source file: mills2.txt
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 08:08:20 -0800

Subject: RE: integral overtones

From: linusliu@HK.Super.NET (Linus Liu)

>Perhaps a string player on this list would like to comment: has anyone 
ever encountered a ''nice uniform string''?

I cannot think of any possibility of myself or any string player who
would not get upset if s/he finds himself out of tune. To any string
player, a note can only be either in tune or out. Also to him/her, any
note played can only have one single intonation. This is the only way
I can comprehend. This is quite different from the hearing on a
bell, for instance, several "notes", meaning several notes each with  
an unique intonation, which I/anybody can distinctly hear at the same 
time on a single played "note" (_a_ bell).

So, the fact that the higher harmonics at other than integer ratios than
the fundamental hardly bothers us.

However, the piano is different. I like to ask everyone on the list that
did not have such experience: when a very low note on the piano is sounded,
it might be hard to tell which note it is, probably due to that "enharmonic"
effect. But what I, and probably anyone else, do is to either listening down
from a higher, recognizable, note up the scale, so to "know" this note, and
then to remember (the intonation of) it, or "look" at the position of the 
note one the keyboard, so one actually "know" what note it is.

But after this exercise, did any one of you still find the "wrong" intonation
of this note a problem in any way?

What I find is that the ear will then "avoid" hearing this note. But the 
subsequent interpretation and appreciation of the sound of this note, is 
more a mental process than anything else. 

But one thing is for sure. I only THINK about only one single intonation 
of that note, or any note for that matter.

One thing is very sure. The intonation I hear on any note played by a 
string player is that same intonation everyone else hear. My audience
always come and tell me which note I played in tune or out, exactly as 
I know they are. This happens because I play so often for my friends'
weddings. Even more obviously so singing in a choir (vibrato avoided
for heavens sake).

Linus.


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