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CELLO MULTIPHONICS: TECHNICAL AND MUSICAL PARAMETERS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 December 2019
Abstract
This article presents selected results from a research project on cello multiphonics at the Hochschule für Musik Basel within which I am producing updated fingering charts in a smartphone application and affiliated online repository. The article details work that has informed this resource and illustrates results that reveal critical questions and point to future areas of interest. I begin by introducing cello multiphonics and contextualising my previous findings, then discuss pitch content, ‘chain’ multiphonics and the balance and intonation of multiphonic components.
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- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019
References
1 I notate multiphonics in square brackets, with the main harmonic components within the brackets and the string number, if relevant, in Roman numerals before the brackets. In Cello Map, the harmonics are notated in the order of the position of their nodes on the string. Throughout this article, however, to avoid confusion I adopted the more common, chronological notation.
2 Ellen Fallowfield, ‘Multiphonics’, Cello Map, 2013, www.cellomap.com/index/the-string/multiphonics-and-other-multiple-sounds.html. Videos of cello multiphonics can also be viewed here.
3 Ellen Fallowfield, ‘Fingering Charts’, Cello Map, 2013, www.cellomap.com/index/the-string/multiphonics-and-other-multiple-sounds/fingeringcharts.html.
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8 Links to the audio examples can be found in the appendix.
9 Guettler and Thelin, ‘Bowed-String Multiphonics Analyzed’, p. 771.
10 The 8th node of the 21st partial (8/21) vs. the 7th node of the 18th partial (7/18) on a string length of approx. 69 cm.
11 See appendix for measurements of the monochord.
12 [3, 4, 11] is found slightly flatter than the tritone and [3, 7, 10] slightly sharper.
13 Notated as [1, 3, 4, 7] in Maurer, Saitenweise.
14 Here the branch with fewer mutations occurred more often, but it seems to be by no means clear that this will always be the case.
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17 That upper limit does not seem to increase in proportion to string length suggests that psychoacoustical effects are at play.
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