minstrel: 440 amd a semi-tone down?

[Patricia Yarrow]

Personally, I think you'd be better off keeping A=440.  Most musicians at
SCA events are using this standard, and perhaps as importantly, so are their
tuning devices (whether pitchfork or electronic tuner).  I have noticed the
slightly lower pitch prevailing in some traditional music (try a recording
of Cajun fiddle music, preferably an older recording, if you want to hear
for yourself) but I don't think the evidence supports it across the board
for early music (see below).  You may notice, by the way, that standard
pitch seems to be creeping up.  Brass instruments in certain pop orchestras
seem to be tuned up for a "brighter" sound.

To quote from Margo Schulter's article at
http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/harmony/pyth4.html#1
The following table shows both kinds of information, with frequencies based
on the common standard of a'=440. Curiously, this modern standard may be
about as good a choice as any for music before 1600. The modest evidence
available from the Renaissance suggests for some kinds of wind instruments
an average tuning of a'=466, but with great variation in either direction.
Pitch levels in the Gothic era would seem an even more conjectural matter.

If you wish to follow Pythagorean tuning, Margo's article gives the
frequencies you'd use - look about halfway through the article for the
table.  This may create some problems for musicians playing with others, but
it will give you something closer to a "period" tuning for soloists (or for
groups willing to experiment).  The article also answers your questions
about frequency ratios, etc.
Vivien

-----Original Message-----
From: minstrel-admin at pbm.com [mailto:minstrel-admin at pbm.com]On Behalf Of
david ball
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 10:01 AM
To: minstrel at pbm.com
Subject: minstrel: 440 amd a simi-tone down?


Ok, mostly be being lazy here, but perhaps it is of enough interest to
others that I can be forgiven...

    I am making a few 6 hole transverse flutes. I am tuning them to an
electronic tuner I have, and it works well. But I have read that in period
the notes should not be based on 440hz, but a simi-tone lower. My question
is, from a practical standpoint, should I tune my flutes to this? Could
anyone else play along if I did?. Would the sound of it offend the modern
ear? Is a simi-tone a certain percentage of the frequency of each note, or
do I need a list of all notes in the period staff and tune each to that? And
does anyone know why it changed in the first place?
Information gratefully accepted

David