multiphonics

hello! i have to write a duet for oboe and tuba and i want to use multiphonics predominantly on the tuba.

How do you write these and are there any limitations on the notes you can use? (other than the limitations of the performer, this is a hypothetical piece and will never be performed).

thanks

bean xx

I'm not sure of how well, and in what register multiphonics 'pop' on the tuba...but here's a few points:

• Avoid having the 'played' note higher than the 'sung' note. It's not impossible, but way hard.
  
• Avoid going too low - as they will get super-muddy and won't speak. Anything lower than G on the bottom of the bass-clef will likely sound weird (not too sure about the tuba though).
  
• Close intervals usually sound like crap - even thirds are quite difficult, pop the sung note up an octave for it to come out clearly.
  
• This is how I've often seen multiphonics notated:
  

Experiment with different intervals - it'll be near impossible for you to get the actual effect without hearing it performed live, it's not like they're just playing two notes. The harmonics and overtones and sympathetic resonances created are what makes brass multiphoncs so cool...

But, there you go....

thank you a million

Oboe and Tuba? What a delightfully re-donk-ulous combination.

Okay, I know you are more interested in the tuba here, but mutilphonics are possible on the oboe too, although you're not going to really find any charts or lists of mutiphonics possible on the oboe on the internet, and that's simply because they are not at all reliable. Every woodwind instrument is different, one multiphonic on one person's instrument may not work on somebody else's instrument, even if they are the same model. In addition, oboes are the most inconsistant as far as fingering from instrument to instrument, as many beginner oboes don't have the same keys as the more advanced oboes do. All that said, this was all I could find on the internet with about 30 minutes of Googling:

*Some* Oboe multiphonics -> Untitled Page (it's a real page, just click :) )

Seeing that you're asking for multiphonics, you must be writing a piece for extended techniques in general? Maybe, or maybe not. Nonetheless, some other fun extended techniques for the oboe off the top of my head are:

• Timbral trills - only possible on certain notes that have more than one fingering for the same pitch. Trilling between the fingering doesn't trill the pitch, but rather the sound or tone.
  
• Vocal multiphonics - Singing into the instrument while playing. Notated just how Robin showed in his post above. Keep in mind the range of possible mutiphonics is the range that the oboist can play and the range the he/she can sing. Typically it is harder to play and sing at the same time than it is do either of these seperately, so keep that in mind before you write anything too insane.
  
• Reed Crowing - taking the reed out and playing on just the reed. A vast amount sounds can be produced with just the reed, ranging from a solid tone (usually two C's in octaves) to a wide range of pitches, even playing whole songs on just the reed like a brass player can do on their mouthpiece alone. Also, vocalised multiphonics can be done on just the reed, it's an ugly sound.
  
• Without the reed - this is a little hard on the oboe, but if the oboist has ever played a brass instrument, they will undoubtedly be able to do this. This technique obviously involves removing the reed from the instrument and buzzing one's lips into the hole like a brass player plays into his mouthpieces. Best if done on the lowest note on the intrument, but the holes can be open and higher pitches can usually be produced quite readily. The first harmonic is also possible, and the notes in between the fundamental and the harmonic(s) can sometimes (depending on experience) be bridged be opening the tone holes as mentioned before, resulting in over an octave of playable notes. Without the reed of course, the instrument will not be the length that it should actually be, so must of the notes can be well out of tune, but sometimes compensate-able (or whatever the word). Sung multiphonics are also possible to do simultaneously with this technique.
  
