Everything We Can't Describe in Music | Hazlitt

🌈 Abstract

The article explores the concept of timbre, which refers to the distinctive tone quality or sound of a musical instrument or voice. It discusses the importance of timbre in music, how it is perceived and described, and its role in various musical genres and styles.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Timbre and its Importance in Music

1. What is timbre and how does it differ from other musical elements like pitch and loudness?

• Timbre refers to the distinctive tone quality or sound of a musical instrument or voice, which is distinct from pitch and loudness.
• Timbre has many dimensions and is more fluid and difficult to conceptualize compared to pitch, which is simple to explain and measure.
• Timbre can vary depending on attributes like pitch, dynamics, and the specific instrument or voice.

2. How does timbre contribute to the emotional impact and tension in music?

• Timbre can enhance the pitch contour and create powerful emotional effects, as demonstrated in Wagner's Parsifal.
• Composers like Wagner use changes in timbre, such as adding or removing instruments, to create swells in dynamics and tension.
• Certain instruments or timbres are associated with particular emotional qualities, like the melancholy sound of a cello or the bright, upbeat sound of a banjo.

3. How has the exploration of timbre evolved in classical and popular music?

• In classical music, composers from the Baroque period onwards began to specify instrumentation and experiment with different timbres.
• The 20th century saw a significant focus on exploring and manipulating timbre, as seen in the works of composers like Debussy, Varèse, and the French spectral school.
• In popular music, timbre has become increasingly crucial, with genres like electronic dance music and rap being heavily focused on timbre experimentation.

[02] The Challenges of Measuring and Describing Timbre

1. Why is it difficult to measure and describe timbre?

• Timbre has many dimensions and is more fluid and complex compared to other musical elements like pitch and rhythm.
• There is no clear lexicon or coding system for describing timbre, leading to the use of abstract and often borrowed vocabulary from other senses.
• Capturing the multidimensional nature of timbre mathematically is a significant challenge that researchers like Stephen McAdams are working to address.

2. How do people attempt to describe timbre in the absence of a clear vocabulary?

• People often borrow vocabulary from other senses, such as describing timbre as "warm," "bright," or "rough," to try to convey the distinctive qualities of a sound.
• Comparisons to other sounds, like "someone slapping a steak on a corrugated tin roof," are also used to evocatively describe timbre.
• The analogy of timbre being like the "terroir" of music, similar to how the characteristics of wine are shaped by the growing conditions, is proposed as a way to conceptualize the unique timbres of different instruments and musicians.

[03] The Significance of Timbre in Music Perception and Identity

1. How does timbre contribute to our ability to recognize and identify music and musicians?

• Timbre is a crucial element in our ability to quickly recognize a song, often within a quarter of a second, before even hearing the melody.
• The unique timbre of a voice or instrument can be a distinctive "terroir" that allows us to immediately identify a particular musician or musical style.
• Timbre plays a significant role in the formation of musical subcultures and the way people use music as a badge of identity and recognition.

2. Why is timbre often overlooked or underappreciated in music theory and analysis?

• Music theory and analysis tend to focus more on elements like pitch, harmony, rhythm, and meter, while largely neglecting the importance of timbre.
• The lack of a clear system for measuring and quantifying timbre has contributed to its relative neglect in academic study and understanding.
• Developing better ways to analyze and understand the role of timbre in music perception and experience could lead to a deeper appreciation of its significance.