I write: David's advice is right on the money. Define the action and give it a name (there's no standard that I know of), but be sure to specify a half-step. I just tried it and I can get anything from a quarter-step to a whole-step. And I'm afraid I can't hear a noticeable difference in tone quality, but every recorder is different in a number of ways. (Now if you want to use it for vibrato, like on harmonica, that WOULD give an effect not obtainable normally!)
Incidentally, if you're going to be communicating with recorder players, you should try to get the terminology correct. You are not asking for the hand to be placed over the windway (the channel that aims the air at the sharp edge to produce the tone) or the fipple (the cedar block that helps form the windway, but the "window"--the area where the air stream actually contacts the edge. John David Bailey wrote: >I would be sure to include a text block at the beginning of the work to >explain how this would work, what the acoustic result will be (approx. >1/2 step flat when written pitches are fingered), and what you will be >writing in the score to indicate this. > >I would simply put an expression at the beginning, saying something such >as "R.H. cupped over fipple" and at the end, another expression saying >something such as "R.H. to normal playing position." > >You could even think up a single word name for the effect and use that >much like the term sordino and place expressions similar to "con >sordino" and "senza sordino." > >As long as it is explained at the beginning of the music, it should be >simple and not require any further notational change. > > > >Rodney Waterman wrote: > >> I am writing a piece for alto recorder solo. In the middle the performer >> cups the right hand over the windway/fipple (to form a secondary sound >> chamber) and continues to play with the left hand only. The cupping of >> the hand has the effect of changing the tone quality and all of the >> notes sound approximately one semitone lower than usual. This occurs for >> 20 bars of 2/4, and then returns to normal 2-handed playing, and normal >> pitch. >> >> Is there a standard way of indicating the consistent 20 bars of semitone >> pitch drop? - I don't want to write this section at actual pitch, just >> pitch as fingered (I guess a bit like a transposing instrument). >> Obviously I will have to explain how to cup the hand with a symbol and >> footnote description. I don't particularly want to have a bracket over >> the entire 20 bars, although this might make sense. >> >> Any suggestsions? >> >> Regards Rodney >> Melboune, Australia John & Susie Howell Virginia Tech Department of Music Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
