>From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtone :
"Some musical instruments produce overtones that are slightly sharper or flatter than true harmonics. The sharpness or flatness of their overtones is one of the elements that contributes to their unique sound." and also: "... some overtones in some instruments may not be of a close integer multiplication of the fundamental frequency, thus causing a small dissonance. "High quality" instruments are usually built in such a manner that their individual notes do not create disharmonious overtones. In fact, the flared end of a brass instrument is not to make the instrument sound louder, but to correct for tube length “end effects” that would otherwise make the overtones significantly different from integer harmonics." If we presume that some horn overtones tend to be sharp, and the perceived pitch is thereby sharpened according to some weighted average of the fundamental plus overtone frequencies, then the preferential attenuation of these overtones will cause a distant observer to perceive a lower pitch than the player. What about this presumption about sharp overtones? Also from wikipedia (harmonic series): "Variations in the frequency of harmonics can also affect the perceived fundamental pitch. These variations, most clearly documented in the piano and other stringed instruments but also apparent in brass instruments, are caused by a combination of metal stiffness and the interaction of the vibrating air or string with the resonating body of the instrument." Also: "Rather than perceiving the individual harmonics of a musical tone, we perceive them together as a tone color or timbre, and we hear the overall pitch as the fundamental of the harmonic series being experienced. If we hear a sound that is made up of even just a few simultaneous tones, and if the intervals among those tones form part of a harmonic series, our brains tend to group this input into a sensation of the pitch of the fundamental of that series, even if the fundamental is not sounding." At this point, I got distracted after Googling for brass inharmonicity - instead, I found a fascinating video about a virtual piano called pianoteq. My attention span is depleted. Anyone have some smarts to apply to this question of sharp overtones? By the way, this business calls into question what an electronic tuner actually measures. That ought to be good for a lengthy discussion. Curt _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
