les, thanks for the details, very much appreciated!!! i am in fact
aware of the mechanical aspects of the instrument but am trying to
better understand the actual results and what can actually be
controlled and to what degree.
Now - in practice: of course it's possible to micro-tone any pitch
between a string's flat and sharp positions: done carefully (and if
the harp is well-regulated) there's no buzz - but the harpist CAN
deliberately create a buzz EVEN while slowly altering the pitch from
(say) fully flatted to natural. Microtones, you name it: you can
do it.
are you saying that (assuming proper prep time) i could ask for any
1/4-tone, 1/6-tone, 1/8-tone? or are the smaller *raised*
inflections easier to perform and control than tempered 1/4-tones?
since the pedal is mechanical, in the case of a well-regulated harp,
how could the performer intentionally create the buzz? it would seem
to me that there HAS to be a point at which (for mechanical reasons)
the pins come into contact with the strings as the pedal is pressed
and that beyond this point (raising the pitch) the performer can no
longer prevent the buzz. i.e. after a certain pitch increase, the
control of the buzz is directly related to the pitch alterations to
the string.
this makes me think:
- slight pitch inflections upwards can easily be done without noise,
up to perhaps a 1/4-tone and beyond, according to the make of the
instrument, regulation of the haro and control of the performer
- above a certain point (varies according to same reasons in previous
point) -- once the buzz starts - the pitch variation will always be
accompanied by noise, and this noise can to a certain extent be
controled in tendem with pitch fluctuations effected by the pedal
except you say that a clean gliss is possible wth no noise! sorry to
sound dense, but can you explain the separate conditions for a gliss
with and without noise?
Matter of fact, Harpo Marx (with whose technique I have more than a
little familiarity!)
ah! his rachmaninov technique?
Done slowly, ya hear the interceding tones; done quickly and the
persistence of hearing (my term) makes you think you're hearing a
clean 1/2-step trill.
can you give us a tempo for this?
Done badly: buzz buzz buzzzzzzzzz.........
and this?
thanks, this is very helpful!!!!!
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