Download Page - Perfecting Intonation CD
A=440
Track 4 - Minor 3rd
Track 5 - Major 6th
Track 6 - Major 2nd
Track 7 - Minor 6th
Track 8 - Tritone
Track 9 - Minor 7th
Track 11 - Perfect 4th
Track 12 - Minor 2nd
CD's available:
North American Standard A=440
European Sstandard A=440
European Orchestra A=443
(Back to Jazz Books at Beecroft.de)
Perfecting Intonation - quick introduction:
To download demo PDF click on the picture above.
In a nut shell:
This is an exercise book for learning how to blend or otherwise play in tune, with simple to more complex harmony. (great for horn players, strings and singers, lousy for guitar and impossible for keyboard)
The CD tracks are of various intervals. The intervals are all perfectly in tune with each other, i.e. Natural Tuning or ratios that are made up from Rational Numbers, (3/2, 4/3, 5/4, 7/5 etc.). This is different than intervals played on the piano which is, as you know, tuned to equal temperament. 4ths & 5ths are relatively close to perfect but all the other intervals are quite far from in tune.
The tracks are made up of 12 transposed intervals, 5ths, 4ths, tritones as well as natrual and flatted 3rds, 2nds, 6ths, 7ths. In short, all of the possible intervals within one octave. FYI on piano, the minor 3rd interval is 16 cents lower than natural tuning and the major 3rd is 14 higher.
Playing the exercises along with the tracks has a few big benefits, which are:
1) It is much easier to hear whether or not you are in tune while playing your note along with two perfectly in tune tones. Not "in tune" as the piano would sound but "in tune" as two musicians would naturally blend (as whole number ratios.
2) Being fed a steady diet of perfectly in tune intervals changes your appreciation of pitch. You become more sensitive to intonation.
3) You learn to focus on blending instead of worrying. You become much more relaxed about tuning.
Three examples illustrating the difference between blending with natural intervals and/or equal temperament:
Example #1 - how people would naturally blend together.
Example #2 - representing how a musician can play perfectly "in tune" and still not blend.
Example#3 - equal temperament i.e. how contemporary music is often produced and played today.
1) Saxophone blends with a perfectly in tune interval (maj7th)
2) Saxophone is equal temperament and background interval is a perfectly in tune interval (maj 7th)
3) Saxophone and background interval are both equal temperament
Additional examples to CD tracks:
Example of Exercise 3, Track 3 played on saxophone
From Randy Hunter - http://www.randyhunterjazz.com
David Beecroft's new book, "Perfecting Intonation" provides an excellent source of information and exercises. With an approach that is well organized, this book is indispensable for all musicians looking to hone their sense of pitch.
The introduction provides an in-depth scientific discussion of the differences between equal temperament and just intonation. While this is a bit of a technical read, it is delivered with a personal touch, making it both enjoyable and informative. The information included is also necessary to understanding the intent and focus of the studies.
Exercises are provided, along with a play-along CD, that are designed to help identify the proper tuning for intervals in a variety of contexts. The focus is on making the note combinations sound in tune for the given situation, which is where "just intonation" comes into play.
One aspect of the presentation that I like is that an overview of the exercises to be performed with each practice track is shown at the beginning of each interval study. Common transpositions are provided on subsequent pages. This makes it easy to see and get a feel for what you will be practicing.
I also like the fact that Beecroft recommends singing each of the exercises. He uses one of my favorite quotes, "If you can't sing it, you don't hear it..."
All being said, "Perfect Intonation" provides an excellent source of practice material, organized in an efficient and well-structured manner. Congratulations to David Beecroft for this notable contribution to the music education resources available today.
From Leo Sullivan - Canadian saxophonist extraordinaire:
You've done it again. Another labour of love put forth, with great insight and clarity - a necessasary tool for all musicans at all skill levels.
Until I viewed your new book, I had never put much enfices on the inner workings of "Equal Temperament and Just Intonation". I would, as many of my other colleagues - when performing with Equal Temperament instruments - experience many difficulties with certain intervals, especially the "Major 3rd" interval.
It all makes perfect sense now when one understands that "Just Intonation" intervals are related by ratios of whole numbers, therfore making them members of the same harmonic series - well on the other hand "Equal Temperament" divides intervals and the octave into 12 (logarithmically) equal parts.
This book is a must study for Beginners and Professionals alike. Singers and Players will achieve a better understanding in regards to the relationship between intervals, and when practiced as outlined by Mr. Beecroft - will open up a "new window of insight" into the world of "Harmony and Vibration".
Leo