Techniques of the Contemporary Composer.pdf

CHA FOU HA CO AN H EXAM 4.3. In varied contex one chord (the secon in each meas is heard as (a) rel~y loca an inte wit the ()'y EXAM 4.4. Five basic gmups of interva (a) open/ (b) ambi rrnl as ihe bot 2f~ od (t f a sixt Ro~ of com int th sa a; ro o c does not fit any categor and ~ almos entirel ~..and conte for its me~n its stro inte tha int low no (C is (h rq of th c ( 4 W& The interval of the third group, majQr are consi foun upp not (C) is rhu the roo of rh ch (E 4. T s in e agai has the fou as its stro int so th fo up n is a C .dtspJac tendt~ we;r(en dis;ona a m seven separ by sever ajar J~ o lo;e~ ir; ha;4l1; ~d can ctave~ b~ oversh by a m secon now heard as ajar onance relation Two oboes 10udJ; e~ e~ perc~iv as more disson asily chao two flutes softl~ playin a m secan ina EXA 4.6. Roo pos C-m tria (m C) EXA 4.7. Firs C-m tri (m C) E 4.5, Spacing as an aspect of conson XAMP relatio EXA 4.8. Sec Ctri (m C) ~ atends to weaken interva rarían srreng so,me In extrem cases interv garesuo conson tend to sound hke rhe mterv mtO wlllc rhey ryp40

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icaIl);. resolve. For example, widely spaced and fairly weak minar sixths might sound like widely spaced and very strong perfect fifths. Likewise, widely spaced majar sevenths can sound like perfect octaves.

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11

1

1

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Roots

atively consonant,

(b) relatively neutral,

or (c) relatively

dissonant.

closer

j!lJclq~iQnshjp_~o

thdu!}d~m.smqLaS-thqti!l~tYats...root

(Hindemith

1937).

~!;~

For insrance, rhe perfect fifth's root is its lower note, since the first fifth that appears in rhe overtone series has as irs lower note an octave doubling of the fundamental. The opposite is rrue of the fourtb, whose upper note is an octave doubling of the fun-

(c) consonant,

(d) relatively dissonant,

and (e) harshly dissonant.

..

1- chis

chapter) , it 1s sometimes considered a dissonant interval reqlliring resolution," although style and context can contradict chis definidon. The second group has one member. The Q.ugmented fourtb (diminished fifth), which divides the octave in hal~

I

damental

and tbus is (he interval's root. The roots of simple intervqls can be easily

sevenths)

and the top note of a1l even-numbered

Those

~represent

~

. ~acing

of the

fourth

and

fifthgroups,

With

knowledge

of interval

strengths

and roots,

e majar

The e majar criad in fírst inversion

¡n¡¡joL.3.lliLminoLseconds.and..se"v-

(seconds, fourths, and

intervals within the octave. Forexample, the root of a ninth isits top note, as it reduces to a secando for its root. Because a root position

con~onan<;~s.

intervals

anv tVpe of chorcl..can

hf. :malyzecL

criad, for example, has a perfect fifth as

has the fourth as its strongest

interval;

the

disSQill\Pc~lithat in coñsonant surroundings usuaIly requlre resolution~

is a critical

aspect

of consonance-dissonan~~.rel~tiQnsJ1l!2§,

Because

OJ;;IPYc-

(he root of the chord

more dissonant

(Ex. 4.5). Qynamics

and timbre

can also contextualize

~r-;C;;~d,

(Ex. 4.8).

consonance-disexampJe,

'Zould

#~

~

{or

~

'

~

'~~

I

J

I

.

.

,~-j

~=

u

t)

Strengths

.

~IntervalstrengthstendtO

(~-----

~,fourth,

third,

sixth,

ses.,0!:!.1, aniJex~nth

the-Y~P.JQg~e§s

(Hindemith

.\!P~ld

1937).

~t.he_se~:octa~

Example

de~erioraH:_,!s

Again,

octave

sep-

4.9

shows

a number

of more

complex

chords

and

their

roots.

