Octave Stretch in other Lands

[Newton Hunt]

> > 
> > In the middle sections we automatically listen to the 4:2,  the bass
> > the 6:3 and in the treble to 2:1.
> > 

Hi Richard,

Automatic is the operative word.  It has to do with hwere we hear the
dominate beats, either loudest or fastest.

The 3rd 10th does test the 4:2 octave.  In the high treble you can
switch to the 10th 17th to test the 2:1.  In the bass the best test is
the minor 3rd inverted to the major 6th.  This test checks the 6:3
octave.

I wasnt all the tests so the 3rd is the slower.

As to when to switch is a matter of taste and how you like you oftaves
to sound.

When I tune an octave I am looking for the most amount of stretch I
can get without producing an audible beat.  I want my beats so slow
they expire after the notes does.  Specifically what I am listening
for is the bloom that occurs when a beat begins but never ends.  This
will give you anough stretch so you can get 'pure' double and triple
octaves and the last 1/2 octave can be tuned so the first partial of
the upper note activates the second partial of the octave below but
stretched as much as possible without producing an objectionable beat.

		Newton

Richard Moody wrote:
> 
> I thought in tuning any octave, the second partial of the bottom note was
> beating with the first partial of the top note.  When the octave sounds
> beatless so are the 4th and 2nd partials and the 6:3.  If we are not
> hearing the first two partials, how do we know which of the others we are
> hearing?
> 
> Even though I use the 3rd--10th test, I do  not tune using tenths. (I
> can't reach that far for one thing) That is supposed to be a comparison of
> the 4:2 partials. But if I go back and tweek the octave again,  I assume I
> am only hearing (tuning to) the 2:1 partials.  Even though the 3rd--10th
> involves the 4 and second partials in the octave  I never knew these to be
> out of tune with the 2:1.
> Now if you get into double and triple octaves, and these are different in
> bass and treble, and from piano to piano, that is another story, but there
> you are trying to get at least the 12ths (and 19ths if you have the time
> and the piano) to sound musical with your octaves.This is what I call
> "stretching" octaves...taking your octaves wide(slightly) of pure to make
> the fifths 12ths and 19ths and the piano as a whole "sound better".
> 
> Richard Moody