# A432 vs. A440: Your take?



## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

If you are aware of this - um - issue, please feel free to comment in the space below. Personally, I'm mystified, although that may be the point.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Either is fine. The lower tuning is probably used to accommodate older instruments, like violins with gut strings (see Smithsonian Chamber Players).

Only someone with perfect pitch would be bothered by a different pitch standard.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Totenfeier said:


> If you are aware of this - um - issue, please feel free to comment in the space below. Personally, I'm mystified, although that may be the point.


Substantially altered tuning pitches play havoc with wind and brass instruments...an instrument built to perform @ c440-443 will not be able to play in tune @ 432....and vice versa...the 432 instrument will not be able to play comfortably at 442.


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## Razumovskymas (Sep 20, 2016)

I once saw a discussion between 2 professional musicians in some docu. One (the stupid one) was stating that the big bang had the same frequency as a lot of famous masterpieces (I think it was d and referring to Beethovens' 9th) and that that couldn't be coincidence. The other one (the smarter one) replied: yeah but d never really had a fixed frequency in the history of music so what are you talking about. And the stupid one answered: yeah but still....

not really sure in what way this relates to the OP

BUT STILL....


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Was it Scriabin who was always postulating about the great celestial "A" of the universe?? Was he thinking 440, 447, 432??


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

NOW you are beginning to pick up the scent! Keep digging - the TRUTH will AMAZE you!


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Recalled that Zubin Mehta when he led the NY Phil tuned to A 442. Might have done the same when he was in Los Angeles. 

I've played pipe organs that were let to 'slide' downward in pitch over several years, the result of not being tuned on a regular basis. One instance when I was doing an organ/brass piece the players slides were almost falling out to match the pitch of the organ pipes. The organ technician had said "it's too much work to bring the whole organ up to 440" ... hello? Isn't that why you are the organ technician in the first place? I begged them to fire that cretin ... but no they said "he's all we can afford!" Sad.


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

millionrainbows said:


> Either is fine. The lower tuning is probably used to accommodate older instruments, like violins with gut strings (see Smithsonian Chamber Players).
> 
> Only someone with perfect pitch would be bothered by a different pitch standard.


Oh, but you see, that is what they WANT you to think!


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Krummhorn said:


> Recalled that Zubin Mehta when he led the NY Phil tuned to A 442. Might have done the same when he was in Los Angeles.
> 
> I've played pipe organs that were let to 'slide' downward in pitch over several years, the result of not being tuned on a regular basis. One instance when I was doing an organ/brass piece the players slides were almost falling out to match the pitch of the organ pipes. The organ technician had said "it's too much work to bring the whole organ up to 440" ... hello? Isn't that why you are the organ technician in the first place? I begged them to fire that cretin ... but no they said "he's all we can afford!" Sad.


A = 442 is pretty standard....I think the BSO uses this standard....have since early 90s. Some orchestras used to tune very sharp A= 446, 447. Supposedly, this made the strings sound more "brilliant", but it is physically destructive to the instruments...it also ruins the woodwind sound, causing a rather harsh, shrill, thin sound, lacking in overtones.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

How does a soloist, particularly on wind or brass, deal with moving between orchestras with differing tunings?


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2017)

http://returnto432.blogspot.com/p/432hz-and-astronomy.html


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Becca said:


> How does a soloist, particularly on wind or brass, deal with moving between orchestras with differing tunings?


Most modern instrument orchestras tune to a pretty uniform standard A= 440- c.442. With HIP, original instruments...??


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Pitches have been creeping upward for 150 years, and since I don't have the authority to decree otherwise, my preference doesn't matter.


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

Victor Redseal said:


> http://returnto432.blogspot.com/p/432hz-and-astronomy.html


That right THERE is the discussion topic. C'mon, folks, cleanse your chakras and let's get going!


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## Razumovskymas (Sep 20, 2016)

Totenfeier said:


> That right THERE is the discussion topic. C'mon, folks, cleanse your chakras and let's get going!


I read the paper and my conclusion is that basically to promote the 432Hz frequency because it is "wholesome" is just numerology. The writer himself points out that the fact that all notes have integer frequencies when A is 432Hz is a result of the time unit being a second. And since the second is an arbitrary unit, the "integer" frequencies have no meaning. They are as "wholesome" as any other set of frequencies.

Apart from that it's an interesting article.


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## EarthBoundRules (Sep 25, 2011)

I personally love the sound of the lower tuning. Probably just because it's different.


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

MarkW said:


> Pitches have been creeping upward for 150 years, and since I don't have the authority to decree otherwise, my preference doesn't matter.


Yeah...yeah, that's it...._creeping_ up - slowly, ever so slowly...the frog in the pan on the stove...(rustle of tinfoil hat)...yeah, man...


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

If you had as much difficulty singing high A's as this baritone (and many others) has/have, you would certainly prefer A=432. There is a difference. And the lower tuning feels somehow _warmer._

:tiphat:

Kind regards,

George


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