Video Blogging in A-432

Lately my focus has been to get going with a new concept: 100 Fiddle Tunes published online in one year's time.

I got the idea from the movie, Julie & Julia. My full account of how this happened is on my online biz hobby blog at Julie & Julia Demo Blog Success.

Pursuing this project takes me to video land. The latest is Ten Penny Bit.

Ten Penny Bit Rhythm Trick from Elan Chalford on Vimeo.

Sally Gooden in A-432

Eck Robertson's version of Sally Gooden is the classic. His intonation is amazing. The drones really keep the A string and tone center sizzling.

He recorded with Edison Talking Disc way back in the early days. His was the first commercially released fiddle disc. (If it was a disc.)

It's a top 10 fiddle tune now. But, many fiddlers avoid it because of the fourth finger issue. That's where the drone comes from when you are fingering on the A string.

There's another way to get the same effect. Play the melody notes on the D string in 4th position and drone the open A.

That's what I do in this video.

Because of the A-432 tuning, that frequency is fully realized in this tune.

Angeline the Baker aka Corn Dog

Here's a video I made with my new Flip. I'm still getting use to this process.

As I listened to other fiddlers on Youtube this morning, I can hear that my
tempo is a little on the slow side. Guess I need to practice a bit more!

A-432 at the Fiddle Camp

While clearing out some stored papers, a page of notes turned up from last year’s Sunshine State Acoustic Music Camp. I thought they would be worth sharing.

Sunday’s session, at the Sunshine State Acoustic Music Camp, is the last one for intermediate to advanced fiddlers. The group joined me in tuning to the natural tuning of the Mozart A-432.

I gave a little explanation of the history of tuning. Then, we just did it.

We went on through the two hour session normally. The time zipped by easily while we played tunes. I put students in the “hot spot” one at a time for individual intense coaching. I answered questions.

All this sounds quite ordinary, but it was not quite the way it normally is. Usually the last session sees the students just about burnt out from all the intense playing and instruction through the weekend. They are only partly there and tend to drift away.

This time the group was definitely more animated and attentive than in past years. The session went strong until the final moment. It was just as solid and focused as the first session.

Did the tuning of A-432 have an effect? I can’t answer that. I can just observe the subtle difference in how things were as compared to last year and previous years. Things were better.

The French Baroque A-392

The current issue of Strings, June 2009, asserts in a small review of the Bach Brandenburg Concertos that the conductor on this recording chose to perform them “in the French Baroque pitch of A = 392 Hz....”

I have some reasons to doubt that A as a frequency of 392 Hz was commonly considered anything but A flat.

Elsewhere I've written how C-256 Hz was common in the time of Bach. I've made the case that this pitch reduces mathmatically to one cycle per second.

Taking that pitch and multiplying by 7 we get the seventh, B flat. Then multiplying again by 7 we get the seventh of B flat, A flat.

That’s 49 vibrations per second. Double that for the octave and you have a tone that is 98 Hz. Double that and it’s 196 Hz. A final doubling gives you 392 Hz.

In short, if middle C in the time of Bach was 256 Hz, then the tone produced by 392 Hz would be perceived as an A flat.
I have a slightly extended version of this discussion at the Music Lesson Plan blog.

The Money Tunes in A-432

Currently my Big Project is preparing a 90 minute presentation of The Money Tunes. I will talk and play, talk and play at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Clearwater on Feb. 13.

I started this project about two and a half years ago. Right after attending the T. Harv Eker Millionaire Mind Intensive, I went through my fiddle tune collections. I was looking for tunes that had something to do with money in the title.

From American old time tunes and Irish jigs and reels I found many tunes that fit this criterion. I arranged them in an order of no money to a great fortune. The idea is to find out what lessons may be learned about money, as suggested by the titles and associate the lessons with the tunes. It’s a left brain/right brain idea.

In a few cases I altered the title to a more positive association with the issue. Thus, Boys My Money’s All Gone, which suggests a busted gambler, became Shopping Spree, where you have compensation for the lack of money.

