Transcript Harmonic Analysis of Mallet Percussion

Harmonic Analysis of Mallet
Percussion
By Max Candocia
Goals
• Basic understanding of sound waves and mallet
percussion
• Understand harmonic analysis
• Understand difference in sounds of different mallets
and striking location
Marimba
Recording: Vermont Counterpoint, Nathaniel Bartlett
Vibraphone
Recording: La Fille Aux Cheveux de Lin, Ozone Percussion Ensemble
Photo courtesy of vichitex.com
Photo courtesy of woodbrass.com
Xylophone
Recording: Fantasy on Japanese Wood Prints
Photo courtesy of onlinerock.com
Sound Waves
• Vibrating medium (ie. Air, water, ground)
• Longitudinal
• Harmonics
– Sinusoidal Components
Sine:
Sawtooth:
Images courtesy of Wikipedia
Qualities of Harmonics
• Frequency
–
Cycles per second (Hertz);
determines pitch
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
• Amplitude
–
Power of wave; determines
loudness
Photo courtesy of physics.cornell.edu
• Phase
–
Location of harmonic relative
to other harmonics
Photo courtesy of 3phasepower.org
Harmonic Analysis
Harmonics of Kelon xylophone struck in center with hard rubber mallet
Vibraphone Harmonics
Dry:
Wet:
Harmonics and Frequencies of Vibraphone Struck with Mallets
4500
4000
Frequency (Hz)
3500
VBD
3000
VBW
2500
VRD
2000
VRW
1500
VWD
1000
VWW
500
0
Harmonic 1
Instrument
Vibraphone
Vibraphone
Vibraphone
Vibraphone
Vibraphone
Vibraphone
Mallet
Black
Black
Red
Red
White
White
Harmonic 2
Location
Dry
Wet
Dry
Wet
Dry
Wet
Harmonic 3
# Harmonics H1 dB
5
2
3
1
4
2
Harmonic 4
H2 dB
6
16
22
1
16
25
H3 dB
Harmonic 5
H4 dB
19
1.1
3.5
0.8
0.5
1.5
9
H5 dB
13
1.5
0.6
3
Xylophone Harmonics
Instrument
Xylophone
Xylophone
Xylophone
Xylophone
Xylophone
Xylophone
Xylophone
Xylophone
Xylophone
Mallet
Location
Hard Rubber Center
Hard Rubber Edge
Hard Rubber Node
Natural Rubber Center
Natural Rubber Edge
Natural Rubber Node
Plastic
Center
Plastic
Edge
Plastic
Node
# Harmonics H1 Freq
H2 Freq
H3 Freq
4
886.9
1750
4
886.9
1760
3
886.85
2670.5
3
886.9
1750
3
886.95
1760
5
887
1759
4
886.9
1750
4
886.95
1760
3
886.85
2670.5
H4 Freq
2670
2670
5155
2670
2670
2167
2670
2670
5200
H5 Freq
5100
5150
2670.5
5100
5170
5150
On the Node
Marimba Harmonics
Instrument
Marimba
Marimba
Marimba
Marimba
Marimba
Marimba
Mallet
Black
Black
Black
Red
Red
Red
Location
Center
Edge
Node
Center
Edge
Node
# Harmonics H1 Freq
3
4
3
2
3
2
H2 Freq
221.5
221.4
221.5
221.6
221.4
221.5
H3 Freq
665
665
885.5
664
664
885
H4 Freq
990
885
2210
885.5
2240
Using a Stick on Marimba
Instrument
Marimba
Marimba
Marimba
Mallet
Stick
Stick
Stick
Location
Center
Edge
Node
# Harmonics H1 Freq
H2 Freq
H3 Freq
4
222
2100
3
221.5
885
6
221
855.3
H4 Freq
2210
2205
2064
H5 Freq
H6 Freq
2400
2210
3900
4460
Conclusion
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sounds made of harmonics
Relative phase has no apparent pattern in mallet percussion
Vibraphone very simple sound when wet, more complicated when dry
Soft mallets on marimba and vibes induce sounds with less harmonics
Xylophone has different sounds depending on striking location
Harder mallets on marimba produce trends in harmonics similar to
xylophone
• Thanks to:
•
•
•
•
Professor Steve Errede
Adam Watts
Dan Carson
3M
Richard Feynman playing conga; photo
courtesy of physics.miami.edu