Saxophone Forum


by newreedsyndrome
(343 posts)
14 years ago

Utonality

I am actively researching the possibility of applying the concept of utonility to the saxophone - acoustically producing tones under low Bb, without altering the instrument (maybe the mouthpiece/reed/ligature though) or using electronics. Basically the opposite of altissimo. If anyone has any pertinent information, I would love to hear about it. Please don't respond with, "that's impossible". It may be, but I'd like to find that out for myself.

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  1. by SuperSax875
    (55 posts)

    14 years ago

    Re: Utonality

    I don't think you understand what utonality is. Utonality refers to a chord or series of chords that contain notes that occur in the undertone series, just as otonality refers to a chord with notes from the overtone series. But here's your problem: the overtone series does occur, but the undertone series is theoretical. The undertone series is derived by inverting the overtone series. The only way of playing below the range of the saxophone without manipulating the saxophone itself would be to play in a substance with higher density than air, or play on a very long or wide mouthpiece.

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    1. by newreedsyndrome
      (343 posts)

      14 years ago

      Re: Utonality

      thanks for the information. a denser gas makes sense - that's something I'm soon to start experimenting with would a long or wide mouthpiece just increase the size of the instrument, lowering the pitch, or would it have a more complicated acoustical effect?

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      1. by SuperSax875
        (55 posts)

        14 years ago

        Re: Utonality

        I actually played my soprano after sucking helium once. That was interesting! About the mouthpiece, probably both. To make any significant difference the mouthpiece would have to be much bigger and that would most likely cause other problems.

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      2. by SuperSax875
        (55 posts)

        14 years ago

        Re: Utonality

        I actually played my soprano after sucking helium once. That was interesting! About the mouthpiece, probably both. To make any significant difference the mouthpiece would have to be much bigger and that would most likely cause other problems.

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        1. by kelsey
          (930 posts)

          14 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          In reference to all above posts, with all due respect, you are kidding, Right??....Kelsey
          Barry Kelsey

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        2. by kelsey
          (930 posts)

          14 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          I used to play a low A on tenor by playing a Bb and bringing the bell around so I could use my knee in the bell to lower the Bb to an A.........Not really all that fast but it looked funny!!
          Barry Kelsey

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        3. by newreedsyndrome
          (343 posts)

          14 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          haha yeaaaa man i tried that stunt on a rhythm & blues gig once and almost fell cuz im not really tall enough...

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        4. by luiyo456
          (18 posts)

          14 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          I can't beleive this none sense, for lower notes you need a larger bore instrument or should I say larger and longer bell, for the prior posts in this matter I guess you might need only ....less brain, lol, I am sorry but this it is good enough for Repley's believe it or not.

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        5. by kelsey
          (930 posts)

          14 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          This post has been done in jest!! At least I hope it has...........Kelsey
          Barry Kelsey

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        6. by chalazon
          (547 posts)

          14 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          I find that frowning intensely and really scrunching my eyebrows down helps me get the low notes..'n I too use the knee in the bell to get the low A..it'sa real crowd pleaser..

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        7. by kelsey
          (930 posts)

          14 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          chalazon, at least you hope it's you knee!!
          Barry Kelsey

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        8. by Jasaxon
          (2 posts)

          9 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          Undertones are not purely theoretical.  With two instruments higher frequencies of two different notes can cancel some frequencies and add up to notes lower than either instrument can play.  For example, I was playing a concert middle C and my trumpeter was playing the A above it.  This resulted in what I believe was an f two and a half octaves below the c I was playing.  This phenomenon was encouraged by the flat concrete walls of the basement.

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        9. by GFC
          (842 posts)

          9 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          That's a heterodyne, not an undertone.  The heterodyne frequency is the difference between the two component frequencies.  A player who growls is generating heterodynes.

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        10. by Jasaxon
          (2 posts)

          9 years ago

          Re: Utonality

          Thanks.  Good to know.

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