Spectral glide
Music composition concept From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A spectral glide is a music-composition concept, consisting of a "modification of the vowel quality of a tone" (Erickson 1975, p. 72). Since the vowel quality of a tone is determined by the overtones, spectrum, or timbre of that tone (all three terms describe approximately the same hearing experience), a spectral glide is a move from a spectrum characteristic of one vowel to a spectrum characteristic of another vowel. A spectral glide may be accomplished through a wah-wah, mute, or pedal, or through the modification of one's vocal tract while speaking, singing, or playing an instrument such as the didgeridoo. Lip-vibrated instruments with large mouthpieces such as tuba and trombone allow extensive modification of vowel quality, while woodwinds have a smaller range, with the exception of the flute in air-sound mode. Strings have the smallest range (Erickson 1975, p. 72).
 | This article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. (January 2013) |
The glide rate and the vowel contrasts used are important factors in the compositional use of spectral glides. Karlheinz Stockhausen specifies the use of a trumpet wa-wa mute in his Punkte (1952/1962/64/66/93) through open and closed circles connected by a line. A. Wayne Slawson's computer-generated Wishful Thinking about Winter (Decca DL 710180) uses speechlike sounds featuring a large range of spectral glide rates. Loren Rush began investigating in 1967 the computer-generated modeling of timbres "in between" familiar instruments such as a bassoon and bass clarinet, and devised a program to provide a smooth transition between timbres (Erickson 1975, p. 73).
- Erickson, Robert (1975). Sound Structure in Music. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-02376-5.
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