The

fírsr

chord ofren occurs as the final chord in cadences of various rypes of jazz and popular music. According to tradicional tenían techniques, described in chapter 2, the chord should be analyzed as a submediant six-five chord (seventh chord in fírst inversion),

suggesring rhat cadences rhar end on this chord are deceptive. Yer tl~e ear

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CHA NINE TEX AN MO EXA 9.1. Tw exc wit cha tex can alw be a m fac lC ho the ex w t co ir in li m o ~ompos COE~ d.2!iL !if.e~ §i-m. ~ !Iilltter what notes,¡: or timbre Qf.9!! While some comp creat such The are a n of wa oth rha cIu um ro ac th re E 9 can be effectiv as long as the contex is seriou consid Exam 9.1 show two show t cal mic ech (so G sp m lend consiste [Q music. The materi of the secon excer which is simil Iv varied in texrure is fanal and confin within span of two octav Dvna If the music chis second excerp were [Q occur in alwork whos fram arger 100

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101

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i. i t .,. Jj:

9.1.

Simple

overview

of work

in terms

oí

texture.

~

FIGURE

.

FIGURE9.3.

oí concepts

in Figures 9.1 and 9.2.

_--

J

Sva-~~~

."1

Combination

E~,;; =::> 1

I=--~..

-..

3 -..,.,

E-~.=~_..

E

E-..

1=_..

f

- I~i:=~"

7ft

~.

=':-,;-

p

pp

ff

Jff

:>

Contrasting

texture

overview.

8vL~)~~

FIGURE 9.2.

become so complex as to be literally meaningless. Often,-only sharp timbres and spedal effects penetrate such massive clusters. .' . Figure 9.3 combines the fluidity ol Figure 9.1 and the angularity of Figure 9.2. Here the diag~amsuggests thar the dense textures thin by the subtraction of various pitches and timbres. The simplidty of direction of Figure 9.1 is replaced by a ser of transitions. The addition of an introduction and coda would further soften the texrural contrasts. These

~nd

cure

three

overviews

thin[vspaced

was

not

liDes

a considered

~¡y;-¡cme:

demonstrate

how texture

can be e:raphed

iQ.terms

of wide-

of dens¡ty~Such graphs should be analyzed and reanalyzed

Jactordy!,in.&

compositions

that

ner, the music would most likely be ineffective. These examples, though simple, emphasize the need for rhe composer's control and analysis of texture during composition.

com~sition.

