Sound of Music How It Works Session 5 Musical Instruments

OLLI at Illinois Hurrian Hymn from Ancient Mesopotamian Spring 2020 Musical Fragment c. 1440 BCE D. H. Tracy Sound of Music How It Works Session 5 Musical Instruments

OLLI at Illinois Shadow of the Ziggurat Assyrian Hammered Lyre Spring 2020 (Replica)

D. H. Tracy Sound of Music How It Works Session 5 Musical Instruments

OLLI at Illinois Hymn to Horus Replica Ancient Lyre Spring 2020 Based on Trad. Eqyptian Folk Melody D. H. Tracy Sound of Music How It Works Session 5 Musical Instruments

OLLI at Illinois Roman Banquet Replica Kithara Spring 2020 Orig Composition in Hypophrygian Mode D. H. Tracy Sound of Music How It Works Session 5 Musical Instruments

OLLI at Illinois Spring 2020

D. H. Tracy If You Missed a Session….

• PDF’s of previous presentations – Also other handout materials are on the OLLI Course website: http://olli.illinois.edu/downloads/courses/

The Sound of Music Syllabus.pdf References for Sound of Music OLLI Course Spring 2020.pdf Smartphone Apps for Sound of Music.pdf Musical Scale Cheat Sheet.pdf OLLI Musical Scale Slider Tool.pdf

SoundOfMusic_1 handout.pdf SoM_2_handout.pdf SoM_3 handout.pdf SoM_4 handout.pdf

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 6 Course Outline

1. Building Blocks: Some basic concepts 2. Resonance: Building Sounds 3. Hearing and the Ear 4. Musical Scales 5. Musical Instruments 6. Singing and Musical Notation 7. Harmony and Dissonance; Chords 8. Combining the Elements of Music

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 7 Chicago Symphony Orchestra (2015)

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 8 Basic Role of Musical Instruments is:

• Rendering Musical Notes or Rhythmic Beats ➢ With pleasing Timbres ➢ Loudly enough to be heard Chicago Symphony Orchestra (2015)

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 9 We have a few to get through…

2/25/20 Pop Chart Lab Sound of Music 5 10 How Much Is Known About Musical Instruments? • Not that much

• Good general understanding – Lots of interesting details • but not enough to design one from scratch – Lots of poorly understood aspects

• Existing instruments basically evolved over centuries – largely by trial and error – but often with informed insight

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 11 Classifying Musical Instruments

• Traditionally Chinese “8 Winds” Classification (~ Han Dynasty) gourd – Strings wood bamboo – Brasses

– Woodwinds silk metal – Percussion

leather stone

clay

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 12 Hornbostel-Sachs Classification System

The Dewey Decimal System of Musical Instruments

Erich von Hornbostel Curt Sachs (1877-1935) (1881-1959)  Idiophones  Membranophones Chordophones  Aerophones  Electrophones

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 13 Hornbostel-Sachs: Family Tree of the African Thomo

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 14 www.MIMO-International.com

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 15 My Scheme

• 1 Dimensional Resonators – Strings – Pipes • 2 Dimensional Resonators – Drums – Parts of some string instruments (e.g. guitars, pianos) • 3 Dimensional Resonators – Bars (e.g. xylophones) – Bells

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 16 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 17 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre

Emmanuel Pahud on Flute Eric Marienthal on Sax Syrinx (Debussy) Body and Soul (Johnny Green)

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 18 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range

Bell at Pfarrkirche St. Georg, Obermais Cory Hall on Piano (718 Hz, between F5 and F#5) Glissando Technique

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 19 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability

Sharon Kam-Basset on Clarinet Richard Elliott on Salt Lake Tabernacle Pipe Organ Clarinet Concerto (Mozart) Bach Toccata in D Minor

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 20 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness

Gudrun Hinze on Piccolo Alison Balsom on Trumpet “TWEET” (Daniel Dorff) Trumpet Concerto in E flat Major (Hummel)

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 21 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness Joyce Lindorff on Harpsichord Harry Völker on Piano Wassermusik (Händel) Wassermusik (Händel)

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 22 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument Harry Völker on Piano Wassermusik (Händel) 1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness

