Re: [tuning] Finger this one out [woodwinds]

Joseph and I spoke by phone and he thought I should try to say a bit more
about microtonal playing on woodwinds. And perhaps lift from our
conversation.

It seems that composers "theorize" that players can't do specific microtones,
but they can. It was Messiaen that published that there are two things wrong
with writing microtonal music; first, you need new instruments and second,
you would have a trainwreck with notation. He was misinformed.

Composers have gone through a computer-influenced position of taking things
out of the players' hands. Players, left to their own devices, responded by
learning to improvise, by developing extended techniques (like circular
breathing and double-tonguing). Jazz did more with microtones and
multiphonics than other musicians, but it is more locked into 12TET in theory
than many other styles of music.

Players have pushed the envelope more than composers it seems. People like
Robert Dick (flute), Heinz Holliger (oboe), and yours truly have put the two
together as a responsibility. Our instruments have capabilities beyond the
imagination of the composers. And now that there are fingering charts for so
many different tunings, published and on the Internet, there is a different
situation now.

Woodwind players can play in any tuning. It's even easier than on string
instruments (especially at first) because there is a distinct and unique
fingering for each microtone (and here I mean any pitch that is not part of
the "idealized" 12TET). Though embouchure (the mouth placement on the reed
or mouthpiece) pitch is indeed flexible. However, the fingers do as much
possible. Bassoon has more keys, open tone holes, a 3.5 octave range, and a
rich harmonic content than the other winds and may actually have a greater
natural advantage than the others. Also, there are some problem spots, but
they are negotiable by the experienced.

The early days meant listening to horrid electronic tones on Korg chromatic
tuners, much to the distress of our neighbors. For hours and days and weeks
and years, we found our microtones. Now, we just play them. When composers
write for them, players are ready. Of course, there will always be people
with attitude. You can navigate around them.

The notation in a "prescriptive" sense is very important to the players. I
have been training microtonal players for two decades now and have realized
for some time that a single notation that allows for the polymicrotonality of
a multitude of tuning possibilities is easily achieved.

For those who haven't heard this before, using a basic notation that includes
a quartertone sharp and flat, exact deviations of 1-49 cents can be indicated
above each notehead. Keep in mind that players may need to write specific
idiosyncratic fingerings for each tone. Advanced players do not need to
write in quartertones any longer. There is no 12TET inherent in this
notation. It is only an achievable method for measuring 1200TET. For this
reason, I also do not believe 48TET eighthtones are necessarily 12TETish.
There are too many pitches available for one to be strapped in to the
conventional grid.

Bring on the new music!

Johnny Reinhard
AFMM