About that tune, I have this confession. thirty years ago I started learning this tune as it appeared in the book, Beginning Old Time Fiddle. This collection of tunes is the only one I know that has both tab and standard music notation together.

I liked the tune, but dropped it. I was just too broke that week to think about it.
Now when I play it I think Shopping Spree. That feels better. And it really is a satisfying tune.

The experience of pursuing The Money Tunes project led to an increasing fusion of American and Irish fiddle styles. I found myself extending shorter tunes. I applied Texas changes to an Irish reel. An old time tune in A minor was transformed into a Bluegrass tune in D minor. That sort of thing.

Why did I do that? Grassapelli, my alter ego, said it was a good thing to do for this musical concept. (I’ll write about my relationship to the entity Grassapelli Gandharva at another time.)

One more thing about the money tunes. This is what got me into A-432 tuning. The Mozart A, or Verdi A, is set at 432 Hz. This pitch fits perfectly into the tuning of Middle C-256. That Middle C was discovered as standard in the time of Bach.

Presently there is a strong movement advocating this pitch as being a healing factor and more consistent with our natural state. You will find several MySpace musicians passionate about this tuning.

The Money Tunes has been a major influence on me in recent years. And, it’s not completed yet. I’ll feel like it’s where it needs to be when real stuff that you can hold in your hand embodies every aspect of it.

A-432 Movement is Growing

At some point I'll compile a list of sites that are exploring and advocating the Mozart or Verdi A-432. Several are offering music in this tuning on MySpace.

One of the sites that looks very interesting is Harmonic Renaissance. "Bring Back A432," they ask. I'm in favor of that.

Tonight the Crystal Beach String Band is gathering for its first practice since November. We play in that tuning. We sing in that tuning. It is good!

If you haven't heard some of my original fiddle tunes in A-432 on YouTube, click that link.

And, last minute, here's another: 432hz.net for Natural Tuning Consciousness.

Elan

Playing in Bands

After the crumbling dissolution of my former band, FiddleMatrix, I paused.

There is a saying: When one door closes, go and stand next to it waiting for opportunity to knock. At the right time, something new will show up.

For me the new was the Crystal Beach String Band. After just one rehearsal I did a gig with them at the Witchs' Brew in Palm Harbor.

We have continued working together and the band is now playing in the tuning of A-432!

It feels very good to create music with them in this natural tonality.

The next new thing was Gypsy Star. This is all original music by Billy Kean. We will do our first public performances later this month. The band is a reformulation of his previous band of the same name.

The band broke up under a combination of Billy's dissatisfaction with the sound and some soap opera thrown in for good measure.

This band is not in A-432 yet. Still the music is fun. Like Jessie Cook and Loreena McKennitt.

Finding Luanne Oakes

Many times in writing about the Mozart A-432, I refer to Dr. Luanne Oakes. Finding her online is not as intuitive as it could be.

She use to have her own web site, but now, apparently, does not. While it was up I got a terrific CD, Jade Wu Life Force.

I use it as ambient sound, to raise my mood. Also, it is a good CD for breathwork.
It is not the best intro to her work, though. For that I recommend Spiritual Alchemy.

That was my get acquainted with A-432 album from Nightingale-Conant.
It has extensive discussion of the matter as a healing frequency, lots of stories, much insight into self-healing and self-actualization.

It also includes individual sound-scapes that balance and strengthen each chakra in the body. My experience with these sound-scapes convinced me of the efficacy of A-432.

Below is a hint of what it is:

A-432 Keeps Growing Converts

A while back I thought I was done. I was wrong.

Interest in the Mozart A-432 is growing. I'm starting to compile a list of web sites that discuss the matter. If you know of one, clue me in.

As a search term, I'm also using C-256. That's middle C. It's completely compatible with A-432.

Over the time that I've been using this tuning for my daily practice, I have gradually increased the time I put in without feeling any additional stress.

Also, the fiddle I've been using continues to get a richer and richer sound. It isn't a quality violin by any means. I think it was a student violin that a craftsman re-graduated to improve the tone.

I used it last night at a gig at the Tampa Club. It was a small gathering with a "bayou" theme. The fiddler makes it a party.

