How Music Works Part III Dynamics Timbre and

How Music Works, Part III: Dynamics, Timbre, and Instruments Chapter 5

Dynamics • Dynamics – loudness, softness • Absolute (amplitude, measured in decibels) • Relative • heavy metal band [PL 5 -1] vs. solo flute [PL 5 -2] • Dynamic levels • Dynamic range • Crescendo vs. decrescendo (Figs. 5. 1, OMI #12) • Terraced dynamics (Fig 5. 2, OMI #13)

Timbre • The character or quality of a musical sound – what it “sounds like” • Steel band [PL 5 -3] • Saxophone vs. flute timbres [OMI #14, Fig. 5. 3] • Scientifically, timbre a product of relationship between fundamental pitch and its overtones (harmonics) • Didgeridoo duet [PL 5 -4] • Mongolian khoomii [PL 5 -5]

Signature Sounds • Tenor saxophonists • John Coltrane [PL 5 -6] • Lester Young [PL 5 -7, starting at 0: 14] • Vocalists • Beyoncé [Pl 5 -8] • Bob Dylan [PL 5 -9] • Louis Armstrong [PL 5 -10] • In OMI #15, five “versions” of the same tone (two saxophonists, two male singers, two female singers) • How would you describe these different timbres? Distinguish one from the other?

Language of Timbre • “…descriptive language associated with timbre in English and other Western languages tends to be rather impressionistic, consisting of a veritable grab-bag of different types of metaphors” (p. 63) • • tone color (the master metaphor of timbre) textures (gravelly, velvety, airy—not to be confused with musical textures) human anatomy (nasal, guttural, throaty) metaphysics (ethereal, heavenly, otherworldly) emotions (cheery, somber, melancholy) technological “spheres” (industrial, techno, space-age), socioeconomic classes (rich, majestic) food (creamy, sweet)

Timbres of Various World Instruments (OMI #16, Table 5. 1, p. 63) Time • 0: 00– 0: 06 • 0: 07– 0: 18 • 0: 19– 0: 26 • 0: 27– 0: 37 • 0: 38– 0: 48 • 0: 49– 0: 53 • 0: 54– 0: 59 • 1: 00– 1: 07 • 1: 08– 1: 19 • 1: 20– 1: 24 Description Indonesian angklung Mexican guitarrón Ugandan madinda (amadinda “xylophone”) Native American powwow drum Javanese gong Japanese sho (mouth organ) West African axatse (rattle) Appalachian dulcimer Balinese suling (bamboo flute) Andean siku panpipes

Music Instruments • Why not “musical instruments? ” • Music instrument = any sound-generating medium used to produce tones in the making of music. • OMI #16 (sound illustrations of 10 world music instruments) • Instrumentation: the types of instruments (potentially including voices) and the number of each

Music Instrument Classification • Ancient systems: China, India, etc. • ’Are’are system: ’au = “bamboo”; includes bamboo panpipes [PL 5 -11] but also radios, electric guitars, etc. Why? • Hornbostel-Sachs Classification System (1914) • • Chordophones (sound activation – vibration of string[s]) Aerophones (air passing through tube/resonator vibrates) Membranophones (stretched “membrane” vibrates) Idiophones (“self-sounders”—body of instrument vibrates) • Electronophones class added much later

Chordophones • Instruments in which the sound is activated by the vibration of a string or strings (chords) over a resonating chamber • • Guitar Violin ’Ud [PL 5 -12] Vina [PL 5 -13] Rebab [PL 5 -14] Koto [PL 5 -15] Zheng [PL 5 -16] • Piano?

Aerophones • Sounds of aerophones emerge from vibrations created by the action of air passing through a tube or some other kind of resonator • • Flute, clarinet, bassoon, and oboe Trumpet, trombone, French horn, and tuba Bamboo panpipes [PL 5 -17] Japanese shakuhachi flute [PL 5 -18] • (end-blown, as opposed to side-blown) • Irish tinwhistle [PL 5 -19] • Didgeridoo [PL 5 -20] • Pipe organ (church organ)

Membranophones • Instruments in which the vibration of a membrane (natural or synthetic) stretched tightly across a frame resonator produces the sound • Generally speaking, drums • Timpani (kettledrums) [PL 5 -21] • Kanjira [PL 5 -22] • Mrdangam [PL 5 -23] • Kazoo?

Idiophones • Instruments in which the vibration of the body of the instrument itself (rather than a string, air tube, or membrane) produces the sound. • Generally speaking, percussion instruments other than drums • Gamelan metallophones [PL 5 -24] • Steel drum (pan) [PL 5 -25] • Mbira dzavadzimu [PL 5 -26 and OMI #17] • Combination membranophone/idiophones • Tambourine (OMI #18) • Drum set (Neal Peart drum solo, “YYZ”) [PL 5 -27, 2: 21 -5: 32]

Electronophones • Electronophones • Extension of the Hornbostel-Sachs system (fifth category) • “Pure” (synthesizer) vs. “hybrid” (electric guitar) electronophones • Digital sampling vs. digital synthesis (OMI #19, #20) • • Ray Charles “Hallelujah, I Love Her So”[PL 5 -28] D. R. A. M. “Cash Machine” [PL 5 -29], based on sample of RC “Hallelujah” Paul Lansky, “Notjustmoreidlechatter” (electroacoustic music) [PL 5 -30] Digital synthesis – synthesizers (The Who [PL 5 -31], George Clinton [PL 5 -32] • Sound generator vs. sound modifier • GAMES Model – Bakan et al. 1990 • Recording (Edison phonograph, 1877) • Multitrack recording, overdubbing • The Beatles, “A Day in the Life” (George Martin) [PL 5 -33]