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Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 13:19:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ode to Joy Summer Challenge
Subject: Ode to Joy and Special Tunings

Fred fssharp writes:

>All this got me thinking about special tunings, and
>if Richard Hunter's original challenge (as
>implemented by Winslow) was maybe a subtle argument
>for special tunings.

Richard can answer for his particular intentions. As
for me, I feel that players can take far more control
of bends than they generally do, or even believe is
possible. Is it good enough for, say, Mozart? An open
question - and one you can not answer until you've
heard the evidence.

>We know Richard is a big proponent of using special
>tunings from his past posts, web site, recordings,
>etc. I know, I know - Ode to Joy is a bad example
>since it can be played unbent in 1st pos

Bad example of what? Something that could be done
without using a special tuning?

Just because you can get the actual notes one way does
not render alternate methods pointless.

Another position or tuning may offer greater playing
ease, or different expressive qualities, or both. It
may also offer challenges that will improve your
playing.

The Ode plays easily in first position, but the tone
color Draw 5 is likely to stick out. The blow notes
can sound a touch breathy, and they offer no pitch
element in the vibrato.

In second position, the main notes fall on bendable
draw notes with no "fingernails-on-the-blackboard"
sound like Draw 5 is capable of. So the tone is nicer
in many ways than in first position. But there's that
pesky Draw 3 bend. What to do?

If you use Melody Maker Tuning, you get the tonal
qualities of 2nd position, and that bend is replaced
by a blow note. Very nice, very easy.

What if you use second position with regular Richter
tuning? You've got to deal with that bend. But guess
what?

With a little practice, you can get good control of
that bend and play it in tune with steady pitch and
nice tone.

With a little more practice, you can switch the bend
on and off cleanly, without sliding to and from the
note.

Practice a bit more, and you can even get a good
vibrato when you hold the bent note for any period of
time.

More practice still, and you can learn to balance the
bent note's tonal color, its volume, and its vowel
sounds with the surrounding non-bent notes.

At least this has been my experience in trying out the
Ode Challenge. This was before I decided to put up the
Challenge website. I went into this figuring that if I
can get encouraging results (I don't claiim they're
perfect), then so can many others.

Playing the Ode this way is more work than using first
position or melody maker. But you also learn to be a
better player. And a better player is a better player,
no matter what position or tuning s/he chooses to use.

Nothing against alternate tunings - I want to be
prefectly clear about that; I use them myself.

You've got tools, and you've got skills. Why not make
the bost of both?

====Winslow Yerxa
Ode to Joy Summer Challenge creator and facilitator
http://www.geocities.com/odechallenge

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