Books › A dictionary of music and musicians, 1926 › scan 75
Scan 75
A dictionary of music and musicians, 1926
40 lines. Read by computer on 11 September 2026. Printed page 53. See the scan on archive.org.
1sliding from one to the other semitone with the nearest finger. Here also the change took place in favour of the first, second, and third fingers in succession.
3In the higher positions the fingering of the chromatic scale may be alternately—
41 and 2 going up and coming down.
51, 2, 3, successively going up, and 3, 2, 1, coming down;
63 and 2 alternately coming down, as recommended by Servais.
8Thirds are comparatively easy in the upper positions, with the aid of the thumb. They are fingered thus, in both upper and lower positions:—
101 2
112 3 4
13In the lower positions only, 1 and 4 are available, or 2 and 3 with open strings (without the thumb).
15For sixths in the lower positions the fingers change more frequently—
171 2 3 4 4 rarely 3
180 1 1 2 3 2
20In the thumb-positions 1 2 3
211 2
23In the higher positions without thumb 2 3 3 1 1 2
25Octaves in the thumb-positions are fingered either 3 consecutively, or 3 4 alternately. In the lower positions by the first and fourth fingers only.
27The fingering of arpeggios sometimes shows interesting combinations over four strings; and the practice of sliding with one finger, or from one finger to another forward, backward, or crossing over a neighbouring finger, is an indispensable device of the violoncello player. Space will not permit the detailed explanation of these points in a dictionary. E. K.
29(iii.) FINGERING OF WIND INSTRUMENTS.—The fact that the natural harmonic scale, or series of notes (referred to below as H.S.), although utilised in different ways, must be regarded as the basis of the intonation of all wind instruments, is briefly dealt with under WIND INSTRUMENTS, but a slightly more extended, although necessarily limited view of the scale fingering of all such instruments as have side-holes is here given. (For the scale schemes of brass instruments generally, see HORN, TROMBONE, and VALVE.)
31The simplest basis for consideration is an instrument bored with six finger-holes as the common fife or flute without keys. Since the prevalence of the modern major diatonic scale, the holes have been placed in such positions as to give the six degrees of this scale which lie between the tonic and its octave, or second note in H.S. by the successive raising of the six fingers, the fourth fingers not being used. The tonic sounds from the full length of the tube, but with exceptions to be subsequently noticed. By over-blowing on the flute, all these notes are repeated an octave higher, and the production of the octave of the tonic can be facilitated by lifting the finger from the sixth hole.
33These six holes, therefore, supply all that is required for the production of a diatonic scale of two octaves in instruments of the flute class, and also in conical instruments played either with a reed, as the oboe, or with a cup mouthpiece, as the old zincke. In the oboe, and similar conical instruments, the production of the notes of the second octave is greatly facilitated by the opening of one or more small tubular holes or 'pipes' in the upper part of the instrument.
35On an instrument with six finger-holes, scales other than that in which it is set, and therefore requiring semitones foreign to the original scale, can be rendered only with a rough approximation to accuracy by partly closing, and so flattening the speaking hole, or by closing one or more holes below it. For a complete chromatic scale, or the cycle of twelve diatonic scales, five extra holes controlled by keys have been introduced; these, with the six finger-holes, giving the eleven different lengths of tube required in addition to the total length, for the twelve degrees of the chromatic scale. On instruments which cannot be overblown, however, whether conical, as the chaunters of the various bagpipes, or cylindrical, as the rudimentary chalumeaux, a seventh hole is required for the completion of the scale of one octave, and this hole is usually controlled by the thumb of the left hand.
37In the ordinary flute-scale, as described above, the fundamental note of the tube is used; and as the next note to this in the H.S. is the octave, the whole of the intermediate notes have to be obtained by means of variations in the length of tube. If, however, the fundamental note were not required, the original length with three variations would give the diatonic scale, as the second, third, and fourth notes of the H.S. are the octave, twelfth, and double octave of the prime. A diatonic scale in the second harmonic octave requires, therefore, only three finger-holes, giving the supertonic, mediant, and subdominant, the dominant or third note in H.S. being derived from the full length of the tube, and this was the usual arrangement in the tabor pipe and galoubet.
39Returning to the bagpipe chaunter, the six normal holes of the flute are supplemented not only by the seventh, or thumb-hole, to give the
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