“The most difficult subjectively felt parameter is the timbre. With the definition of this term, difficulties arise comparable to the definition of the concept of "life": everyone understands what it is, but over scientific definition science has been struggling for several centuries.”
(I. Aldoshina)
In nature, we almost never encounter pure tones. The sound of any musical instrument is complex and consists of many frequency components - overtones.
Even with very complex sound vibrations, human hearing is able to recognize the pitch. However, at the same pitch, the sound of, for example, a violin differs by ear from the sound of a grand piano. This is due to the fact that, in addition to the height of the sound, the ear is also able to evaluate the “color” of the sound, i.e. his timbre.
The timbre of a sound is such a sound quality that, regardless of frequency and amplitude, makes it possible to distinguish one sound from another. The timbre of the sound depends on the overall spectral composition of the sound (i.e., on what overtones are present in it) and the ratio of the amplitudes of the spectral components (i.e., overtones):
The concept of timbre is closely related to the concept of pitch. The fact is that sound vibrations, as a rule, are complex.
For example, if we took the note “la” of the first octave on the violin (frequency 440 Hz), then the vibrations of this string will also contain multiple frequencies of 880, 1320, 1760, 2200 Hz, etc.
In this case, the amplitudes of these frequencies (overtones) can be different, i.e. the overtones will have different loudness.
German physicist Georg Ohm first suggested that a simple auditory sensation is caused by a simple sinusoidal oscillation ( such an oscillation is also called harmonic, it is important not to confuse harmonic oscillations, i.e. those described by the functions y=sin x, etc., and harmonic overtones, which are also harmonic vibrations, but their frequencies are also multiples of the fundamental frequency). As soon as the shape of the oscillation becomes more complicated, overtones appear - there is an impression of coloring the sound or its timbre.
An example of the occurrence of a complex oscillation by adding two simple (harmonic) oscillations.
Blue is the fundamental harmonic, pink is twice the frequency (overtone or first harmonic), and green is the resulting complex (non-harmonic) wave.
Ohm was able to establish that the ear perceives separate harmonic components of sound, and these components cause separate sensations. With some training, you can even mentally separate a complex periodic oscillation and determine which harmonics are present in the sound.
Thus, the human ear is able to perceive a complex form of sound vibrations as a color or timbre.
Overtones are either harmonic or non-harmonic.
The frequencies of harmonic overtones are multiples of the frequency of the fundamental (harmonic overtones, together with the fundamental, are also called harmonics):
In real physical situations (for example, during vibrations of a massive and rigid string), the overtone frequencies can noticeably deviate from values that are multiples of the fundamental frequency - such overtones are called non-harmonic.
The amplitude-frequency ratio of all constituent parts of a complex vibration is called the sound spectrum, and the sounds corresponding to each frequency present in the complex vibration are called spectral components or components.
The set of spectral components determines the timbre of the sound. And since each spectral component is a sound of a certain height, it is not entirely correct to speak of timbre as a separate property of sound. However, it is the timbre of sound (or rather, the spectrum) that is usually in the spotlight when we are talking about sound processing technologies.
Examples of the spectral composition of musical sounds:
The timbre of the sound, i.e. the ratio of the amplitudes of its harmonics also affects the perceived pitch of a complex tone.
Sometimes a person can hear sounds in the low frequency region, although in reality there were no sounds of such a frequency. The brain perceives the pitch not only by its fundamental frequency, but also by the periodicity given by the ratio between the harmonics. We can perceive the same pitch (perhaps with a different timbre) even if the fundamental frequency is not heard (or lost) during playback. (Frequency signals of a complex spectrum without a fundamental frequency (the first harmonic in the spectrum) are called residual.)
For example, if a note (i.e. not a pure tone) has a pitch of 100 Hz, it will consist of frequency components that are integer multiples of that value (e.g. 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 .... Hz). However, small speakers may not be able to reproduce low frequencies, so the 100Hz component may not be present in playback. However, a frequency corresponding to the fundamental tone can be heard.
