[Harp-L] Re: Just Intonation and Difference Tones



My original post which began this thread was asking about DIFFERENCE TONES.  I said "correct me if
I'm wrong" but doesn't a Just Intoned harp produce more pleasing difference tones than an equal
temp harp?

Only one person answered that specific question, and it turns out he was wrong.  And a whole bunch
of other people started talking about other aspects of Just Intonation relating to chords being in
tune.  

So to get back to the topic of DIFFERENCE TONES, I'm going to quote from Pat Missin's website:

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"Whenever you play two pitches at the same time, additional pitches are produced, called
combination tones, ghost tones or Tartini tones - the lower one is the difference or differential
tone; the upper one is the summational tone. The frequency of the difference tone is the
difference between the frequencies of the two original pitches; the frequency of the summational
tone is the sum of the frequencies of the original tones. 

So, if you play a note of 440Hz at the same time as one of 660Hz, you will get additional pitches
of 220Hz and 1100Hz. Or, to put it musically, if you play an A at the same time as the E above it,
you will get a pitch equal to one octave below the original A and a C# above the E. Similar
"ghost" notes are produced by other intervals. On a justly intonated harmonica they are
harmonically related to the generating pitches, but on a tempered tuning the combination tones are
"out of tune" and often produce very harsh effects. This happens with all instruments, but the
effect is particularly noticeable with the harmonica."

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So, as I surmised, difference tones ARE more pleasing on a Just Intoned harp.  And when you play
amplified through the right rig, those difference tones can really add that certain magic
something to your sound.    I guess if you never play more than one note at a time you won't care
about difference tones.   But to quote something Rick Estrin said on the 2005 Blues Cruise, if
you're playing amplified blues and never use chords you risk sounding like a "candy ass".





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