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Last week I wrote about spectral multiphonics for Bb and bass clarinets and I promised that I’d supply a chart for the contra as well, so here it is.
While I’m talking about the contra, I thought I’d just bring to your attention the two other posts I’ve made about this instrument: there’s a selection of various contra multiphonics as well as a post about using low register colour fingerings.
You’re hopefully pretty familiar with spectral multiphonics after seeing last week’s post, and not a lot changes when adapting them to the contra in terms of different ways to manipulate the effect, but all the same here are a few examples:
Glissandi work really well and can be very dramatic (here on a low C fundamental):
And I also really love quiet whispery harmonics:
And now the chart. Once again, beautifully notated by Elena Rykova.
Fundamental | Pitches | Audio |
C | ![]() |
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C# | ![]() |
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D | ![]() |
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D# | ![]() |
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E | ![]() |
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F | ![]() |
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F# | ![]() |
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G | ![]() |
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G# | ![]() |
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A | ![]() |
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A# | ![]() |
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B | ![]() |
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C | ![]() |
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C# | ![]() |
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D | ![]() |
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Really informative blog, I am surprised I have only just come across it
In the first example (Glissandi work really well and can be very dramatic (here on a low C fundamental)), how would one typically notate this kind of effect?
I’ve seen a lot of things, but most common is notating the fundamental pitch and drawing a swirly line to indicate direction of glissandi. Hope that helps?