Re: Intervals enharmony question

[Hans Åberg]

> On 30 Apr 2018, at 23:14, Torsten Hämmerle <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> Hans Åberg-2 wrote
>> Flutes have a very definite pitch, making it hard to play in unison,
>> unlike strings then.
> 
> Thank you, that's a good explanation.

So it is the incompetent composer one should go after.

> Comparing the harmonic spectra of flutes and violins or when trying to
> capture the sound characteristics using a synthesizer, this is what usually
> comes out:
> When creating flute-like sounds, the result is not far from a sine wave.
> In contrast, when creating a string-like sound, one would use a sawtooth
> wave (because of its richness in harmonics).

Flutes with wider mouth-hole can produce more harmonics, but the 7th partial, 
even thought possible on the lower notes, is normally avoided. - I checked 
James Galway playing Syrinx on this.

> The predominant fundamental frequency is the reason for the definite pitch
> of a flute and that's why the slightest deviation in pitch is very audible
> when several players play together.

Just don't have them playin unison - Beethoven wrote a piece for two flutes, in 
thirds and crossing lines to make them more interesting for the performers.

> A clarinet (having a spectrum without even harmonics due to the cylindrical
> bore, that'd be a square wave) is the next-best candidate for the
> play-unison jokes.

A clarinet only has strong odd partials, which is due to the bore, and blows 
over on the partial, unlike a sax, which blows over on the octave. I suspect 
the least pitch-flexible instrument is the oboe, as one typically uses that for 
a tuning reference pitch.