|
A R T I C L E S
Set-up - an introduction
Guide to cello measurements
Review of A and D strings
Review of G and C strings
Survey
of string design
Bridge design
Taming wolf notes
Tailpieces and tailcords
The challenge of trying cellos
Left hand comfort for cellists
Right hand comfort for cellists
What is a full-sized cello?
G.B. Guadagnini's cellos
Study of 1729 Guarneri cello
Bow testing techniques
The appeal of
bows
Players test bows
C E L L O S
Cellos for sale
Bows for sale
Cellos by Robin Aitchison
Cello set-up
B O W E X H I B I T I O N
Take a Bow 2008
C E L L O E X C H A N G E
Cello exchange
S T R I N G T R I A L S
String Trials
A B O U T U S
Cello specialists
Biographies
Travelling to Ely
Contact us
C E L L O C A R E G U I D E
Cello Care Guide
Order free copies
A R T I C L E S & N E W S
Articles and Newsletters
L I N K S
Links



C E L L O S
Cellos for sale
Bows for sale
Cellos by Robin Aitchison
Cello set-up
B O W E X H I B I T I O N
Take a Bow 2008
C E L L O E X C H A N G E
Cello exchange
S T R I N G T R I A L S
String Trials
A B O U T U S
Cello specialists
Biographies
Travelling to Ely
Contact us
C E L L O C A R E G U I D E
Cello Care Guide
Order free copies
A R T I C L E S & N E W S
Articles and Newsletters
L I N K S
Links
|
|

Wolf
Notes and How to Tame Them
The most common haunt for the seriously inconvenient wolf note is 4th
position on the G string, somewhere between E and G. A more ferocious
manifestation of this wolf note will appear at the same pitch high on
the C string and a milder version may dog you in first position on the D
string. If you’re really unlucky, a ghostly wolf can also appear in 4th
position on the A string.
Changing the set up of your
instrument could be one way to resolve or reduce a wolf note.
Generally, the harder the instrument is set up (perhaps with an
inappropriately set sound post, a rigid bridge design, a high bridge or
high tension strings) the more ‘wolfy’ it will become. Sensitive
adjustments to the sound post or bridge can help to minimise a wolf note
problem on some instruments without sacrificing the tone and response
you are seeking from your cello.
An alternative solution is to fit
a wolf note suppressor or resonator to your cello. It is well known
that suppressing wolf notes can lead to a reduction in resonance across
the whole range of the instrument. However, each cello and cellist is
unique and the use of resonators or suppressors is a good solution for
many cellists.
We are all familiar with the
traditional wolf note suppressor – a rubber tube encircled with brass
and tightened onto the string with a small screw – which is fitted to
the G or C string between the bridge and tailpiece. To find the optimal
position for the suppressor, bow the string between the bridge and
suppressor and move the suppressor until the pitch of the string below
the bridge matches the pitch of the original wolf note (or its
harmonic).
A more subtle answer to wolf note
elimination has recently arrived on the scene in the form of the New
Harmony range of wolf note suppressors. These are little cylinders of
solid brass which fit onto the string by means of a curved groove on one
side. The absence of rubber in the design means that there is far less
of a dampening effect on the string; the other major advantage is that
the suppressors come in a range of weights, (3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13
grammes) which allows you to select the lightest weight necessary to
control the wolf note, thus minimising undesirable side-effects.
To fit the New Harmony suppressor,
just loosen the G or C string and fit the suppressor onto the string
between bridge and tailpiece and re-tune the string. Find the optimal
position for the suppressor as described above for fitting traditional
suppressors.
As an alternative to the on-string
suppressor, you could try fitting a Resonator - a small, sprung mass -
to your cello front. If you are lucky, you will find a position for the
resonator (usually below the f hole on the bass side) which will
dramatically reduce the wolf note. The resonator can be fixed to the
outside of the cello with harmless putty but if you want to commit
yourself long-term you can have the resonator glued to the inside of the
cello front. The only drawback is that, once glued in, the resonator
can only be removed when the front of your cello is taken off!
For some players, the cost of wolf
note suppression is too high in terms of the loss of overall resonance
and tone. Here are some tried and tested ways to accommodate wolf
notes:
Experiment with different
strings or use a lower tension version of your current strings.
Experiment with different bows;
some bows will, as if by magic, play right through a wolf note as if it
were not there.
Use less bow hair tension.
Bow more lightly on the wolf note.
Modify your vibrato to control
wolf notes.
Squeeze the lower bouts with your
knees to dampen the cello as you play a wolf note.
© Robin Aitchison and Sarah Mnatzaganian 2005. Published in
News for Cellists Spring 2005
If you would
like to receive our regular newsletter News for Cellists by post
or email, please contact us.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in or introduced into any form of retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, including
photocopying and recording now known or devised hereafter, without the
prior permission of Robin Aitchison
GO TO ARTICLES HOME PAGE RETURN TO TOP |
|