Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) 2008-08-26 01:19 pm I so far know all orchestrial instrument ranges, but accordians, harmonicas and chimes? Those three are the ones I am trying to find, EVEN with the power of Google, Yahoo, wikipedia etc. I still can't find its range! Does anybody have that knowledge of those three instrument's ranges?Oh... there's an attachment with all the instrument ranges I KNOW. Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #1 – 2008-08-26 01:57 pm You can have a look at my ranges spreadsheet available on the Scripto here:http://nwc-scriptorium.org/helpful/musicrng.xlsIt has Accordian and a 10 hole harmonica. - Not sure about Chimes but it does have Glockenspiel. Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #2 – 2008-08-26 04:24 pm Orchestral chimes (also known as tubular bells) have a range from middle C up an octave and a fourth to the F at the top of the treble clef staff (some extend to F# and G on the top). Accordians and harmonicas come in so many different sizes that it's really impossible to pin down a range (and with accordians, you have to specify whether you're referring to just the keyboard or keyboard plus bass buttons). You'll need to check the specific instrument you're writing for.Hope this helps....Bill Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #3 – 2008-08-26 04:40 pm When you push an accordian button, you can ear several notes (the main note + 1 octave +...). And there is a lot of possible configs ! Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #4 – 2008-08-27 06:47 am Richard, I really appreciate the instrument range sheet... I like it and it's very useful.But what about a Pipe Organ's range? Or maybe a Lute? Bagpipes? Heckelphones? Bass Oboes? Alto, Soprano, Sopranino, Contrabass Trombones? Contrabass Trumpet (Very, Very Rare)? The Oboe's range doesn't seem to be right because the oboe's lowest note on the excel sheet is written G instead of Bb! Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #5 – 2008-08-27 08:21 am Glad you like it.All the instument ranges were found somewhere on the internet quite some time ago - so ranges are liable to be error prone.I may give though to doing an update soon. Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #6 – 2008-08-27 03:44 pm The standard lute (there are also treble and bass lutes) has the same range as the guitar, transposed up a minor third (bottom note is the G at the bottom of the bass staff instead of the E below the bass staff; both instruments are written an octave above where they sound). Pipe organ range, like that of the accordian, depends on the instrument; an organ with a complete set of ranks will run from a very low C (16 cycles per second) upwards nine octaves to a very high C (8192 cps). But each manual is limited to a written range from the C below the bass staff to the C an octave and a half above the treble staff; the pedals are written from the C below the bass staff to the G in the treble staff, but sound an octave lower. Or two octaves lower, if a 32' stop is engaged. I can't give you the other instruments you asked for off the top of my head, but any good orchestration book should have them.Hope this helps....Bill Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #7 – 2008-08-28 12:54 pm William, The Organ's Stops are what makes a note sound an octave higher or lower by 1 or 2 or 3 or a 5th above or just it's normal sound and note. A stop with a "4" means it's just it's regular not, right? And a 32nd is 3 octaves below but what in the world is 1 3/5 or "VI", What ever-is?!The Organ Must be the most complicated instrument in the orchestra or even the world!! Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #8 – 2008-08-28 03:26 pm The 'Creative Vienna Soundfont Studio' program gives the range of each of the organ stops in my various organ sound fonts. However this is the range of the sound font stop and how far it is accurate to the original is not known. Many organ sound fonts are derived from recordings of actual pipes, (as are sounds in electronic organs) but often only a few pipes are actually recorded, and the results are extrapolated to other pitches, which may range further or less than the original organ ranks..Tony Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #9 – 2008-08-28 03:37 pm Well, yeah, I'd probably have to define the organ as "the most complicated instrument in the world." But it isn't really an orchestra instrument, although some composers have used it that way. Every organ is different, and very few concert halls have good ones, so you can't really depend on getting an orchestra and an organ in the same place.However, to answer a few of your questions.....The 8' stops (also known as "unisons") are the ones that are at concert pitch. 4' stops sound an octave above, 16' an octave below. There are also 32' (2 octaves down), 2' (two octaves up) and 1' (three octaves up) stops; a very few organs have 64' and 1/2' stops as well. Each stop generally controls a single rank (a "rank" is a complete set of pipes all of the same type, one per note of the manuals or pedals). Some stops sound more than one pipe at once, usually one or two octaves apart. But there are also "mutation" stops, which sound pipes in the same rank but at different intervals than the octave; and "mixture" stops, which sound pipes simultaneously in different ranks. Mutations and mixtures almost always use intervals of the harmonic series, usually fifths and thirds. The Roman numerals and fractions you were wondering about are designations for these stops; fractions for mutations, Roman numerals for mixtures. Your "1-3/5" stop is a mutation stop sounding the 4th harmonic in the series, which is two octaves and a 3d above the root. A stop labeled with a "VI" is coupling six ranks of pipes together.There is, of course, a lot more to say, but that's a first lesson. Hope it didn't confuse further instead of clarifying....Cheers,Bill Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #10 – 2008-08-28 04:36 pm 16', 8', 5 1/3, 4, 2 2/3, 2, 1 3/5, 1 1/3, 1...Ah, the good old Hammond drawbars... my first love! Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #11 – 2008-08-28 07:45 pm Bill comments that the organ is not really an orchestra instrument and in general this is true. But there are "church" organs and "concert" organs and some concert organs do have a fairly good orchestral capability. However this is a subject best avoided as strong opinions are held about these things.Tony Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #12 – 2008-08-29 11:57 am What you're explaining was alot less complicated, William On Wikipedia it was just confusion everywhere! The Simplicity with those explaination was 120% understandable for me, I thought it will fill the entire page!Oh... Where did you get all of that information about organs? William?? Quote Selected
Re: Accordians, Harmonicas and Chimes (Ranges) Reply #13 – 2008-08-30 05:10 am Quote from: KristopherOh... Where did you get all of that information about organs?Oh, here and there....here and there....It's a composer's business to know instruments, and I've been in the business about 45 years. 'Nuff said.Cheers,Bill Quote Selected
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