sustain

a sin,gle

texture

become

~~~Ü:lgJlQ

Micropolyphony

single-focused

~re

works,

variabl~

can supp"ort other

textJ;.es

parameters

Ils1díillrp-IID'",¡uig¡:lifi¡;aI)t..rQI~jn

~QroP'QsitiQ.n.

QIJ.emai.t:!...e.ntir.cly...5,e.patate.

Either

approach

small excerpts for piano. In the fíese, although the texture is constantly varying, the choices of register, dynamics, and other elements support the changes of textyre to

phtmie. is retained

~tJone

~(twelv'::..ir1

in English).

~ca~e),

of these

This thick

texture

~.(~~dal~Ltriplets~

polyphonic

li~es

results from a simultaneirv

of different

~intllpl~~ir.h~~,

is p~rticu~~r'!y

wd.tim;

iI1}po!!~~!..asjtSQD.![ibut~..!Q

the crearion.,Q.fa rhick, active con1posite. Micropolvphony resembles cluster chords, but

root progressions, and rhe orher musical elements all help produce a direcred phrase of music. The texture, however, contradicts chis direcredness. chis contradicrory

approach,

rhen

chis combinarían

mar succeed.

in its use-:clill9v!pg

ratherili;n~tatic..!!D~.

Micropolvphonic

textures

ha;:d1y

resemble. for example, the palm and forearm keyboard cIusters discussed in chapter 5. While micropolyphony is masr easily achieved in large ensembles, it also can be creared on a single insrrumenr such as rhe piano. The dense rexrure in Example °9.3

Conrext

4f

.~

demanded

differs

,;

¡!

CHA NINE TEX AN MO sation boxes that provide raw materi from which perfor create fase and even . EXAMP 9.5. Improv microp Orc can alg pla sig tal in th cr D t E o e a~ring w as to produce am texture Ha.!W ay ,\:Qns achie odula b.YJd vertical sonorit with each entran or exit. Here the chord rema fairly ~s a¡:;" ove of a c bro 'de fro on (h po oE vi o t e wor of com EE. and EN Th dis is fo by am to ala 104

105

I

Example

9.5

shows

a more

subtle

approach.

This

example

presents

small

improvi-

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3--,

r

A

.¡..-L

Tpt.!

(EN.)

rhythms.

The arder

of the pitches

shown

is unim-

portant.The likelihood of traditionally notating effective rhythms for either of these figures is slight indeed. Furthermore, even if it were possible, the resulting notarían

would be extremely difficult to perform and probably produce studied and stiff regules;

oJ

r

ff

mp

qn"

!

Tpt,2

tJ

g.

ff

P

1...'

brh

A

ff ===-

mp

fase and not even

I

A

(EE.) and

p

f-

p

'"

"

Tpt,3

oJ

J=42(0-:)

'""'

(o.)

F.N.

pp

-

vln.~

r-

Ar-1>P

(o.)

f-¡J)

bo-:;-

F.E

consordo

Jff

====r-

J'

J

9¡:g 1=

9g

Vibes

IoJff

p

=ff-

,"",1 (o/.)

r-

¡

j

Jff =-1

h.-

L-

Va,

Cromos

I

rJ)

====-

pp

p

--

I

ff

r=-

PP

-=====

f

1

==1==-

I

...

f

i

1

'l:'

~,.,'L~.,~J:~es.'~,--"~,OJff==--1>P

=ff

: ----'"'--"--

=

IP

I c-....,

...

===-mf-====ff--~f-===::ff==-f

Cb.

ff

P

=f

----

1-

1>P~~

I ff

==-

Ve.

Tuned

Crvstals it!

-f=

-

i:'..,.

.,

1<0')

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-'

pp

r-

(o.)F.N.A1>P

ff

T

--¡r

-

-"'.

.

,

Thick textures can algo be created by layering, as sho~n in Example 9.6. Each note in chis twelve-line passage enters and exits at different times, staggered in such

the previous

examples

were

The

chosen.

Example

would vary significantly

substitution

9.2, for example,

of twelve

would

music ofExample 9.3 would ber ensemble or chorus.

constant,

with the exception of register alterations

Combinations

and changes of timbres.

direction

alter

its effect.

fundamentally

techniques

can

th;tenskm-~reateJin

timbres

The

those

monochromatic

if orchestrated

achieve

than

shown

for the instru'ments'shown

thick

(he resulting

in

piano

for a small cham-

textures

with flow and

counterpoint.

Figure

9.4

d=80

I

of the above

determinedbv

~ets of chimes

greatly

change

ifdifferenr

---

e'

beginning

slowly

dissolves

from

micropolyphony

into

an

improvisational

frame-

~ItI

#p-Ü'"#~--¡¡..¡¡~~F=1==¡=

The

1--

'

1

-=9

===P

fP:f:===-pp+--=f===¡=--p

/

,

1

