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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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Does anyone know the origin of the term "wolf tone?" Is it simply because they howl? Who first used it?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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my knowledge of wolf tones comes from learning about the well tempered intonation that was developed in the 1600s. just intonation of keyboards caused some keys to be badly out of tune, and the resulting tones were called wolf tones, for the reason you state. at least that's how I remember it, but it was in college, and I tended to forget things then...
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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well a quick google tells me that I have forgotten a lot more than I know, and didn't even hear right to begin with... anyway, here's a great link (which perhaps you've already found....): Wolf Tonessounds like a particular area of resonance in an instrument (strings especially) that causes the note to sound differently than other notes. I've had fun trying to find the resonant notes in stairwells and other closed, resonant spaces. this is a similar phenomenon, I guess.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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here's a bit more: Quote:
As a Violinist, Wolf is a standard term to describe either a bad sound
from ONE note or a double stop (a two note chord).
Specifically, in the one note version, it will generally be activated (providing the anomaly exists) in the range of C above open G to about G above open G. Its effect is caused by a flaw in the mechanical structure of the violin which produces a large resonance brought about by the weakness in the related structural parts which cause a howling or barking sound. In the case of wolf tones in double stops, the effect is a production of a third tone (which shouldn't be there) in this case, it is usually less howling and rather more soft. Maybe wolf was a good description because on the Violin it really does wolf or howl.
from here: music dsp
it's worth following that thread a bit. interesting stuff.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Eta, you were on a roll. I thought the last link was to where we could hear a wolf tone. It's interesting.
Insel, just curious...where did you hear the expression?
Last edited by belMarduk; 03/13/06 09:58 PM.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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>> The Wolf Tone is often found at the major sixth or seventh above the open G on a cello [from eta's link]<<
That's the very one: the E. It's god awful. There are remedies, I hear.
Bel: just reading I was doing on cello, don't remember specifically.
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