Several times the group put down their eating utensils to give applause. There were several moments when I was so impressed by the sounds coming from the violin, I thought I reached a new level of artistry.

I owe a lot to the A-432 tuning.

Moving to Fusion Fiddle

Convergence was a big word not long ago. Now I'm doing it too.

Look for any further comment about A-432 in my other Blogger blog:
Fusion Fiddle.

Hear a current example of A-432 tuning on SnapVine:
Squirrel Jump.

Tuning to the Bone

Recently, while talking with Stephanie at Lyndon LaRouche's office, she revealed that the A-432 tuning harmonizes with the outer physical body. C-256, a natural resonance in this tuning, matches the rate of vibration for our bones.

It might be a stretch to think that every bone in every person's body has a natural frequency of 256 Hz. If so, it could be one more good reason to use this tuning.

Other Fiddle Blogs

The theme and purpose of this blog is to advocate the tuning pitch of A-432. We can call it the Mozart A, the Verdi A, or the organic A. It's all A to me.

Much of what I wish to say about music belongs elsewhere. That's why I have made two other blogs.

Fusion Fiddle describes my playing, my esthetic, and my intention. General opinion's and tips belong there.

My new band Fiddle Matrix is using a blog to help organize our practices and communications.

FiddleMatrix Band Tunes Down to A-432

For the past two practices Brad Sutton on keyboard and Mark Musser on bass have tuned with me to A-432. The practices have been creative and easy. I believe the Mozart tuning helps that.

Our plan is to practice every week this summer. By September we should have two sets ready for performance. Before that we may have some mp3 files to share.

It has been my observation when just practicing fiddle or violin, I can practice longer with less stress when I tune to A-432. Now it seems that the supportive tonality of the A-432 pitch helps the other members of the band as well.

Out Ahead of the Fiddler A-432 Curve

In the time since my last post, I haven't convinced anyone of the efficacy of A-432 tuning for the fiddle. Well, there is one exception, myself.

I've been into it for a while. Even so, I would pick up my A-440 violin as often as not. Whatever was handy.

Now, I go to extra effort to unpack and prep the A-432 fiddle for a practice session. At some point I began to believe that I could practice longer and with less physical stress on that one.

A few weeks ago I gave the first program in The Money Tunes live at the New Port Richey Library. The room was packed, thanks to a timely article in The Suncoast News by Cheryl Bentley. The article even hints of "a different pitch."

The program went well. People liked it. They accept the slight difference in pitch without conscious effort. It just works.

Maybe on this issue of tuning to A-432, I'm just too far ahead of the curve for most musicians.

Getting Real with the A

It was determined in Bach’s time that middle C was produced by 256 vibrations per second. That number is a power of 2.

Any vibrational rate, when doubled, produces the same note an octave higher. Half the vibrational rate produces a tone that is the same note an octave lower.

We can take Bach’s middle C and by halving it and continuing to half it, finally arrive at 16 cycles per second. That would be a very low C at the threshold of audible hearing, the lowest C that can be heard and identified as such by humans.

Eight vibrations per second goes into the subsonic zone. Continuing by halves, we get four, two and finally one cycle per second. This means that the fundamental tone of Bach’s C was in natural harmony with the division of time into its smallest part.

I believe that the division of time into 12 or 24 parts, the zodiac houses and the hours, respectively, is in harmony with the natural cycles of the earth planet. some people say the underlying etheric grid of the earth is a dodecahedron,or 12 sided Platonic solid. And further, they say that the natural grid lines of subtle force correspond to major divisions of our sphere into 360 parts.

This suggests that the one second interval is a natural subdivision of the larger cycle of our spinning planet. The doubling and redoubling of that frequency leads to the middle C that was recognized in the time of bach as the standard tuning of middle C equals 256 vibrations per second.

Multiplying by 3, rather than 2, creates the third partial, the interval of the fifth in music terminology. If the C of one vibration per second is multiplied by 3, the result is a subsonic G. When that is multiplied by 3, the 9 cycle subsonic result is D. That D being multiplied by 3 results in an audible 27 cycle per second A. Now we continue by doubling the vibratory rate. From 54 cycles per second we proceed through 108 and 216 to arrive finally at 432 cycles per second, the Verdi or Mozart A.

