Intonation Study for 2 Players

or 1 Player and Tuner

* The number in cents means how much this interval deviates from an equal tempered "piano" interval.
(As a point of reference, a half-step is a distance of 100.)
+ means the interval needs to be wider
- means the interval needs to be smaller
If you are playing the top part with a tuner holding the bottom note, you will have to adjust the exact number of cents, so
+2 means you have to play 2 sharp.
If you are playing with another player, you can share the burden. If the adjustment is + 2, the top player goes 1 sharp,
the bottom player goes 1 flat.
But the idea is not to adjust by numbers, but by hearing. Play until you hear the difference tone(s) in tune. Which difference tones
you hear will depend on your acoustics, don't worry about the distinction between primary and secondary. Don't even be concerned
if you hear other pitches or different octaves than indicated. It will be justly in tune if you hear any difference tone that belongs to
major chord implied by the interval.

A. Major Triads

Flute 1

Flute 2
or tuner

&
&

*+2

primary difference

tone indicated by circle

& w

w
L

+2

Fl. 2
or tuner

&

w
w
L

-2

w
&
L

-14

w
L

-2

w
L

+2

w
L

wL

&

Helen Bledsoe 2008

..

 secondary difference
tone indicated by diamond

w
L

+2

+2

Fl. 2
or tuner

w
L

C. Sixths

Fl.1

-2

..

-14

w
L

B. Fourths and Fifths

Fl.1

..
..

w
L

-2

-14

w
L

..
..

bw

D. Thirds and Sixths

Fl.1

Fl. 2
or tuner

Fl.1

Fl. 2
or tuner

bw

& w
&

&
&

+16

+16

w
b
bL

w
b
bL

bw

+16

w
b
b L

bw

w
b
bL

Fl. 2
or tuner

&
&
?

bw

bw

-2

bw

bw

bL

bw
-4

bw

bL

-10

bw

bL

+16

w
b
b L

w
b
bL

bw

bw

w
L

w
b
bL

w
b
b L

+2

bw

bw

+16

+16

bw

-29

bw
bL

bw
-2

bw
bL

bw
-29

bw
bL

w
-10

w
b
bL

..
..

bw

..

-4

bw

bw

bL

bL

This "bass-line" will not be tempered; i.e. will not match the notes on a piano, especially
if you are playing with a tuner.

Copyright Helen Bledsoe 2008

+16

+16

+16

E. Fun with Seconds

In spite of the B-flat drone, these intervals can be tuned to imply
a chord progression resolving in A-flat major.

Fl.1

bw

Study for 2 Players or 1 Player and Tuner

..
..

Progression with 5ths

This exercise can also be played with one player and a tuner.
The top line can be played with one hand, leaving the other free to change the note on the tuner.

&c

Fl.1

bw

+16

+2

Difference
Tone(s)

&c

+16

+2

bw

#w

b b L

bL

bw

bw

&w

bw

#w

bL

#L

&
5

&c w

Fl.2 or
Tuner

bw

& L

L
b

Helen Bledsoe 2008

Progression with 5ths

bw

bw

bw

& L

bb L

bL

&
9

&
9

Helen Bledsoe 2008

repeat ad lib. 8va

..
..
..

Progression with Fourths

This exercise can also be played with one player and a tuner.
The top line can be played with one hand, leaving the other free to change the note on the tuner.

&c

#w

-2

+17

Nw

+16

+2

#w

&c w
Difference
Tone(s)

&c
L

&
5

&
5

bw

Nw

bw

bw

bw

bw

bw

& b
bL

&
9

&
9

&

b L

bL

#w

Nw

#w

# # L

#L

Progression with 4ths

13

&
13

&

bw

Nw

#w

#w

#w

bw

#w

#w

13

& b
bL

17

&
17

&
17

& L
L

b b LL

# # LL

#L

..

Repeat ad lib. 8va

..
..

Intonation Exercise
with thirds and sixths

&c

Fl/Pic

&c

Fl/Pic.2
or Tuner

Difference
Tone(s)

? c bL

bL

&

NU

Nw

bL

& b

? bL

bL

w
b

&

bw

& c b

Try not to breathe after

the fermata, make the intonation
change as legato as possible.

Intonationsbung
mit Terzen und Sexten

bL

#U

#w

#U

#L

#
#L

Thirds and Sixths

2
9

&
9

&
9

&
9

b
w
b

&
13

&
13

&
?

13

Nw

bL

#U

bL

2008 Helen Bledsoe

w
b

bL

bL

bw

b
bw

? bL

13

b
bL

w
b
bL

bL

bL

Thirds and Sixths

&
17

&

17

Nw

&

17

17

#U

Part 2. Sixths
19

&

19

& bw

Nw

#U

19

& bL
? b

19

bL

bL

bL

2008 Helen Bledsoe

L
L

Thirds and Sixths

4
23

&

& w

23

#w

#U

23

& bL
? b

23

27

&
27

&

#L

Fermata

#L

bw

#L

27

& L
? b

27

bL

2008 Helen Bledsoe

bL
bL

bL

Thirds and Sixths

31

&
31

&

Nw
L

31

35

&
35

&
35

&
?

35

31

&

#U

bL

bL

#U

w
L

w
bL

#w

#L

2008 Helen Bledsoe

Austausch bungen fr 2 Spieler

Exchange Exercise for 2 players

Diese bung erfordert 2 oder mehr Musiker. Spiel

so langsam wie ntig, um einen sauber
gestimmten und stabilen Kombinationston
zu erzielen. Nach dem Wechsel der Noten
sollte die Stimmung des Kombinationstons
gleich bleiben!

This exercise requires 2 or more players. Play

as slowly as needed to get the combination tone
in tune and stable. Upon switching notes, try
to keep the resultant tone on pitch!

Perfect fifths/ Reine Quinten

& ..

.
& .

.. ..
.. ..

.. ..
.. ..

.. ..
.. ..

.. ..
.. ..

#
#

.. ..
..

# #
.. ..
..

F#

Combination tone/
Kombinationston

& ..

& ..

#
#
C#

#
#

.. ..

.. ..

G#

.. ..
.. ..

# #
# #

.. ..
.. ..

D#

2008 Helen Bledsoe

b
b
B

.. ..
.. ..

.. ..
.. ..

..
..

WIBB's BBC Scale

Flute
+
A=440

Difference
Tones

&
?

+16

secondary
difference



tone

primary
difference

tone

other
notes in
harmonic
series

#w

-14

ww

-2

# ww

+17
#
##

# L

b w

-17

N L

D# and Eb differ by
a comma 49/50 ratio

WIBB

ww

+16
b

# ww

w
w

-14

-31
#

U
w