Singing small intervals

Gregg Gibson wrote:
> I do however categorically deny that any singers whatever
> (allowance made for the occasional alien with 31-tone equal
> ears) can reliably reproduce intervals narrower than 55-60
> cents in melody.

This quote brings to mind a track called "Curry and Quartertones" on the
Mumtaz Mahal CD (Water Lily Acoustics WLA-CS-46-CD). In it, American
bluesman Taj Mahal talks about similarities between V. M. Bhatt's Indian
melodies and the blues.

Taj demonstrates by singing a bluesey riff that contains a "quartertone".
To my ear, it sounds like he is singing the 64/33 and resolving it to the
octave, a distinct interval of about 53 cents. Bhatt responds by echoing
the riff quite accurately on his instrument.

Now, this interval does not sound alien or even unusual to me, and it's a
distinct melody note. Anyone who listens to modern American pop music will
hear singers doing this kind of thing in their melodic "grace notes" all the
time. I have to believe there are better singers in the world than the
folks I hear on the radio. There are certainly many with better accuracy
than poor old Taj!

-b0b-
-----
quasar@wco.com (Bobby Lee)
http://wco.com/~quasar/


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From: gbreed@cix.compulink.co.uk (Graham Breed)
Subject: Reply to Gregg Gibson (and not the only one!)
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