Tuning the Monochord

An interesting approach to aurally tuning intervals on the monochord:

The most simplest.... finding the 2/3 point -- place the bridge at the
point where you get an octave between each string segment -- that is 1
part on one side, 2 parts on the other (you've generated both the 1/3 and
the 2/3 then) -- OK, simple enough

the 4/5, well you find the 1:4 point (or the double octave).....

the 4/7, well maybe either find the 1:6 point.... or the 3:4 point... then
you are in the "7"-door (so to speak). It seems to me just a matter of
finding which prime number "environment" you need to be in, and finding a
ratio easier to tune by ear (or more forgiving I should say)

Here's my main question -- has this method ever been explored? -- one
would think that there must be mention made of this in some Greek text
SOMEWHERE -- it just seems so much more elegant then pulling out the
measuring stick

P

___________________________________________
Paul Greenhaw
Music Specialist II
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
40 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023
(212) 870-1892
__________________________________________

You might try the Rudolf Steiner Library, used to be in Ghent, NY.

Maria Renold wrote some articles on tuning [Choroi] lyres by ear to ["The Sun Mode"=Schlesinger/Hamilton tuning]. Otherwise...???

pgreenhaw@nypl.org wrote:

An interesting approach to aurally tuning intervals on the monochord:

The most simplest.... finding the 2/3 point -- place the bridge at the point where you get an octave between each string segment -- that is 1 part on one side, 2 parts on the other (you've generated both the 1/3 and the 2/3 then) -- OK, simple enough

the 4/5, well you find the 1:4 point (or the double octave).....

the 4/7, well maybe either find the 1:6 point.... or the 3:4 point... then you are in the "7"-door (so to speak). It seems to me just a matter of finding which prime number "environment" you need to be in, and finding a ratio easier to tune by ear (or more forgiving I should say)

Here's my main question -- has this method ever been explored? -- one would think that there must be mention made of this in some Greek text SOMEWHERE -- it just seems so much more elegant then pulling out the measuring stick

P

___________________________________________
Paul Greenhaw
Music Specialist II
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
40 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023
(212) 870-1892
__________________________________________

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Renold is writing through the Steiner sensibilty -- I've seen her
book "Intervals, Scales, Tones" -- and it isn't what I am going for
here. I have yet to find any mention made of using BOTH sides of the
monochord string (as divided by the bridge) -- but there must be a
method described somewhere -- if only because of the elegant and self
contained nature of this method of tuning

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Pete McRae <ambassadorbob@y...> wrote:
> You might try the Rudolf Steiner Library, used to be in Ghent, NY.
>
> Maria Renold wrote some articles on tuning [Choroi] lyres by ear to
["The Sun Mode"=Schlesinger/Hamilton tuning]. Otherwise...???
>
> pgreenhaw@n... wrote:
>
> An interesting approach to aurally tuning intervals on the
monochord:
>
> The most simplest.... finding the 2/3 point -- place the bridge at
the point where you get an octave between each string segment -- that
is 1 part on one side, 2 parts on the other (you've generated both
the 1/3 and the 2/3 then) -- OK, simple enough
>
> the 4/5, well you find the 1:4 point (or the double octave).....
>
> the 4/7, well maybe either find the 1:6 point.... or the 3:4
point... then you are in the "7"-door (so to speak). It seems to me
just a matter of finding which prime number "environment" you need to
be in, and finding a ratio easier to tune by ear (or more forgiving I
should say)
>
>
>
> Here's my main question -- has this method ever been explored? --
one would think that there must be mention made of this in some Greek
text SOMEWHERE -- it just seems so much more elegant then pulling out
the measuring stick
>
> P
>
>
>
> ___________________________________________
> Paul Greenhaw
> Music Specialist II
> The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
> 40 Lincoln Center Plaza
> New York, NY 10023
> (212) 870-1892
> __________________________________________
>
> You can configure your subscription by sending an empty email to one
> of these addresses (from the address at which you receive the list):
> tuning-subscribe@yahoogroups.com - join the tuning group.
> tuning-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com - leave the group.
> tuning-nomail@yahoogroups.com - turn off mail from the group.
> tuning-digest@yahoogroups.com - set group to send daily digests.
> tuning-normal@yahoogroups.com - set group to send individual
emails.
> tuning-help@yahoogroups.com - receive general help information.
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups SponsorADVERTISEMENT
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> /tuning/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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>
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>
>
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