We're getting enough folks here with old horns, so I wanted to post a much shorter version of an article I wrote a long while ago.
First, an intonation standard is where you take a base note -- generally concert A -- and assign it a frequency in hertz (hz). All the other notes on that horn are multiples or fractions of that frequency. This is not terribly important to remember, though.
There are four-ish intonation standard that you have to worry about on woodwind instruments made in the mid-ish 19th century or later, If your horn is really old, you'll have more standards:
A=440hz. This is LOW PITCH, the modern standard. Some instruments, especially ones from Germany and the surrounding areas may have "A=880" stamped instead.
A=457hz. This is HIGH PITCH, one of the older standards.
A=435hz. This is a German standard used around WWII. Some instruments, especially ones from Germany and the surrounding areas may have "A=870" stamped instead.
A=442hz. This is the modern European orchestral standard.
The big thing to worry about is that high pitch woodwinds cannot play in tune with instruments that have other intonation standards. High pitch keyed woodwinds cannot be made or adjusted to play in tune with instruments that have other intonation standards. You cannot adjust your embochure or equipment to make a high pitch horn into a low pitch one.
In other words, especially if you're buying an instrument that was made before WWII, you need to make sure your instrument is low pitch. In most cases, there will be a "LP" or "L" stamp somewhere on the horn. However, a lot of French-made instruments prior to 1914 do not have this stamp and no Dolnet* instruments have this stamp, so it's "buyer beware."
High pitch is almost a half-step out of tune to a modern horn. However, it's very easy to play a A=442hz horn in tune with modern instruments or vice-versa. 8 cents isn't that much and you just need to adjust your embochure a little. It's a little harder with the A=435hz standard.
More a bit later.
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* You see the "DLP" stamp on some Dolnets. It stands for "Dolnet-Lefevre-Pigis," NOT "Dolnet Low Pitch." They also produced high pitch instruments into the 1960s.
First, an intonation standard is where you take a base note -- generally concert A -- and assign it a frequency in hertz (hz). All the other notes on that horn are multiples or fractions of that frequency. This is not terribly important to remember, though.
There are four-ish intonation standard that you have to worry about on woodwind instruments made in the mid-ish 19th century or later, If your horn is really old, you'll have more standards:
A=440hz. This is LOW PITCH, the modern standard. Some instruments, especially ones from Germany and the surrounding areas may have "A=880" stamped instead.
A=457hz. This is HIGH PITCH, one of the older standards.
A=435hz. This is a German standard used around WWII. Some instruments, especially ones from Germany and the surrounding areas may have "A=870" stamped instead.
A=442hz. This is the modern European orchestral standard.
The big thing to worry about is that high pitch woodwinds cannot play in tune with instruments that have other intonation standards. High pitch keyed woodwinds cannot be made or adjusted to play in tune with instruments that have other intonation standards. You cannot adjust your embochure or equipment to make a high pitch horn into a low pitch one.
In other words, especially if you're buying an instrument that was made before WWII, you need to make sure your instrument is low pitch. In most cases, there will be a "LP" or "L" stamp somewhere on the horn. However, a lot of French-made instruments prior to 1914 do not have this stamp and no Dolnet* instruments have this stamp, so it's "buyer beware."
High pitch is almost a half-step out of tune to a modern horn. However, it's very easy to play a A=442hz horn in tune with modern instruments or vice-versa. 8 cents isn't that much and you just need to adjust your embochure a little. It's a little harder with the A=435hz standard.
More a bit later.
==========
* You see the "DLP" stamp on some Dolnets. It stands for "Dolnet-Lefevre-Pigis," NOT "Dolnet Low Pitch." They also produced high pitch instruments into the 1960s.
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