Timbre/Tone Color

Timbre is a subtle and sophisticated ear skill to develop. As a listener in the world of synthesizers and sampling, the timbral demands and legerdemain [or better leger d'oreille] are constantly bombarding us. We hear some real instruments mixed with synthesis; we hear synthesis and sampling of real instruments; we hear recording of all of this mélange. It is more confusing everyday as technology dictates what we hear. To make it even more confusing there is the preponderance of digital source recording which is never going to replace a real instrument in a real space. Convenience has made generic a wide range of timbral sounds. Let us now examine the true instrumental groups and their characteristic sounds.

I) The Human Voice

This is the oldest and most natural sound source from which music can be generated.

Singing is the closest to dancing because of its source.

A) How is sound generated?

Vibration of vocal chords stretched across the larynx. Air is forced out past the chords setting them into vibration. The tighter the chord -> the higher the frequency. The head, nose, throat and mouth act as resonators. The quality of the voice is dependent on many factors, physiological and psychological.

B) Ranges – SATB

1) Soprano- highest female voice, also castrati - castrated male sopranos in opera.

2) Alto - middle female voice

3) Tenor - middle male voice

4) Bass - lowest male voice

C) Special uses:

1) voice is used for many things, but in particular the imparting of text!

2) Many sets of beautiful songs - Winterreise, Dichterliebe et al.

3) The art song of the Romantic Period is particularly noteworthy.

4) Great Choral Works - huge power and effect - Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe, Beethoven's Choral Symphony#9

4) Cecilia Bertoli - has brought back the smaller repertory to our attention.

5) falsetto - when a singer sings above the head voice range, less full than the rest. The very top of the singer's range. Demonstration

7) Operas make use of Baritone range which is a middle bass male voice.

II) String Family - most dynamic and versatile of the orchestral instruments.

A) How is sound generated?

A horsehair bow is brought across the strings to resonate a string of fixed length. The fingers change the relative length and thus the frequency. Capable of many special sounds/techniques:

harmonics - using the ringing overtone series for special pure sound

pizzicato - plucking

col legno - playing with the stick of the bow

sul tasto - playing over the fingerboard, softer, rounded sound

sul ponticello - playing near the bridge, rough, heavily-overtoned sound

double stops - two notes at once on adjacent strings usually.

B) Voices of the String Family

1) Violin - soprano of the strings- treble clef

2) Viola - alto clef

3) Cello - bass clef

4) Double Bass - bass clef

C) Special Uses

1) The string family is the heart of the Classical Period orchestra - e.g. Mozart's Symphony #40 in g-.

2) Strong as both melodic and accompanimental instrumental group in orchestral context. E.g. Brahms Symphony #1 in c-

3) Capable of a wide variety of timbres and volumes. See list of techniques above. Symphonie Phantastique

III) Woodwinds- are wind instruments made of wood [duh]

A) How...

A resonant chamber carries the vibration of a reed or reeds into an air column set into motion by the player via the embouchure. The length of the column, adjusted by stopping finger holes with pads determines the pitch. Woodwinds come in two basic types: single [clarinet and sax families] and double reed [ oboe, bassoon families].

B) Voices of the Woodwinds

1) Flutes - Single Reed. Transverse and in many flavors: piccolo, tenor and bass esp. Great melodic instrument because it is so clear. Capable of gentle watery to piercing sounds. There is a wide variety of solo literature for flute.

2) Clarinets - Single reed/cylindrical tube. The mainstay of the woodwinds. Great dynamic range, very expressive. Comes in various forms: Eb, A, Bb, Bass, and Bassett Horn family.

3) Oboes – Double reed/conical tube. Very nasal and human sound. Cor anglais or English horn [really the alto oboe] and Oboe d'amore are variants.

4) Bassoons - Double Reed/conical tube. The bottom of the Woodwind family. Also KontraBassoon [double bass].

5) Saxophone - used rarely in orchestra but more in jazz. Very flexible in tone. Variants include : Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone and Bass

C) Special Uses

There are many memorable passages in the literature for all the woodwinds, Oboe especially. Ravel's Bolero makes excellent use of all of the woodwinds as does Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherezade. See also more modern works like John Adams' Harmonieliehre, a minimalist showcase for the entire orchestra, or Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.

IV) Brass - are winds made of brass [no duh].

A) How... the vibration of the lips is passed down the tube of the brass instrument whose length is varied by means of valves or a slide as in the trombone. Timbre is dependent on the bore of the instrument: conical, cylindrical etc. and the shape of the bell. The embouchure also helps to form the timbral character.

B) Voices in the Brass Family

1) Horn- the noble sound of the horn is especially memorable in Romantic literature. The long conical bore coupled with the spiral tube ending in a large bell makes a distinctive "dark" sound. The horn is also capable of a total blast of harsh sound. It is the least agile of the brass. E.g. Strauss: Don Juan

2) Trumpet - soprano voice of the brass. Cylindrical tube-penetrating voice. Good at fast repetition but not for very fast passages because of breathing.

3) Trombone - cylindrical bore/bell=powerful sound. Stronger in the lower register, good in group. comes in Tenor and bass forms most often.

4) Tuba - Lowest of the brass. Requires a lot of air, often used to reinforce the bass line.

C) Uses

The brass is a very characteristic set of timbres, especially in full ensemble combination. There must be a reason to use the full brass choir when you hear it. It is an important marker of emotional, formal etc. points in the music. Brahms wrote so well for the horns and brass in general in his four symphonies. Wagner and Mahler were also very fond of brass coloration. Respighi makes incredible use of the brass in Pines of Rome.

V) Percussion - the punctuators of the orchestra.

A) How...

Percussion are membranophones or idiophones which are struck with mallets or sticks. They have metal, wood and membrane sounds. They are used for punctuation.

B) Voices in percussion

1) Timpani - Kettle Drums - pitched drums used esp. for cadences.

2) Snare - marching style drum for rhythmic effects. Has snares on bottom for characteristic tight rattle, very piercing.

3) Bass Drum - the "Oom" in "Oom-pah"

4) Triangle - highest bell-like sound

5) Xylophone, Marimba, Celeste, Piano: keyed/pitched instruments

C) Used for Special effects of all kinds.