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Harpsichords and Related Topics

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Subject:
From:
Gregcrowell <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Harpsichords and Related Topics <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 5 Jan 2016 14:24:47 -0500
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Dietrich Hein queried:


<<Greg,

what exactly do You mean by voicing here, -trying to influence the  
overtone-structure that the instrument will yield?>>


Yes, for a start. A number of years ago (1987, was it?) a very famous European harpsichordist (no Googling required on this list) played a concert on one of my instruments. During his practice sessions a (Delrin) plectrum broke. I began my pre-surgery routine of choosing the voicing block, choosing a replacement plectrum, assembling my Exacto knife, searching for the best light, when he took the knife from me and said, "No need to be so fussy--just take a bit off." With a quick flick of the wrist he carved a nick in the bottom of the Delrin, placed the jack in the instrument, and proudly displayed how the volume matched its neighbors, and Bob was his uncle. I noticed, however, that the sound quality didn't match the others. Annoyingly, that plectrum broke the day after the concert.


A serious organ builder would simply never be satisfied with the controlling only the volume of his pipes. His voicing will address issues such as overtone profile, speech characteristic, as well as volume. From my good friend Paul Irvin I have learned a wealth of information about how to voice Delrin for the best musical effect (a more fundamental and vocal sound, a de-emphasizing of the pluck, a coming to pitch right away). Given that a natural substance like proper quilling (proper feather, proper oil) must obviate the need for some of the fussing with voicing required by plastic, there are still things that a skilled voicer should be able to influence. For example, I notice a clicking noise upon the return of the note in many quilled instruments, especially in the bass (you can hear this quite clearly in Blandine Verlet's recent and beautifully played Couperin recording on an original Hemsch). 


Greg
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::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Note:  opinions  expressed on HPSCHD-L are those of the  individual con-
tributors and not necessarily  those of the list owners  nor of the Uni-
versity of Iowa.  For a brief  summary of list  commands, send mail to
[log in to unmask]  saying  HELP .
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