Posted by Rick Denney on December 20, 2001 at 11:46:58:
In Reply to: Re: false tones posted by Kyle Cabral on December 19, 2001 at 21:37:50:
It is sound that vibrates the air column in a different mode than what we experience in the normal harmonic series.
But it is much easier to understand by experiencing it. Let me paraphrase Klaus's approach to discovering the false tone: Play a low Bb (if you have a BBb tuba), below the staff (as in, an octave above the pedal). Slide the pitch down, while leaving the valves untouched, and keep sliding it down. It will eventually shift to a pitch that is approximately around low Eb, but it will had a different sound and an even more different feel. Depending on the tuba, it will stabilize more easily than you think it should, as long as you know what a low Eb sounds like.
Some tubas do it better than others, but false tones are available on both my BBb tubas. I played one (the low Eb) at our Christmas concert last weekend, and got a knowing glance and grin from the tuba-playing director. It resonated quite well with the chorale-like sound of the final note of the carol we were playing.
Rick "who thinks a demonstration is more illuminating than an explanation" Denney