This is interesting! Why dissonances would become more dissonant as
pitch is lowered? Is it an opinion or a physical fact?
Speaking as a piano tuner, I can say it's a physical fact on a piano.
Much less so on a harpsichord, and undoubtedly much less so on a vihuela
also. Piano strings are so thick, and under the pressure that they can
only sustain because of the metal frame, that the overtones do not come
in at exact harmonic intervals, they are a little higher because the
string isn't flexible enough to bet at exact halves or thirds or
fourths. With low notes the mud produced by those out-of-tune overtones
is in your hearing range. With high notes it's out of your hearing range.
Thanks Judy! This is also interesting, and explains (partly) why often
the 6-accords played on piano sound not too good to my ears. And when
played by (well tuned) lute (or vihuela considering the list ;-) they
sound often so sweet!
Arto
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