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In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: Audio vs. Musical pitch

Post Subject: All scale notes are overtonesPosted by steverino on: 6/10/2014

Let's be precise that the overtones (harmonics) from most musical tones contain All the notes of the scale at some point in the series. The major third is there and the minor third is there. The difference is simply their relative position in the series. The existence of these overtones is generally much more of an issue for bass instruments than treble instruments which makes sense if we plot out where the overtones series falls on the piano. If we are concerned with the trumpet, the high C note (C6) has its first overtone at C7 and third overtone at C8, the highest note of the piano. We haven't even gotten a major third overtone yet and we are beyond the limits of the piano. If we play the low C (C4), then the first overtone is C5, then the fifth, then the third overtone is C6 followed by the major third (E6) then the fifth (G6) again. This time the major third will be well within the range of the piano. Of course if we look at the cello or string bass then the entire harmonic series will be present in the range of the piano.

This is a well known issue of orchestration when composing in the minor scales since bass notes can emit audible major third overtones that conflict with the minor third in the I, IV and V chords based on the minor scale. There are techniques to minimize the problem but it is a basic reason why historically speaking minor scales were viewed as more dissonant than major scales. There is also the issue of percussion instruments such as bells which sometimes do Not have a typical overtone series but have noisy or chaotic overtones. These have to be carefully orchestrated if used in a tonal composition. Another related issue are the so-called inverted chords where the bass note of the chord is not the lowest note played, e.g. a C E G triad with E or G in the bass, termed 6/3 and 6/4 chords. In such inversions the overtone series does not map so easily as the major chord in root position.

Despite all these nice and tidy theoretical considerations, the fact is that people have accepted more and more dissonant relations quite readily despite some initial turmoil. In the Middle Ages even the major third was considered a slight dissonance. By the time we get to Wagner the overtones series at any point in time is a cacophony of dissonant intervals sweetened with octave duplication.

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