| Author |
Subject |
vsteele
Registered User
(1/26/01 9:49:45 am)
Reply |
artificail harmonics
I am an adult intermediate player
and am working on the Scherzo and Nocturne of Geoffrey Burgon's Six
Suites for solo cello. Both these movements have artificial
harmonics in them and I do not know how to play them. I thought that
I was supposed to put my thumb on the note written in bold, and put
my third finger in octave position, and play it as a harmonic and I
was supposed to get a pitch of a fourth above the thumb note with
this third finger. No matter what I try, I get an octave or a fifth.
Here is an example, measure 80 of the scherzo:
Treble
clef, regular note = B flat, harmonic of this chord is written as E
flat, then play regular A harmonic. Am I supposed to put my thumb on
B flat, located in the first position location on the A
string?
Here is a second example, measure 81 of the
scherzo:
Bass clef, chords. First chord is regular note is F
sharp on the D string, harmonic is B. Second chord, regular note is
G sharp on the D string, harmonic is C sharp.
Any help would
be greatly appreciated.
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42
Registered User
(1/26/01 10:26:32 am)
Reply |
:-)
Hi.... I posted a reply to this on
the college board, but you may find it (just a bit ;-))
confusing...... maybe someone here can do a beter job.... I know
they can.
--Mike
|
zambocello
Registered User
(1/27/01 2:04:24 am)
Reply |
artificial harmonics
I don't know the piece you
referenced, but I can share some general info.
Yes, you use
thumb to play solidly the lower, regularly printed note. Use 3rd
finger to touch (harmonic-style) the diamond head note above the
solid note. We most often play "touch fourth" harmonics on the cello
(i.e. the harmonic touch note is a perfect fourth above the solid
thumb note.) When we play touch fourth harmonics the sound will be 2
octaves higher than the solid thumb note.
Just as on the
open strings there are many harmonics to use, in false harmonics our
choices are limited only by our reach. A touch fifth harmonic
produces a pitch an octave and a fifth above the solid note; a touch
major third harmonic produces 2 octaves and a major third above the
solid note; a touch minor third = two octaves and a fifth, etc. In
high enough positions we can play touch octave false harmonics, too.
(Is this all boggling enough?)
|
cellofreak2000
Registered
User
(1/27/01 3:01:33 pm)
Reply |
Trivia:
artificial harmonics....
.....perfect description,
zambocello!
...you canīt imagine how many cellists even in
pro-orchestras have immense problems with this.
Ok, here are the
questions for today to check if you all got zambos
lesson.........:
1) How do you play a written b-flat (1st
finger on the A-string, lowered 1st position) as an harmonic?
2)
A neat composer wants you to play the g on the D-string, 3rd
position 1st finger pressed down and the B above with the 4th finger
as harmonic touch. Whatīs the better alternative to get the same
effect?
3) A very neat composer wants you to play the c-sharp on
the C-string (lowered 1st position,first finger) pressed down and
the E above as harmonic touch. Better alternative?
......too
easy????????
ok, try this one:
4) A very crazy guy from the
ICS wants you to play the c-sharp on the G-string(4th finger,
extended 1st position f.i.) as an harmonic....How do you do
that????????
P.S.: All refers to the normally tuned cello!!!!!!!!
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42
Registered User
(1/27/01 7:05:11 pm)
Reply |
harm...
Thanks Zambo, you posted a much less
wordy response than mine :-)
Cellofreak,,,,, I actually only
really got artificial harmonics when I took orchestration and had to
demonstrate/explain these to my class...... that was FUN!!!
;-P
I can do all of the problems that you set except #4....
how do you get that? I can only think of how to get an one an octave
higher than that, unless I hade absolutely HUGE!!!!! hands.
|
Victor
Sazer
Registered
User
(1/28/01 3:02:00 pm)
Reply |
artificail harmonics
Contrary to common practice when
playing artificial harmonics, there is no need to hold the finger
playing the lower note against the fingerboard. When you use your
thumb and third finger for example, your thumb can touch the string
just as lightly as your third finger. This can make playing
artificial harmonics a lot easier than the more traditional
approach.
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cellofreak2000
Registered
User
(1/28/01 4:53:25 pm)
Reply |
artificial harmonics
Sorry, Victor. but I donīt think
thatīs true! It works if you play with the thumb on natural
harmonics = fifth, octave, a.s.o above the open string and add the
fourth with the third finger - works great for the high a in the
beginning of Mahler 1st f.i.
All others have to be played with
pressed down lower finger! This is even necessary for intonation, a
f-sharp played on the D-string touching the B in 4th position with
the 3rd finger will always sound flat f.i......
|
zambocello
Registered User
(1/28/01 9:21:18 pm)
Reply |
#4
Answer: with a callous on your chin!
Chin on C# on C string, touch octave
harmonic.
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zambocello
Registered User
(1/28/01 9:27:12 pm)
Reply |
Harmonics, etc.
Victor, your cello/hands/setup must
make your cello speak easier than mine. I have to play false
harmonics with some solidness (if that's a word) in my L.H. thumb to
avoid whistling. And for clearest sound I really do stop the string
with thumb. Also, I recall in a recent post you commented on playing
on the side of the string. That too doesn't work for me. I wonder
how high your strings are? On instruments with lower strings the
heavier weight on the L.H. is not
needed.
Cheers!
Zambo
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cellofreak2000
Registered
User
(1/29/01 3:16:53 am)
Reply |
#4 -
thatīs it, zambo...............
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Victor
Sazer
Registered
User
(1/29/01 1:14:09 pm)
Reply |
artificial harmonics
Try using a little more solidness on
the lower note, but still not having the string against the
fingerboard. See if this works for you. If it works, it will reduce
the friction that is generated when the string is held against the
wood.
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