This effect was called the “Missed Fundamental Phenomenon” - an experiment in 1940 demonstrated that the pitch perception of a spectrally complex sound will not change if its fundamental frequency is removed, it will be completed by the brain based on the existing harmonics. It is used in sound reproducing equipment to extend the range of reproducible low frequencies, if it is impossible to adequately reproduce such frequencies directly, for example, in headphones, mobile phones, low-budget speakers ( acoustic systems) etc.
The timbre of the voice is the brightness of the sound, its individuality, transmitted during singing. The sound is determined by the fundamental tone and additional sounds, called overtones. The more overtones, the brighter and more colorful the voice will be. The natural amount of overtones combined with is the secret to a mesmerizing voice.
The most pleasant timbre is considered to be a voice that has the correct modulation, both in high and low tones. In fact, any voice right approach you can put. And that means giving it a professional sound. To do this, you need to learn to control the frequency of the voice, as well as the emotional coloring. This is easy to do with the help of a vocal specialist. To determine your own timbre, you need to know what voice timbres are in general. There are several main types:
The fundamental factor in the formation of timbre is the vocal cords. It is almost impossible to find several people who are able to sing the same way. It is unlikely that you will be able to change your voice drastically. But if you turn to the teacher, then it is quite possible to improve its coloring.
Independently, without having certain knowledge and skills, it is almost impossible to determine the timbre. At home, you can only presumably attribute your voice to one or another type of timbre. The most accurate data can be obtained using specialized equipment - a spectrometer. It studies the outgoing sound, and then classifies it in the right direction. You can read more about spectrometers at the end of the article.
The timbre of the voice largely depends on the characteristics of the human body. Great importance have the volume, shape of the trachea and oral resonator, as well as the density of the closure of the vocal cords. Therefore, it is not possible to radically change the sound of the voice.
However, you can give the timbre the desired color by adding low or high overtones and achieving their perfect balance. To do this, there are various exercises, for example, pronouncing the soft fricative "g".
The shape of the lips and the position of the tongue have a great influence on the timbre. You can experiment, for example, change the position of the jaw and talk with a fixed lower lip.
At the age of three, the model of a person's voice changes, he becomes more restrained. We diligently control the volume and intonation, tense the vocal cords, and as a result use only a small part of our capabilities. How to restore the natural voice,? Exercises and techniques will also help you with this. You can learn more about them by watching the video:
The device that is used to determine the timbre of the voice is called a spectrometer. His device includes a microphone. special purpose and sound amplifier. During its operation, the sound is divided into components using electro-acoustic filters. The whole process is displayed on the instrument display. Then the device in certain formats explores the composition of speech sounding, since it is the speech format that has a direct impact on the recognition of voice sounding in singing. Most often, the recognition of the timbre of the voice by the device is carried out by the way the first three vowels are pronounced.
How to know your voice tone? It is best to sign up for several classes with a qualified specialist in the production of a singing voice. To determine the timbre, they use parameters such as tessitura endurance and some other features.
In order to determine the timbre of the voice, the vocal teacher selects works that have different tessitura. This allows you to determine which note pitch best suits a particular vocalist. singing a few musical works having different musical octaves, you can determine in which of them it is easy and comfortable to sing, and in which one you have to sing with the tension of the vocal cords. Each person tends to take notes of a certain height. Only an experienced teacher will be able to correctly assess the range and timbre of each vocalist's voice by how he sings individual notes in a certain octave, and will name the main differences between a falsetto and a chest voice or a tenor from a baritone.
EXPRESSIVE MEANS OF MUSIC
Timbre
The art of combining orchestral
sonority is one of the sides
the soul of the work itself.
N. Rimsky-Korsakov
Musical timbres are often compared with paint colors. Like paints expressing the color richness of the surrounding world, creating the color of a work of art and its mood, musical timbres also convey the diversity of the world, its images and emotional states. Music is generally inseparable from the timbre in which it sounds. Whether a human voice or a shepherd's flute sings, the melody of a violin or the play of a harp is heard - any of these sounds is included in the multi-color palette of timbre incarnations of music. Music just consists of a variety of such incarnations, and in each of them its own soul, unique appearance and character is guessed. Therefore, composers never create such music that can be intended for any timbre; each, even the smallest, work certainly contains an indication of the instrument that should perform it.