5. Expressiveness Paul Barton on Piano Joyce Lindorff on Harpsichord Claire de Lune (Debussy) Wassermusik (Händel)

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 23

Joyce Lindorff on Harpsichord 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre The Messiah 2. Range Stradivarius Ashmolean Museum 3. Chord Capability Oxford 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 24

Joyce Lindorff on Harpsichord 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability Steve Buscemi as Mr. Pink Octobass Reservoir Dogs (1992) 4. Loudness Museum of Musical 5. Expressiveness Instruments 6. Cost/Availability (Phoenix) 7. Portability

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 26 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre Montreal Symphony 2. Range Orchestra 3. Chord Capability Steve Buscemi as Mr. Pink Octobasse Reservoir Dogs (1992) 4. Loudness Museum of Musical 5. Expressiveness Instruments 6. Cost/Availability (Phoenix) 7. Portability

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 27 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range Chuck on Triangle 3. Chord Capability Pedal Steel Guitar (Double) 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability 7. Portability 8. Ease of Playing What could be simpler?

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 28

Octobass 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability 7. Portability 8. Ease of Playing 9. Stability of Tuning

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 29 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability 7. Portability 8. Ease of Playing 9. Stability of Tuning 10. Awesomeness

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 30 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability 7. Portability 8. Ease of Playing 9. Stability of Tuning 10. Awesomeness

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 31 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability Cate Blanchett on Harmonica 7. Portability 8. Ease of Playing 9. Stability of Tuning 10. Awesomeness

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 32 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability 7. Portability 8. Ease of Playing 9. Stability of Tuning 10. Awesomeness 11. Cultural Conventions

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 33 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability Bagpipes = 7. Portability Scottish Music 8. Ease of Playing 9. Stability of Tuning 10. Awesomeness 11. Cultural Conventions

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 34 Archy12J inReasons music video Nageena to Choose-- Enchantress An of Instrumentthe Deserts (2019)

1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability Bagpipes = 7. Portability Scottish Music 8. Ease of Playing 9. Stability of Tuning 10. Awesomeness 11. Cultural Conventions

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 35 11 Reasons to Choose An Instrument 1. Timbre 2. Range 3. Chord Capability 4. Loudness 5. Expressiveness 6. Cost/Availability 7. Portability 8. Ease of Playing 9. Stability of Tuning 10. Awesomeness 11. Cultural Conventions

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 37 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 38 Timbre

Soprano Sax Trumpet Bassoon

Fundamental Clarinet (Bb)

262 Hz (C4) Oboe

Cello (G String) Bowed Violin (G String) Plucked Bowed Tuba Violin (G String) 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 Plucked 39 Timbre : Even for one instrument Timbre can vary

Cello C4 (262 Hz) Played on C2 G2 D3 A3 Different Strings StringStringStringString 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 40 What’s going on here?

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 41 3000 Hz Piano C4 262 Hz 10 9 Spectrogram 8

7 → 6 5

4 Frequency Frequency 3 Visualizing a note 2 to understand Timbre

262 Time → 0 Hz Waveform

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 42 3000 Hz Piano C4 262 Hz 10 9 Spectrogram  8 Frequency Sound 7 Spectrum

→ Intensity 6 10x 5

4 Frequency Frequency 3 2

262 Frequency → Time → 0 Hz Waveform Visualizing a note to understand Timbre

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 43 3000 Hz Piano C4 262 Hz 10 Transient 9 Spectrogram  8 Frequency Sound 7 Spectrum

→ Intensity 6 10x 5

4 Frequency Frequency 3 2

262 Frequency → Time → 0 Hz Waveform Visualizing a note to understand Timbre: The Attack

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 45 3000 Hz Piano C4 262 Hz 10 9 Spectrogram 8

7 → 6 5 4 Frequency Frequency Visualizing a note 3 to understand Timbre: 2 The Attack removed 262 Time → 0 Hz Waveform

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 46 3000 Hz Bassoon C4 262 Hz 10 9 Vibrato 8

7 → 6 5 4 Frequency Frequency Visualizing a note 3 to understand Timbre: 2 Steady Tone 1 262 Time → 0 Hz

