It's been my experience that string players pretty much universally
ignore my helpful notations about how to play harmonics, and unless
it is impossible, will always play an artificial harmonic rather than
a natural one. They explain that it is for tuning, as you can't tune
a natural harmonic; and for timbre, as the sound of an open string is
substantially different from a stopped one.
Regardless, the notation with the diamond a 4th higher is perfectly
correct, even on an open string, though as I said, most players will
probably play it on the next lower string so that it will be an
artificial harmonic in any case.
Christopher
On Sep 10, 2006, at 11:30 PM, Randolph Peters wrote:
I was puzzling over a notational problem I had regarding artificial
and natural harmonics notation on a stringed instrument.
I have a section in a piece I'm writing where the violin soloist
plays a series of artificial harmonics (P4 above). When the passage
comes to an open string, I've usually thought of those notes as
being natural harmonics. The thing is that the traditional notation
for natural harmonics looks odd and jumps out at you.
Should I carry on with the artificial harmonics notation (a note
and a diamond a P4th above) or should I mix the two kinds of
harmonics notation? [Let's assume the player is using an open
string and not a fingered version of the same note.]
I appeal to the wisdom of the list.
-Randolph Peters
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