• Free reeding - Playing with the entire reed in the mouth, without holding the reed in between the lips like usual. This is slighthly akin to playing a free reed intrument like the bagpipes and the shawn (?), as one has less control of intonation and the tone is particularly loud and harsh, like the bagpipes. Doing this on a clarinet or Saxophone results in either a painfully loud squeel or an obnoxious honk, but since the oboe has a double reed instead of a single reed, distinct pitches are much more possible and it is a little less unpleasant. ;)

On the tuba, multiphonics are unbelievable easy. Like the woodwinds, two types of multiphonics are possible on brass:

[*]Simultaneous tones - when the brass player tries to play a note that doesn't exist for a particular fingering, he/she may be able to produce two seperate tones simultaneously (not with the voice at all, just the lips). The possible "lipped" multiphonics may vary between instrument, and some players may not be able to produce them consistantly, but they are indeed possible if practiced. Note that the possible notes are very limited. This technique is usually used most frequently in the performance of classical music :o, as it is the same as accidentally half-missing a note, or 'skiving' across it by being just not quite accurate enough, not quite the same as hitting a wrong note, but more like have the right note there, but some random extra sqwonking sound accompanying it. Yes, I just invented the word 'squonking', deal with it. French horn players (such as myself) are particulary infamous for this. Indeed, we have learned to control it to the extend that we can produce an effective Chewbacca sound on command.

[*]Vocalised multiphonics - These sound a little prettier than on the woodwinds. Robin showed how these are notated above. Note again that the sung note must fall within the singing range of the instrumentalist, or it will be obviously impossible. Not all people have similar vocal ranges, but you should already know that anyways. Multiphonics on the tuba are usually sung above the played note, this is the most pleasing sound anyways, and the easier to produce than singing below the played note (this contrary applies to trumpet and other higher pitched brasses, as singing high enough can be much more difficult while playin than just singing alone). Effective combinations include fifths and octaves (the purest intervals) and also having one of the 'voices' stationary like a drone, while the other moves like a melody. They are possible in all ranges that the tubist can play and sing in, but the extremes become excessively difficult. Playing a low Bb1 while singing an F3 is not hard, so I don't know to what Robin was getting at in saying that mutliphonic-ing low notes is hard, I play tuba, he doesn't. :P Here is a YouTube video of a tuba player that does multiphonics in a piece called "Fnugg", this guy is about the best tuba player in the world (being serious here), so while these techniques aren't paritcularily difficult, don't think what he does can be done by anyone ->

[*]Also, mouthpiece pops - The tongue can be slapped into the mouthpiece producing a popping sound on the fundamental pitch. The pitch range is dependant on the number of valves the tuba has, if it has three valves, only seven notes can be produced, decending in semitones from and including the 'open' pitch. If four valves, ten pitches are possible intead of the seven. Sometimes the difference in pitch is hard to hear, but rythmic tongue slapping can be vary effective, check the YouTube link above, our buddy

... Playing a low Bb1 while singing an F3 is not hard, so I don't know to what Robin was getting at in saying that mutliphonic-ing low notes is hard, I play tuba, he doesn't. :P ...

I was going from trombone, figuring the same characteristics apply... and I'll clarify:

You're right, Bb1, with F3 is fine - where there's a wide enough interval you should be good. I was thinking, open 5ths sound awesome, in that mid-low register...but sound like donkey if you go too low. :P As the root goes down, the top note needs to go up...

MMJ4, glad you had some relevant info as pertains to the tuba side of things... :thumbsup:

Hey Musicman... thanks for the post. Good info.

Any tuba players want to comment on tongue slap agility? I don't picture it being something you can throw all over the place.

Any tuba players want to comment on tongue slap agility? I don't picture it being something you can throw all over the place.

Well, if you're tuba player is an avid beatboxer, I should think that you'd be safe. :huh:

The tongue slapping itself is slow, and can wear down ( get tired) easily, but the rest of the sounds can be like beatboxing-like sounds, mostly with the lips. The tongue slap is more audible, it's like saying "FFFFFF-UT!" and slapping you're tongue inbetween you're lips. On the trumpet and horn, the tongue would slap against the mouthpiece, but a tuba mouthpiece is to big for that.

thanks you are all lovely next time you are in liverpool ill buy you all a pint!