Waveform

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 47 3000 Hz Alto Flute C4 262 Hz 10 9 8 Vibrato: f 

7 → 6 5 4 Frequency Frequency Visualizing a note 3 to understand Timbre: 2 1 Vibrato and Tremolo 262 Time → 0 Hz

Waveform Tremolo: Loudness 

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 48 5000 Hz Alto Flute G4 392 Hz 11 10 9 Vibrato 8 → 7 6 5

Frequency Frequency 4 Visualizing a note 3 to understand Timbre: 2 Vibrato and Tremolo 392 1 Time → 0 Hz

Waveform Tremolo

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 49 5000 Hz Alto Flute G4 11 Basilar Membrane 10 9 8

→ In all cases, different 7 harmonics fall on 6 different parts of the 5 Basilar Membrane… Frequency Frequency 4 3 2 but not always on 1 different Critical Bands Time → 0 Hz

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 50 Back to Piano vs. Bassoon (C4 262 Hz)

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 51 15000 Hz

H 57

C4 262 Hz →

Piano Bassoon Frequency Frequency

0 Hz

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 52 Bassoon C4 Spectrum 0 to 15 kHz

1 2 3

10 20 30 17 40 50 57

0 Frequency → 15 kHz

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 53 Guitar Scale C4 to B4 (G String) 262 Hz 494 Hz

Frequency →

C4 D4 High Harmonics Drop Off Faster C#4 D#4 E4 F4 F#4 G4 G#4 A5 A#4 B5

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 54 Guitar Scale C4 to B4 (G String) 262 Hz 494 Hz Lines drawn connecting Pluck moment of C# shown (see red harmonics (to cursor to left). Lots of wideband guide the eye) noise, not much string vibration.

Frequency →

C4 D4 High Harmonics Drop Off Faster C#4 D#4 E4 F4 F#4 G4 G#4 A5 A#4 B5

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 55 Guitar Scale C4 to B4 (G String) 262 Hz 494 Hz Lines drawn connecting Early part of C# shown (see red harmonics (to cursor to left). Higher harmonics guide the eye) have not yet decayed.

Frequency →

C4 D4 High Harmonics Drop Off Faster C#4 D#4 E4 F4 F#4 G4 G#4 A5 A#4 B5

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 56 Guitar Scale C4 to B4 (G String) 262 Hz 494 Hz Lines drawn connecting harmonics (to Tail end of C# shown (see red guide the eye) cursor to left). Higher harmonics have decayed.

Frequency →

C4 D4 High Harmonics Drop Off Faster C#4 D#4 E4 F4 F#4 G4 G#4 A5 A#4 B5

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 57 So What Determines Timbre of a Note?

• Harmonic intensity pattern • The decay of the Fundamental and Harmonics – or lack of decay • The Attack – rate of onset – accompanying noise (Transients) • Frequency variation / vibrato • Amplitude variation / tremolo [The Envelope] • Non-harmonic partials

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 58 Mesopotamian Strings: Golden Lyre of Ur

• From “Royal Tombs” at Ur, Sumeria (~2600 BC) • Excavated ~1929 • British Museum/U Penn Expedition • Led by Leonard Woolley • 4 Excellent Lyres found • Best : The Golden Lyre Iraq Museum, Baghdad (Restored)

Woolley with a plaster stabilized lyre

3 Lyres as excavated 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 3 String Instruments Three main problems: 1. Excitation – How to get the string vibrating

2. Frequency Control L – Playing desired notes

3. Getting Sound Out – Coupling string vibrations to sound waves

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 4 Exciting the String: Plucking

Bass Guitar Cruickshank, University of St. Andrews 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 5 Exciting the String: Bowing

Stick-Slip Friction

Bridge

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 6 Exciting the String: Bowing

Stick-Slip With skill – Friction Exactly one “pluck” per cycle

Heidi Hereth, UNSW (Uni. New South Wales)

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 7 Slo-Mo 666 x

Exciting the String: Bowing

Stick-Slip Friction

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 Michigan Tech (2010)8 Exciting the Strings: Sympathetic Vibration

Viola d’Amore (1760)