For example, every musician knows that the violin has a special melodiousness, so it is often entrusted with melodies of a smooth, songlike nature, with a special rounded lines.
No less famous is the virtuosity of the violin, its ability to perform the most impetuous melodies with extraordinary ease and brilliance. This ability allows many composers to create not only virtuoso pieces for the violin, but also to use it (one of the most “musical” instruments) to convey sounds that are by no means of a musical nature! Among examples of such a role of the violin is "The Flight of the Bumblebee" from N. Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan".
An angry Bumblebee, preparing to sting Babarikha, makes his famous flight. The sound of this flight, which the music reproduces with pictorial accuracy and great wit, is created by a violin melody so impetuous that the listener really has the impression of a formidable bumblebee buzzing.
The extraordinary warmth and expressiveness of the cello brings her intonation closer to a living voice - deep, exciting and emotional. Therefore, in music it is not uncommon for vocal works to sound arranged for cello, striking with the naturalness of timbre and breathing. S. Rachmaninov. Vocalise (arranged for cello).
Where lightness, grace and grace are required, the flute reigns. The sophistication and transparency of the timbre, combined with its inherent high register give the flute both touching expressiveness (as in "Melody" from the opera "Orpheus and Eurydice"), and graceful wit. The charming "Joke" from Suite No. 2 for orchestra is an example of such elegantly humorous sounding of the flute.
These are the characteristics of only a few instruments that are part of a vast family of diverse timbre sounds of music. Of course, these and other instruments can be used in their "pure" form: practically for each of them special concertos, sonatas and pieces have been created. Widely applied and solo various tools included in polyphonic orchestral compositions. In such fragments, the solo instruments reveal their expressive possibilities even more vividly, either simply captivating with the beauty of the timbre, or creating a contrast to various orchestral groups, but most often participating in the general flow of musical movement, where juxtapositions and interweaving of timbres form a picture of amazing sound richness. After all, it is the combinations of timbres that give music such expressiveness and relief, make it possible to convey almost any image, picture or mood. This was always felt by the great masters of the orchestra, who created their scores with extraordinary care, using all the expressive possibilities of musical instruments. Outstanding composers mastered orchestration brilliantly, rightly considering it the most important bearer of musical imagery.
The history of the symphony orchestra has more than three centuries. During this time, the instrumental composition that is used by modern composers was gradually formed. In it, not only individual timbres, but also each orchestral group acquired its own expressive and technical capabilities, so it can be said with confidence that the orchestra has been and remains the main instrument for the realization of musical ideas.
The modern symphony orchestra includes four groups of instruments:
1) bowed strings (violins, violas, cellos, double basses);
2) woodwinds (flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons);
3) brass wind instruments (trumpets, horns, trombones, tuba);
4) percussion and keyboards (timpani, bells, celesta, drums, cymbals, etc.).
These four groups, subject to their skillful use, expressive and colorful combination, are capable of creating genuine musical miracles, amazed the listeners with either transparency, or density of sound, or extraordinary strength, or barely perceptible trembling - all the subtlest and most diverse shades that make the orchestra one of the remarkable achievements human culture.
The expressiveness of musical timbres manifests itself with particular obviousness in works related to their specific pictoriality. Let us once again turn to the musical fairy tale by N. Rimsky-Korsakov - the opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", for where, if not in fabulously fantastic music, one can "hear" both pictures of nature and various miracles presented in the magical sounds of the orchestra.
The introduction to the last scene of the opera is called "Three Miracles". We remember these three miracles from the tale of A. Pushkin, where a description of the city of Ledenets, the kingdom of Gvidon, is given.
An island in the sea lies
The city stands on the island,
With golden-domed churches,
With towers and gardens;
Spruce grows in front of the palace,
And below it is a crystal house:
The squirrel lives in it tame,
Yes, what a miracle!
Squirrel sings songs
Yes, the nuts gnaw everything;
And nuts are not simple,
The shells are golden.
The cores are pure emerald;
The squirrel is groomed, protected.
There is another wonder:
The sea rages violently
Boil, raise a howl,
Will rush to the empty shore,
Will spill in a quick run,
And find themselves on the shore
In scales, like the heat of grief,
Thirty-three heroes
All beauties are gone
young giants,
Everyone is equal, as in the selection -
Uncle Chernomor is with them...
