid the wolf when playing music. A good musician could also intentionally use the wolf to throw some excitement into the music. ( Our wolf makes for a lot of excitement around here, but she's in tune

)

Equal temperament, which is how instruments are tuned today, has no wolves to avoid - the dissonance has been spread evenly across all intervals. But this is at the cost of having everything be slightly out of tune.

Undertoad · 07-11-2004, 08:28 AM

It's the toughest challenge I've had on bass, but I've been in the mood for a challenge. I have a good ear so I can tell that ALL my notes lack dedication, skill, and artful expression. We'll see!

Clodfobble · 07-11-2004, 08:42 PM

This sounds like the other string is resonating because it has the frequency of the first, do I have this right?

Yep. Like that bridge (in San Francisco maybe?) that happened to have the same frequency as the wind one day and vibrated itself apart. Video footage of it was floating around on the internet awhile back, anyone happen to have it? It was so amazing.

xoxoxoBruce · 07-11-2004, 09:04 PM

Galloping Gertie

Clodfobble · 07-11-2004, 09:17 PM

You rock, Bruce.

07-11-2004, 09:04 PM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Galloping Gertie __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump. Last edited by xoxoxoBruce; 04-07-2007 at 07:01 PM.

07-10-2004, 07:20 PM	#3
Slartibartfast \|-0-\| <-0-> \|-0-\| Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 516	Patrick sounds like a natural. Rock on! Elspode, that first link mentions what I started off talking about, only in terms of a guitar rather than a piano, very cool stuff! Here is one that talks piano: http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/ Pythagoras' tuning method, like many others until recently, had a built in dissonance - a wolf. It was when you played E flat and G sharp. Calling it a wolf makes for a great turn of phrase. Musicians had to avoid the wolf when playing music. A good musician could also intentionally use the wolf to throw some excitement into the music. ( Our wolf makes for a lot of excitement around here, but she's in tune ) Equal temperament, which is how instruments are tuned today, has no wolves to avoid - the dissonance has been spread evenly across all intervals. But this is at the cost of having everything be slightly out of tune.

07-11-2004, 08:28 AM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	It's the toughest challenge I've had on bass, but I've been in the mood for a challenge. I have a good ear so I can tell that ALL my notes lack dedication, skill, and artful expression. We'll see!

07-11-2004, 08:42 PM	#5
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	This sounds like the other string is resonating because it has the frequency of the first, do I have this right? Yep. Like that bridge (in San Francisco maybe?) that happened to have the same frequency as the wind one day and vibrated itself apart. Video footage of it was floating around on the internet awhile back, anyone happen to have it? It was so amazing.

07-11-2004, 09:17 PM	#7
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	You rock, Bruce.

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