FLUTE TONE QUALITY.
The flute tone is a comparatively simple tone. Its harmonic development
is concentrated chiefly on the fundamental and second harmonic overtone,
with occasionally the addition of one or two other harmonics. The
relative proportion of these components varies for the different kinds of
flutes.
Combination 00,3500,000 is a quality like that of the pipe organ stop
“ Flute d’amour."
Combination 00,5200,000 is a dopple flute quality.
Combination 00,5310,000 is a melodia quality.
The quality 00,5000,000 is, of course, also very flute-like in its timbre.
It is a pure fundamental tone, however, without harmonic development
and the musician is cautioned against employing it or any other single
fundamental. Its total lack of harmonic development is both unnatural
and unmusical. For a tone to possess character, it must have some har-
monic development, and the player should employ only tone colours con-
taining some such development.
It will be apparent that even in this family, the simplest of the tone families,
there is a large number of variations available to the artist from which he
may choose that particular quality which pleases him most.
DIAPASON TONE QUALITY.
The diapason quality is a foundational tone of the pipe organ. There
are various kinds of diapason qualities. All diapasons have both a strong
fundamental and second harmonic with relatively weak upper harmonic
development. The diapason qualities differ from each other principally
in the number and strength of the upper harmonic overtones.
Combination 00,5521,000 is an example of phonon diapason quality.
Combination 00,5442,420 is an example of violin diapason quality.
In pipe organs, the diapason stops are usually strengthened harmonically
by the addition of mixtures or harmonic corroborating tones. The so-
called Diapason Chorus" consists of several diapason tones, plus a
group of mixture tones.
Combination 24,6777,664 is an example of diapason chorus quality.
Combination 54,6444,222 is an example of such a quality with 16 foot
diapason.
STRING TONE QUALITY.
String quality is characterized by large upper harmonic development.
The fundamental and second harmonic development are relatively small.
A keen string quality will have very little fundamental and not much second
harmonic. A string quality always has a complete upper harmonic series
present, none of which is unduly strong or weak.
Combination 00,4345,555 is a moderate string quality.
Combination 00,2345,555 is a keen string quality.
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