And the prince has a wife,
What you can't take your eyes off:
In the daytime, the light of God eclipses,
Illuminates the earth at night;
The moon shines under the scythe,
And in the forehead a star burns.
These lines from Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" constitute the main content of the music of N. Rimsky-Korsakov, where the first of the three miracles is Squirrel, gnawing nuts and singing his carefree song, the second is thirty-three heroes, who appear from the waves of the raging sea, and the third , the most wonderful of miracles, is the beautiful Swan Princess.
The musical characterization of Belka, which includes two sound episodes, is entrusted to a xylophone and a piccolo flute. Pay attention to the clicking nature of the xylophone sound, which reproduces the cracking of golden nuts so accurately, and to the whistling timbre of the piccolo flute, which gives Squirrel's song a whistling character. However, only these sound touches do not exhaust all the richness of ideas about the "first miracle". The second passage of the melody is enriched with the celesta - one of the most "fabulous" instruments - which depicts the image of the crystal house in which Squirrel lives.
The music of the "second miracle" - the heroes - grows gradually. In it, one can hear the roar of the raging sea element, and the howling of the wind. This sound background, against which the heroes perform, is created by various groups of instruments that draw an image of a strong, powerful, indestructible.
Bogatyrs appear in the timbre characteristics of brass - the most powerful instruments of a symphony orchestra.
Finally, the "third miracle" appears to us accompanied by a harp - a gentle and captivating instrument that conveys the smooth gliding of a beautiful bird along the smooth surface of the night sea, illuminated by the moon. The singing of the Swan Bird is entrusted to the solo oboe, an instrument reminiscent of the voice of a water bird in its sound. After all, the Swan has not yet been embodied in the Princess, her first appearance is made in the guise of a majestic, regal bird. Gradually, the melody of the Swans is transformed. At the last performance of the theme, the Swan-bird turns into a Princess, and this magical transformation causes Gvidon such delight, such boundless admiration that the climax of the episode becomes a true triumph of all conceivable light and beauty. The orchestra at this moment reaches the highest fullness and brightness, in the general flow of sound the timbres of brass wind instruments stand out, leading their solemn melody.
"Three Miracles" by N. Rimsky-Korsakov reveal to us inexhaustible wonders of musical timbres. The orchestra in this work has reached such picturesqueness, such unheard-of brilliance, that the boundless possibilities of music in conveying everything that is worthy of such transmission in the surrounding world become backward.
However, it is important to emphasize that music also creates its own beauty, just as painting, architecture or poetry create it. This beauty, perhaps, is no higher and no better than the beauty of the real world, but it exists and, embodied in the miracle of a symphony orchestra, reveals before us another secret of music, the solution of which should be sought in the captivating variety of its sounds.
Questions and tasks:
1. Why are musical timbres compared to paint colors?
2. Can the timbre give the musical sounding character and originality? Name some examples you know.
3. Is it possible, in your opinion, to entrust a melody written for one instrument to another? If yes, please list the options. possible replacements.
4. In what musical genres is the orchestra necessarily used?
5. Which of the musical instruments is closest to the orchestra in terms of its capabilities?
6. Name your favorite musical instruments. Explain why you chose their timbres.
Presentation
Included:
1. Presentation - 19 slides, ppsx;
2. Sounds of music:
Rakhmaninov. Vocalization. Cello, mp3;
Bach. "Scherzo" from Suite for Flute and String Orchestra No. 2, mp3;
Rimsky-Korsakov. Belka, from the opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", mp3;
Rimsky-Korsakov. 33 heroes, from the opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", mp3;
Rimsky-Korsakov. The Swan Princess, from the opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", mp3;
Rimsky-Korsakov. Scheherazade. Fragment, mp3;
Rimsky-Korsakov. Flight of the Bumblebee, from the opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", mp3;
3. Accompanying article, docx.
Many singers at the beginning of their vocal journey find it interesting to understand the key theoretical terms of this profession (there is timbre among such concepts). The timbre of the voice determines the tone and color of the sound heard during sound reproduction.
