Mixed timbre: Difference between revisions
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A '''mixed timbre''' is a type of musical timbre that is intermediate between a perfectly harmonic (mode-locked) timbre and an inharmonic one. These types of timbres introduce a slight amount of inharmonicity, with partials being bent up or down by a few cents, while also maintaining the same "clear" quality that distinguishes harmonic timbres from the more "opaque" or bell-like inharmonic ones. The term mixed timbre was coined by [[Mason Green]], although the concept may have been proposed before. | A '''mixed timbre'''{{idiosyncratic}} is a type of musical timbre that is intermediate between a perfectly harmonic (mode-locked) timbre and an inharmonic one. These types of timbres introduce a slight amount of inharmonicity, with partials being bent up or down by a few cents, while also maintaining the same "clear" quality that distinguishes harmonic timbres from the more "opaque" or bell-like inharmonic ones. The term mixed timbre was coined by [[Mason Green]], although the concept may have been proposed before. | ||
Mixed timbres are ideal for use with tunings that ''almost,'' but not quite, provide satisfactory approximations for certain intervals. For example, [[22edo]] is a fairly good [[11-limit]] system, and it also allows for a great deal of new modal and tonal possibilities, which have been written about by [[Paul Erlich]] among others. Some of these scales sound much better if the 600-cent tritone is treated as a consonance rather than a dissonance. Similarly, it might be a good idea to treat the tempered whole tone (~218 cents) as a consonance as well, since it occurs in inversions of the harmonic seventh chord. | Mixed timbres are ideal for use with tunings that ''almost,'' but not quite, provide satisfactory approximations for certain intervals. For example, [[22edo]] is a fairly good [[11-limit]] system, and it also allows for a great deal of new modal and tonal possibilities, which have been written about by [[Paul Erlich]] among others. Some of these scales sound much better if the 600-cent tritone is treated as a consonance rather than a dissonance. Similarly, it might be a good idea to treat the tempered whole tone (~218 cents) as a consonance as well, since it occurs in inversions of the harmonic seventh chord. | ||
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However, with most harmonic timbres, neither of these intervals ''sounds'' particularly consonant. The tritone is too far apart from both 7:5 and 10:7 to sound like either. By introducing some inharmonicity, though, it is possible to make these intervals sound much sweeter, as consonances should. That way, 22edo will not sound nearly as "out of tune" as it otherwise would. | However, with most harmonic timbres, neither of these intervals ''sounds'' particularly consonant. The tritone is too far apart from both 7:5 and 10:7 to sound like either. By introducing some inharmonicity, though, it is possible to make these intervals sound much sweeter, as consonances should. That way, 22edo will not sound nearly as "out of tune" as it otherwise would. | ||
Mixed timbres are one way to do this. A mixed timbre contains '''mixed [[ | Mixed timbres are one way to do this. A mixed timbre contains '''mixed [[partial]]s''', which are partials consisting of two or more closely-spaced frequency components (they must be close enough that they are perceived as one "beating" partial rather than separate entities). One of the components is a perfect harmonic multiple of the fundamental, and the other(s) are slightly higher or lower. | ||
For example, we could imagine a mixed partial consisting of one component at 3''f'', where ''f'' is the fundamental frequency, and a second component with half the amplitude at ''3.03f''. Because of the harmonic component, this partial maintains some semblance of (imperfect) mode-locking with the fundamental, which results in a more stable timbre. Interference between the two components causes this partial to "beat", but beats on overtones are generally ''much'' less noticeable than beats on the fundamental, and because the inharmonic component is smaller to begin with, the beating will not be very noticeable and the timbre will sound very close to a perfectly harmonic one. | For example, we could imagine a mixed partial consisting of one component at 3''f'', where ''f'' is the fundamental frequency, and a second component with half the amplitude at ''3.03f''. Because of the harmonic component, this partial maintains some semblance of (imperfect) mode-locking with the fundamental, which results in a more stable timbre. Interference between the two components causes this partial to "beat", but beats on overtones are generally ''much'' less noticeable than beats on the fundamental, and because the inharmonic component is smaller to begin with, the beating will not be very noticeable and the timbre will sound very close to a perfectly harmonic one. | ||
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It's not just xenharmonic tunings that can benefit from using mixed timbres; even plain old [[12edo]] can, as well (if you use a timbre with the 5th and 7th partials bent up). | It's not just xenharmonic tunings that can benefit from using mixed timbres; even plain old [[12edo]] can, as well (if you use a timbre with the 5th and 7th partials bent up). | ||
[[Category:Timbre]] | [[Category:Timbre]] | ||