Just as the Bach C is anchored to the natural cycles of our planet, so is the Mozart or Verdi A of 432 cycles per second.

Pay the Reckoning

"You can be anything you want to be...
Do anything you want to do...
Have anything you want to have...
if you are willing to pay the price."

Have you heard that one before? I know I have many times.
Is it encouraging or discouraging?

It reminds me of the story of the angel sent by Almighty God
to a couple of serious meditators. They both had been sitting
a long time for enlightenment. They both had prayed hard for the answer.

God told his angel that the first man had to sit 12 more years.
The second man had to continue sitting under the same tree
for as many years as there were leaves on the tree.

So when the angel, disguised as a holy man, told the first man
that he only had to sit 12 more years, he was surprised.

The man jumped up as angry as could be and said, "What?!?!
I've already been sitting here 12 years. You want me to sit 12
more years?" And he chase the angel away, threatening him with a stick.

The angel felt cautious about what he had to tell the second man,
but he did it because that was his job.

The second man smiled and said, "Thank you for this good news.
I'm greatly encouraged that I will have what I long for in a definite
number of years."

Because of his gratitude, he was given the enlightenment right away.

The point of the story, this time, is acceptance of the price we have to pay
to get what we want. I believe that having a good idea of the cost of success
and the willingness to pay it, actually speeds up the process.

That's what Pay the Reckoning is about.

Banish Misfortune

Last month's public performance on March 16th went well, as far as the A-432 is concerned. The music sounded very normal.

The only hassle was a feed back problem induced by inexperience and slightly mismatched microphones on the violins. Can't blame Mozart for that.

I'm using the occasion of this message to announce my major project for this year: the Money Tunes.

This is a multi-media project. The big hairy part is producing the concept tunes for the album. the creative work is well under way. I've lined up partners for the recording. There's still a lot of work to do.

Another part of it is the philosophy of Money Energy. The web site carries the writing of the explanations, the insights, the knowledge factor.

The first essay in this series is Banish Misfortune. This also is the name of a fiddle tune. It's one of the tunes selected for my current music project, Money Tunes. You will find a link to the MP3 file on
Grassapelli Banishes Misfortune.

The Ups and Downs of Fiddling A-432

My commitment to playing in public with A 432 tuning gets tested.

Most recently, when I did the New Port Richey library gig, I was challenged.
Just before starting my program of talking and playing, I opened my case, rosined the bow and started adjusting the tuning.

The was when one of the people in the audience, a man who plays in the Richey Community Symphony, called out, "Tune it up!"

I was hit by the sudden doubt that the difference in pitch between 440 and 432 was painfully obvious. My second thought was that this fellow was just teasing me in a light hearted way. So I went ahead with my planned program.

After I've performed publicly enough times, this doubt will vanish. It quickly went away after I began playing that day. The program went well. I got good feedback on it. No one said that the tuning was off, even though I revealed my secret.

In a couple of days I get to test the concept again. This will even involve other musicians--a first for the idea. We will play a mostly Irish fiddle program at a local bistro, the Ka Tiki, down on Sunset Beach.

My very able helpers are members of a folk string band, The Juniper Trio. They showed a little reluctance to tune down at first. But, only a little.

Just as my expectations and belief in this program go Up and Down Again, (and up again), and just as my colleagues must tune up after a practice and down again when we perform...so I offer this little Irish slip jig, Up and Down Again.

Butterflies in Formation

This new year has me asking how committed I want to be in using A-432.

How much do I want to browbeat others into tuning down?

When I appear as a soloist player/presenter, as I will this Saturday,

there's no problem. But, playing with others. Hmmm.

Thinking about the new year in January, I had an insight. I wrote

out a piece about the number of the year and published it at

Money-Energy.com.

The article goes into numerological detail. It also references an online

marketing campaign called Butterfly Marketing.

The deal is a little too pricey for me right now, but I respect it.

That's why I recorded the slip jig, The Butterfly, for this blog.