VPMA93H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Joseph Kosma, String Vibration, Idiophone
VPMA93 Lecture Notes
Lecture 2: Timbre
Ginny Chan
Timbre – the character or quality of a musical sound as determined by its harmonics and sound
envelope
Hornbostel-Sachs System of instrument classification created in the early 20th century to compare and codify the
different sounds
There are 5 different main classifications:
1. Idiophone: vibrations are produced by striking either one portion of the instrument against
another, or another object against the instrument (ie: bells, drums, shakers and rattles, cymbals)
There are two types of idiophones:
- Definite Pitch
→ Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma (standard piece of music) played on the vibraphone or marimba
→ He is deciding which notes he wants to prolong and which ones he wants to shorten
→ Idiophone with a definite pitch, know how the instrument is instructed to get these three types of sounds
*Damper - Creates a stoppage of sound
*Standard
*Vibrato
- Indefinite Pitch
→ Stinkin’ Garbage by E. Argenziano (performed by TorQ)
→ Mbira (also called a Thumb Piano) - Block of wood where metal pieces are attached to it
“think about ways that you act as the force that’s hitting something else”
2. Membranophone: sound is produced by vibrations of a stretched membrane that is
struck or rubbed
→ Drums, snare drums, tambourine, African talking drum
- Definite Pitch
→ Timpani instrument
Idiophones and membranophones may be untuned (indefinite pitch) or they may be
capable of producing a variety of pitches (definite pitch)
Indefinite Pitch Instruments
Definite Pitch Instruments
Gong, cymbals, tambourine, snare drums, triangle, base
drums, street drums
Vibraphone, chimes, xylophone, timpani
3. Chordophone: sound is produced by a vibrating string activated by striking, plucking, or bowing
→ Violin, viola, cello, banjo, guitar, piano, harp, zither*
Zither*
An instrument in which the strings run the length of the body
