On Feb 23, 2008, at 1:16 PM, Darcy James Argue wrote:
Hi Chuck,
The discussion has not been about the difficulty of learning to play
in an unfamiliar tuning, but rather the allegation that detuning a
string instrument can cause serious, lasting problems to the
instrument itself.
Sorry, my bad.
Probably shouldn't jump in after having deleted all the preceding posts.
Chuck
(I should add that the harmonic gliss passage from The Firebird
under discussion is not at all difficult to play!)
Clearly, the issues are much different for jazz improvisers vs.
learning to play a written passage that calls for an alternate tuning.
Cheers,
- Darcy
-----
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Brooklyn, NY
On 23 Feb 2008, at 3:44 PM, Chuck Israels wrote:
HI Darcy,
I haven't been following all of this discussion (sorry), but there
is a not so superficial issue with scordatura for anything but
short passages. Players depend on deeply ingrained kinesthetic
patterns for controlling their instruments (obviously), and some
are more adept at the cerebral re-patterning that goes with
different tunings than others. I can play the cello a little, and
the bass tuned in 5ths (too much real estate to cover for my taste,
but some people find it advantageous), but comfortable access to
the hand movements and fingerings I need in the heat of jazz
improvisation I can only get in my "home" tuning of 4ths. I know
this is a limitation of my brain function, but I don't believe I am
alone in being disturbed and a little distanced from my musical
responses when I have to cope with unfamiliar tunings. I'm sure
this can be overcome with practice, (people double on clarinet and
saxophone, and some know the old system of clarinet fingering and
can switch back and forth from it with relative ease) but not
everyone wants to do it.
Just my 2 cents.
Chuck
On Feb 23, 2008, at 12:24 PM, Darcy James Argue wrote:
Also:
If anything, the issues you bring up ought to be of even more
concern for a soloist, since they can't substitute an inferior
instrument and must detune their main instrument. Any lasting
tuning problems this might cause would be even more exposed and
serious for a soloist, so if they were a legitimate concern, you
would expect soloists to be more reluctant than section players to
play a piece that called for alternate tuning.
I am inclined to believe that there is an awful lot of hoo-hah and
superstition around this issue, and that the resistance of
orchestral string players to use alternate tunings (even for an
orchestral warhorse like _The Firebird_, fercrissakes) comes from
the same place as the general resistance of orchestral musicians
to do ANYTHING that falls outside of their usual comfort zone.
Cheers,
- Darcy
-----
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Brooklyn, NY
On 23 Feb 2008, at 12:07 PM, Ray Horton wrote:
Solos are different.
Is this done with the fine tuners or the pegs, do you know? Do
the strings stay detuned for the remainder of the piece? Just
curious.
Thanks,
RBH
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_______________________________________________
Finale mailing list
Finale@shsu.edu
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Chuck Israels
230 North Garden Terrace
Bellingham, WA 98225-5836
phone (360) 671-3402
fax (360) 676-6055
www.chuckisraels.com
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