My Washer and Dryer – Part 2

So, we have established that the ‘end-of-cycle’ signals for both the washer and dryer are E-flat. However, the rhythms are in 6/8 time and could be played together if only the appliances would cooperate. So far, that’s not happening.

The good news is that there is a different tune that plays when you open or close the doors to both the washer and dryer. After some experimenting with the doors and my tuner (phone app), I am happy to report that there is no E-flat anywhere. These tunes are in the key of D Major! And, they play in duple time. They sound out as 8th notes or 1-and-2-and-3-and. If you need help, just say Yoda three times in a row and you will have it.  When the doors open, the tones go up. When they close, the tones go down and end on the tonic. Both times use the D-Major triad (the 1st, 3rd, and 5th of the D Major scale). Perhaps, this explanation is better: We either hear: 1-1-5-5-3-3 or 3-3-5-5-1-1.The notes are D – D – A – A – F-sharp – F-sharp or F-sharp – F-sharp- A – A- D – D.

So, again, I have questions. Why the key of D Major? Why does one tune use a sharp note and one use a flat note? Is it not natural to use naturals? It is interesting, however, to consider that the D Major triad has the ‘A’ pitch in it. This pitch is a universal standard in the world of music. Orchestras tune by using the ‘A’-440 pitch. String instruments are built with the strings pitched to the E-G-B-D-A notes, which use scales with sharps. Instruments in the guitar family and the piano are also in this category. If you attend a symphony concert, the musicians take the stage, the concert-master enters, turns to the oboe player and cues the tuning note to be played. Why the oboe player – I don’t really know the answer to this one, but, perhaps, another blog……

Woodwind and brass instruments are of another world, so to speak, and are built differently. They can also tune to the ‘A’ pitch, but sometimes they tune to the ‘B’-flat pitch. This is determined by the type of ensemble they are in, and if there are string instruments involved or not. I think I’ll table this topic as well.

So – back to the laundry room… I have made a few more efforts to get the appliances to play together, but no luck. Each is happiest playing its own song in its own time. My curiosity is not settled however, and I have contacted the manufacture to ask if there is a corporate musician sitting in a cubicle somewhere plucking out different configurations of the ‘A’ major triad. Who decided on the final motif? Has there been a comparison study of appliances tuned to keys other that A-major and E-flat? Oh, so many questions!

As of now, you all know everything that I know about the tunes my washer and dryer play. Should I get a response from the manufacturer regarding this whole subject, I promise to share. In case you don’t hear from me again, check with the appliance police. I heard they pick up little old ladies who play with the doors, dials, and cycles of the laundry room divas.

Just a thought …