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ered texture achieved by the slow infligían of staggered sustained notes. In effect, chis example begins with a mix of complex pitches, rhythms, and timbres and develops

~~¡.~o~..~===p..qo~!OJ====-pp-==.rr--~PP~==-~P-===!ffI~3~L:,-3~---L~

into a chord of sustained pitches.

pe-e-j*f:--o'o~e~~i~.1==IPP-=f==--pf====-pp----ff~;,,~~,-.H~I,....~-~~=_l~~_~

1>l2

.

.

.

1""""'.

ff

-===='-I/I

~

i -

1--

H~.~~'o'-~n=

I

'P

--'

p~-==ff.=:;=~~I/I 'P

,

1 I oJ

1/1 -=-~-====--':

=::::::

~._-

=---r~

--=--~-

!'P-Iff-RIP---=t==--,---ff---=¡~EXAMPLE9,6.Thicktexturecreatedbylayering.(cominued)

n.2

FIGURE 9,4.

Overview

of a conrinuously

--

thick

ano

---

varying

density,

MU CO Ana tape reco ron at tw sp se an on a Rec leve met are com an do nO pr fo d Heads on tape recorde whethe two or three in numb have a v of crack arie two setti for a g situ to ret dy iv in machine while-u for mono only, Clllow for record in ix?,Sh direc thus and then, by reversin the reels, record tracks two and tour the other doubles the usable fength of tape. This, howev poses two probl ,cros DAT (dig auc tap rec ad an im di to th reco proc Wh DA tec su ~h sa la of ra a in aIl tour tracks soundin simulta two fotwar backw Fourloca spec poi non pro an in rfo qual low reco Mo im D re aI edhoA 1958 The mos com one are list be an th in tU di in d ,.. ...

170

CHAPTER

-.,.

FIFTEEN

171

b)mini

ph

on.

machines (four channels in one ~irecrion only), eight-track machines, and so on, exist as weIl, but t:hese represent more expensive equipment.

canncm(oicl:~..

alt===m~phono(RCAI,~~'cumon(&onu

---i

()

()

in

~O~~-

FIGURE15.2.

0

k=--i o..,

~

IDf.hes per seconQ.jips). Generally, the higher the speed, the berree the fidelity; though 15 ips is usually the limit, as tape passing the head at faster speeds tends to increase background noise.

Standard

, phon.'

three-head

rn

tape recorder

(a); plug types (b).

cussion here. The red partíon (denoting the dangerous distortion leve!) does not always mean it is a poDe arca in which to record. Pinning needles to the right on some machines will not cause distortion, while on orher machines disrortion occurs imme-

a number

required to gauge an individual machine before recording. AIso, meter needles need not always move to record. Constantly riding gain controls duringrecording results in a flatter dynamic uncharacteristic of the recórded source. In general, use one or

diate!y opon

or channel

arrangemenrs.

Figure

15.3

shows

of these.

FuIl-track

mono,

usuaIly found in older recorders or mode!s used by professionals, has a single crack covering mosr of rhe width of the recording tape. The half-track monophonic

j ..

analog machines for semiprofessional and professional recording. Quarter-track stereo machines arealso common; recording tracks one and rhree in one direction

of sound

from

one

channel

to another

due

to their

proximity

the red zone. Reading

the manual

and experimenring

is

Choice of tape, particularly for analog tape recorders, can be extreme!y importalle, with 1.5-mil polyester (high leve!, low noise) generaIly the bese. Thinner tape contributes to higher leve!s of print-through-magneric particles (domains) influencing each other from one layer of tape on the spool to another. The only possible reason for using 1.0-mil or O.5-mil rape would be extraordinarily long continuous recording times.

doubling the usable length of the tape. Half-track stereo recorders are the standard

0[, leakage

entering

to one

another, and the possibilityof accidentál playback on 'ahalf-traék machine, res-ulring.

that analog tapes do (Le., it requires the use of fast-fotward

.

ti If

t

1 track (mono)

..

.....

>(

112track mono

to computer

..

memory,

where

music

can be edired

using

music-editíng

soft-

ware. There, the music can be accessea nonlinearly; that is, any locationcan be referenced immediately. Samplers use digitized samples of recorded sound (usuaIly at 44.1 kilohertz). Samplers provide digital concrete sources for editing or assigning to keyboards, where a single pitch can be cransposed to other pitches.

Tape Manipulation

..