Sitar 6-7 Played 6 Played Strings Strings Equal Number 12 or more Sympathetic Sympathetic Aliquot Strings Strings

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 9 Grand Piano Hammer Mechanism

Animation: Hoe Ishetmogelijk (2014) Music: Haydn Piano Sonata No. 30 D Major 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 10 String Instruments Three main problems: 1. Excitation – How to get the string vibrating

2. Frequency Control L – Playing desired notes

3. Getting Sound Out – Coupling string vibrations to sound waves

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 11 Generic String: Fixed Frequency

“Speaking Length” Fine Tuner Nut or L Tuning Pin Agraffe or Peg Bridge or Anchor or Saddle Hitch Pin

Structural Member Vibration Transfer to air

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 12 Generic String: Fixed Frequency

“Speaking Length” Nut or Bridge or L Saddle Tuning Pin Agraffe or Peg Anchor or String Supports Hitch Pin

Structural Member Vibration Transfer to air

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 13 Generic String: Fixed Frequency

“Speaking Length” Nut or Bridge or Saddle L Saddle Tuning Pin Agraffe or Peg Anchor or String Supports Hitch Pin

Structural Member Vibration Transfer to air 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 14 Instruments Using Fixed Frequencies Note that bass strings pass above treble strings to save space

“Speaking Length” Nut or Bridge or L Saddle Tuning Pin Agraffe or Peg Anchor or String Supports Hitch Pin

Structural Member Vibration 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 Transfer to air 15 Note foam damper to silence 2 of the 3 hammered strings while tuning the 3rd one.

Tuning a Piano

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 16 Instruments Using Fixed Frequencies

Estonian Chromatic Kannel Ukrainian Bandura

“Speaking Length” Nut or Bridge or L Saddle Tuning Pin Agraffe Even these types of instruments or Peg Anchor or sometimes have lever mechanisms String Supports Hitch Pin to change string lengths to achieve additional2/25/20 notes. Sound of Music 5 17 Structural Member Vibration Transfer to air Instruments Using Variable Frequencies (Length Change)

Violin Guitar Banjo

Cello Sitar Double Bass “Speaking Length” Nut or Bridge or L Saddle Tuning Pin Agraffe or Peg Anchor or String Supports Hitch Pin

Structural Member Vibration Transfer to air 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 18 Frets

1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 0 20 18 16 14 12 11 10 9

“Speaking Length” Nut or Bridge or L Saddle Tuning Pin Agraffe or Peg Anchor or String Supports Hitch Pin

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 Structural Member Vibration 19 Transfer to air Frets

L L’

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 20 Frets

Demo

1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 0 20 18 16 14 12 11 10 9

“Speaking Length” Nut or Bridge or L Saddle Tuning Pin Agraffe or Peg Anchor or String Supports Hitch Pin

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 Structural Member Vibration 21 Transfer to air Portable Guitar with Carbon Fiber Body

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 22 Chromatic Piano MIDI f Scale Note 6 String Guitar 45 65 349.2 F 4 44 64 329.6 E 4 E4 43 63 311.1 D#/E♭ 4 Standard Tuning 42 62 293.7 D 4 41 61 277.2 C#/D♭ 4 5 steps 40 60 261.6 C 4 39 59 246.9 B 3 B3 38 58 233.1 A#/B♭ 3 37 57 220 A 3 4 steps  5:4 36 56 207.7 G#/A♭ 3 35 55 196.0 G 3 G3 34 54 185.0 F#/G♭ 3 33 53 174.6 F 3 32 52 164.8 E 3 5 steps 31 51 155.6 D#/E♭ 3 30 50 146.8 D 3 D3 29 49 138.6 C#/D♭ 3 28 48 130.8 C 3 27 47 123.5 B 2 5 steps 26 46 116.5 A#/B♭ 2 25 45 110 A 2 A2 24 44 103.8 G#/A♭ 2 23 43 98.0 G 2 5 steps 22 42 92.5 F#/G♭ 2  4:3 21 41 87.3 F 2 20 40 82.4 E 2 E2 19 39 77.8 D#/E♭ 2

