Free Activity

spectral melody

Main content: timbral melody




	







	

		

	





	

						

		


			

	

	

		

	
Pedagogical objective


    

  • The student is able to create a timbral melody using the filter.
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Pedagogical intentions


    

  • Familiarize the student with the notions of timbre, spectral zones and polyphony.
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  • Introduce the students to the techniques of the filter.
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		Tools
	

	







	

		

	





	

						

		


			

	



			

	

	

		
        
	
Volume

	





	

		
        
	
Filter

	





	

		
        
	
metronome (optional)

	







			

	

	

		

	

				filtre
					

	

	







	





	

		

	





	

						

		


			

	

	

		

		Process
	

	







	

		

	





	

						

		


			

	

	

		

	
Variation 1


Setup :


    

  • The teacher selects a sound that is very rich and full spectrum. The sound [heavy rain] was chosen in our video example.
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  • The group is divided in two.
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Performance:


    

  • The teacher introduces a gesture for acting upon high-pass (rising to the right) and low-pass (rising to the left) filters. (See the practical example included.)
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  • Assessment: the production of narrow bands, one low and the other high, creates two distinct “voices” that are independant, enabling us to create a type of polyphony. Do we hear these “voices” clearly? With the use of the resonance parameter in the filter, can we successfully discern clear pitches and thus make the sound “sing”?
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École Au-Coeur-Des-Monts, Saint-Pie, Québec, Jean-François Senécal, enseignant



	







	




			

	

	

		

	
Production proposal (score):



	







	




			

	

	

		

	

				filtre 1
					

	

	







	

		

	





	

						

		


			

	



			

	

	

		

	
Variation 2


Setup


    

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    The teacher proposes a sound of the attack-resonance type.
    

    The sound in this case is the [double-bass], from the “resonant sounds” bank. Its attack generates a 
rich harmonic spectrum, making it ideal for this activity, that of making a sound “sing” using the 
resonant filter. The metronome must be used to bypass the decay of the sound and produce 
a continuous sound, making it easier to hear the effects of the filter. To start, we will set the 
metronome at +- 14, which corresponds to the original duration of the sound. The effect of a
continuous sound is achieved through an acceleration of the metronome’s tempo.


    

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  • The teacher divides the group in two.
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Performance


    

  • Follow the score below.
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  • Assessment: the production of narrow bands, one low and the other high, creates two distinct “voices” that are independant, enabling us to create a type of polyphony. Do we hear these “voices” clearly? With the use of the resonance parameter in the filter, can we successfully discern clear pitches and thus make the sound “sing”?
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Option:


With a more advanced group, we can start “from scratch”, the student figuring out how to create a continuous sound from a sound of type “attack-resonance”.




 



	







			

	

	

		


	



	





	

		

	
Camp musical Père-Lindsay, Val-St-Côme, Québec, 2018



	







	



	

		

	
Project proposal (score)



	





	

		

	

				filtre 2
					

	

	







	

		

	





	

						

		


			

	

	

		

	
The beginnings of composition





	







	

		

	





	

						

		


			

	

	

		

	
    

  • Start a project that creates a piece based on gestures using the filter. For example, the high-pass (high frequencies): add sounds that occupy the same spectral zone, like those in the [nature] bank… Simulate a bestiary, an atmosphere of a hot summer afternoon in the country…
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