and Effects

Tape can be manipulated in a variety of ways once sounds have been coIlected (Varese

112 track stereo

..

Splicing

..

1/4 track

transfer

and reverse speeds for

Speed changes

stereo

Reversing sounds

Sound with sound, sound on sound FIGURE 15.3. recorders.

Channel

arrangements

for various

tape Tapeloops

U

'1\

111~~,

.

Orher

effects

¡

fj

J

e H A P T E F 1 T E N 'k M U S 1 Q U E e o N R E -T Splicing be accomp in one of tWo ways. Profes splici of analo tapes caIly suffice for most splicing needs. At least ten winds of paper leade (if possi B10 111 116 111 B9 BI To ensure pinpoin splicing with analog tape, rack the reels with the tape in conTime llaves from left to right, with the wavef appea vertic Any tWo secin terms of time (top to bortom and fteque (left tO right) Acou and elecvoices. This chorus can then be assigne to akfor exam the comeyho 172

173

"'-"'..

.100

traditionaIly involves a splicing block, as shown in Figure 15.4. Most splices on analog tape should be done at an angle so that more tape contacts create surer binding. Splicing tape far 1/4-inch recording tape is typically 7hz-inch wide so glue does not bleed

from one layer of the tape to the next. One- to tWo-inch lengths of splicing tape typi-

should be attached to the head of the tape. Figure 15.5 shows an hourglass splice made with a chopping-typé splicer; these splicers are very poar and should be avoided.

'. -20

~...I'~

~O

:-40

I~'N

-so

-100

FIGURE15.4. ing tape.

P.rofessionalsplícing

block and splicing tape (7h1-inch wide) attached

to record-

FIGURE 15.6.

Qne possible approach

to editing a section

of digitally recorded

sound.

10095-

::s:::

FIGURE

"

15.5..

Hourglass

Amp. -

splice (very poor) from chopping-type

splicers'. .

095 -¡"""""j""""""j"""""'¡"""""j"""""T""'" 0.00 soc

¡

, 0.50

0.25

tact with the playback head. Mark the found spot with a grease pencil at the playback head and then replay,making special note of the accuracy of the initial mark-

ing. If necessary, remark closer to the point of the sound and play again. Usually fouior five playings can provide an accurate splicing location. Figure 15.6 shows the mechanics

for editing a section of digitally recorded sound.

Here part of a recording has been selected (rhe in verted or filled-black rectangle).

tions of sound can be spliced together, or any amount ofsound

can be removed from

or added to the segmenr by selecting, curting, and pasting using standard and mouse techniques.

tronic sounds can be manipulated in many ways. For example, a ¿ingle sung note can be duplicated, played at different pitch levels, and comhined to crea te a chorus of from thesound

1234:5

FIGURE 15.7.

6 7891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132 The

dynamics

of a digitally

graphed

sound

with

equalizer

below.

keyboard

Figure 15.7 shows how the dynamics of a pitch can be altered by moving the discrece points on the chart (above) or sliding the knobs on the equalizer (below). Figure 15.8 presenrs an altemative graphics view of a segmenr of sound as it appears

poser mar crea te an enrire choral composition thus created mar then be reedited and varied.

mmUm~ijUllilli~I~~~

of one voice. Music

SlLeed changes algo create effective variations. Multiple applications of speed changes, for example, can crea te novel results. Computer software can make changing speeds with digita!ly recorded music quite easy. With each rerecording on analog tape recorders, however, the signal-ro-noise ratio, or recorded signal in reference to background noise. gets progressively worse. Rerecording four or five times usuaIly reaches the limit where noise becomes intOlerable. However, four or five speed changes can tum a simple flute hile. for example, ioro a low and slow-vibraro tuballke sound. Conversely, a sped-lIp tUba turns ioro a qllick flurry of high flllte-like sounds.

_B.i'~'P"¡;.~.i¡¿g~ by physically reversing the reels on an ana lag recorder can oEren produce effective regules, though at times, like speed changes, the obvious manipu.

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