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 24 Chromatic Piano MIDI f Scale Note 6 String Guitar 45 65 349.2 F 4 44 64 329.6 E 4 E4 43 63 311.1 D#/E♭ 4 Standard Tuning 42 62 293.7 D 4 D4 41 61 277.2 C#/D♭ 4 5 steps 40 60 261.6 C 4 39 59 246.9 B 3 B3 38 58 233.1 A#/B♭ 3 7 steps  3:2 37 57 220 A 3 4 steps  5:4 36 56 207.7 G#/A♭ 3 35 55 196.0 G 3 G3 G3 34 54 185.0 F#/G♭ 3 33 53 174.6 F 3 Violin 5 steps 32 52 164.8 E 3 (4 strings 31 51 155.6 D#/E♭ 3 30 50 146.8 D 3 D3 each 7 29 49 138.6 C#/D♭ 3 steps 28 48 130.8 C 3 27 47 123.5 B 2 5 steps apart) 26 46 116.5 A#/B♭ 2 25 45 110 A 2 A2 24 44 103.8 G#/A♭ 2 23 43 98.0 G 2 5 steps 22 42 92.5 F#/G♭ 2  4:3 21 41 87.3 F 2 20 40 82.4 E 2 E2 19 39 77.8 D#/E♭ 2

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 25 Piano MIDI f Chromatic Note Guitar Scale Strings 6 String Guitar 45 65 349.2 F 4 44 64 329.6 E 4 E4 43 63 311.1 D#/E♭ 4 Standard Tuning 42 62 293.7 D 4 41 61 277.2 C#/D♭ 4 40 60 261.6 C 4 39 59 246.9 B 3 B3 All 6 belong to two of 38 58 233.1 A#/B♭ 3 37 57 220 A 3 the Pentatonic Scales 36 56 207.7 G#/A♭ 3 35 55 196.0 G 3 G3 34 54 185.0 F#/G♭ 3 33 53 174.6 F 3 32 52 164.8 E 3 31 51 155.6 D#/E♭ 3 They also belong to 6 30 50 146.8 D 3 D3 29 49 138.6 C#/D♭ 3 Diatonic Scales: 28 48 130.8 C 3 C Major A minor 27 47 123.5 B 2 26 46 116.5 A#/B♭ 2 D Major B minor 25 45 110 A 2 A2 G Major E minor 24 44 103.8 G#/A♭ 2 23 43 98.0 G 2 22 42 92.5 F#/G♭ 2 G 21 41 87.3 F 2 Major G Major Root Chord 20 40 82.4 E 2 E2 (cannot be played on open strings) ♭ E 19 39 77.8 D#/E 2 minor 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 26 String Instruments Three main problems: 1. Excitation – How to get the string vibrating

2. Frequency Control L – Playing desired notes

3. Getting Sound Out – Coupling string vibrations to sound waves

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 27 Generic String: Transferring String Vibrations into the Air

“Speaking Length” Nut or Bridge or L Saddle Tuning Pin Agraffe or Peg Anchor or String Supports Hitch Pin

Structural Member Vibration Transfer to air

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 28 Banjo: Bridge Transferring String Vibrations into the Air

Drumhead

Closed Back Banjo

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 29 Violin: Transferring String Vibrations into the Air

f Holes make Bridge body a Helmholtz Resonator Back Plate Also (Bass Response) acts as a “Drumhead” Front Plate or Belly “Drumhead” Very Complex Modes

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 30 Violin: Transferring String Vibrations into the Air Bass Post Nodal Lines for 1 Mode Bar

Back Plate

UNSW

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 31 Ra Inta UNSW Violin: Two different How Efficiently String Violins Vibrations are Converted to Sound in the Air

Acoustic Efficiency (dB) Efficiency Acoustic Helmholtz Resonance

0 200 400 600 800 1000 Hz Frequency -> 2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 32 Guitar Internal Structure

String vibrations excite: • Drumhead-like modes in top & bottom • Helmholtz Resonator (body + hole)

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 33 Top Piano Sounding Board View Bottom View • Sitka spruce • Thickness varies ¼ to 3/8 “ • Crowned upward for strength • Has carefully controlled membrane resonances

2/25/20 Sound of Music 5 34