It is very difficult to learn vocals without special theoretical knowledge; without them, it can be difficult to evaluate your own vocal or just speech data and skillfully correct them.
To determine this characteristic of the voice in oneself, one must first understand in general what a timbre is. This term is understood as how and how much the voice is colored in the process of speech or singing, its individual characteristics, as well as the warmth of the spoken sound.
The lead tone and overtone (a specific shade of the lead tone) determine the sound of the voice as a whole. If the overtones are saturated (bright), the spoken sound will have the same qualities. The interaction of tone and corresponding overtone is a purely individual vocal characteristic, so it is very difficult to meet two people with the same tonalities.
The psychological state, like all these anatomical characteristics, determines which voice sounds at a given time. That is why the timbre can be used to judge the state of a person, as well as his well-being. This characteristic is unstable - a person can change his tone arbitrarily.
The tone becomes less clear if the speaker is tired or pronounces all the words very quickly. With a twisted posture, a person also breathes incorrectly. How speech will sound depends on breathing, so posture cannot but affect the timbre of the voice.
When a person has a calm, measured timbre of voice, his speech for others becomes harmonious, “correct”. Not everyone has this quality developed from childhood. Any initial timbre of the voice can become pure if it is properly trained.
On the professional level singers for this are taught to control the emotional component of speech and the frequency of sounds. To master such skills, it is enough to turn to a person who understands vocals or the production of a classical tone of voice.
Exist different types timbres. The simplest classification takes into account gender and age characteristics - that is, the tone is male, female, childish.
Children's keys:
Stage keys (it is important that this is typical only for singers):
All these characteristics are not final - the same singer can change them arbitrarily during training.
There are several factors that can change the timbre of a person's voice spontaneously. These include:
Almost all factors can be eliminated. That is why it is better to give up bad habits, try to avoid stress and not smoke in order to keep the tone of speech as pure as it is initially.
The voice timbre is not laid genetically, and therefore can be corrected during classes with a vocal specialist. The anatomical qualities of the ligaments (these are folds in the region of the sound-producing center) cannot be changed conservatively by a person, since they are laid anatomically from the moment the genetic qualities are formed. For this, there are special surgical operations, during which the defects that have arisen are corrected.
The origin of sound begins in the larynx, but the final formation and giving it a timbre occurs in the resonator cavities (oral, nasal, throat). Therefore, various adjustments to the setting and tension of certain muscles can also affect the timbre.
In view of the lack special knowledge it can be difficult to determine the timbre of a voice at home, one can only assume it. For an accurate determination, you should contact a vocal specialist or use a special spectrometer.
The spectrometer determines the timbre of the voice most reliably. The device analyzes the sound pronounced by a person, at the same time classifying it. The device has a sound amplifier and a microphone - the spectrometer divides the sound into elementary components with the help of filters and determines the height of their sound. More often, the device reacts to consonant letters (enough to analyze those three consonant letters that sounded first in speech).
Spontaneously, the tone changes only during adolescence - at the same time, a person ceases to use his speech potential, since most of it goes to control the sound being pronounced - intonation or volume. Sometimes the tone and timbre changes under stress, but this happens less often.
A person cannot objectively determine the timbre of sound in himself due to the fact that he hears himself differently than others hear. Sound waves travel inside and are therefore distorted in the inner and middle ear. The technique captures the real sound that others hear, which is why it is sometimes difficult to recognize it on the recording.
You can also take 2 sheets of cardboard (sometimes they take a stack of sheets or a folder), and then attach to both ears. Paper shields sound waves, so when pronouncing words in this position, a person will hear a real sound, since this shielding affects the audible tone of voice.
The timbre of female and male voices - for singers important characteristic voices and speeches. It also matters for ordinary people. The timbre can be adjusted with specially selected exercises or gymnastics, since often ordinary person he is not quite right.
TIMBRE
(French timbre) - "color" or "character" of sound, the quality by which sounds of the same pitch differ and due to which the sound of one instrument or voice differs from another. timbre depends on the shape of the sound vibrations and is determined by the number and intensity of harmonics (partial tones).
Dictionary of musical terms. 2012
