Trombone Multiphonics: improving transparency to composers and

providing a practical approach to trombonists, April 2014 NYC, Jen Baker

Trombonists and composers need an updated resource/study guide for

sung multiphonics. This would aid trombonists interested in performing new
music as multiphonics is becoming more widely used in contemporary
composition. Even trombonists interested solely in learning standard trombone
repertoire will come across multiphonics. A number of trombonists spanning
from college student to professional artists have asked me for advice on
improving their multiphonic technique. Similarly, I often hear from composers
that they would like to know more about this texturally/timbrally complex
technique in order to utilize it when writing for trombone. These are just some of
the many reasons I have decided to create a resource that addresses all of
these issues.

There are no current multiphonic methods for trombonists. The only

resources available for understanding multiphonics are Stuart Dempster's A
Modern Trombone, Don Appert's Multiphonics: A Progressive Study, and David
Baker's chapter on multiphonics in his Contemporary Trombone. and all of
these were written in the 1970s.The difficulties of backpressure in the high
range, use of pedal tones, and difficult melodic lines, to name a few examples,
have yet to be addressed in any text as far as I am aware. By sharp contrast,
woodwind multiphonics are well-researched and written for - you can see for
yourself right now by doing a search on any woodwind instrument and
"multiphonics." Multiple books are often available for any woodwind instrument,
and most of those resources were written in the past 10 years, therefore
keeping up to date with daring composers and performers' ever expanding
techniques.

Composers do not have immediate access yet to the characteristics of

trombone multiphonics. In the past three years, at least a dozen composers
have told me they would write multiphonics for trombone if they could have
information about the best ranges, various sounds available, etc. This is
heartening, but it does illuminate the fact that composers do not have access to
this information. To my knowledge, all the existing repertoire involving trombone
multiphonics has either been written by a trombonist or by a composer who
collaborated with a trombonist. Certainly Basta by Folke Rabe (a trombonist/
composer) and Sequenza V by Luciano Berio (who collaborated closely with
two trombonists) are examples of this.

Here are a few examples of unique multiphonic characteristics:

1.Mid-range twelfths (trombone pitch being in the mid range) are clear and
open. Although commonly softer in volume, they can be bold and full if the
trombonist is able to sing loudly in the given register. While softer dynamics are
commonly achievable, louder vocal dynamics will vary by individual. Unless
stated otherwise, voice is above trombone.
Common voice range; Semi-common high voice;
Dynamic range is pp-ff Dynamic range ppp-mf, maybe f

Intervals larger than a twelfth have a lighter quality, and tend to be soft, around
ppp-mf.

2. Low range intervals of a twelfth and wider: trombone pitch is less distinct and
creates a texture of light beating. Its dynamic range is about p-mf and is better
for sustained tones rather than fast passages due to the large volume of air
required. It is worth mentioning that pedal Bb is nearly impossible to sustain at
pitch as all the pedals tend to go flat when voice is applied, and one cannot
adjust enough by lipping up or by moving the slide in. While low B can be
considered a viable option in position V6 (with multiphonics), Bb in 1st position
may not be.

Low Range 12ths Wide voice range available over low

trombone range

3. Voice in the Bass

There is a unique sound multiphonics have with the sung pitch in the bass, and
even though there are limitations to the available range, it is worth being
familiar with those limits in order to take advantage of its slightly smoother
sound quality. Below are the voice and trombone ranges, both of which include
difficult/impossible pitches for some.

Voice range:
Common to all Low voices only Trombone pitch range

Once applied to an interval, the singing range under the played pitch extends
as wide as a perfect 5th. Beyond a P5, the sound of both instrument and voice
become dramatically softer. Bass voices can often extend with a full tone down
to an octave or sometimes more.

Played notes above a 3rd harmonic note (Bb) tend to slip down to the next
partial erratically (this is not controllable). This instability increases as the
interval widens. Instability also increases as the played pitch ascends. A second
breaking point occurs above F. Regardless of the sung pitch, these notes are
highly unstable and will slip to the partial below it much more frequently.

The book I am preparing for trombonists and composers will address a

comprehensive range of multiphonic skills for trombonists and provide
composers with explanations, musical examples, and recordings of various
multiphonics in order to encourage informed compositional choices. It further
explains the basic fundamentals of producing the sounds, how to methodically
build technique, and includes exercises that cover the full spectrum of vocal
range. Further, it provides composers with useful tips, including a generic
range (the range common to all, or most of us), unique characteristics of high
and low voice ranges, and recorded sounds of passages played back to back
by a male and a female for the sake of comparison. With this, composers can
make informed decisions and - it is my hope - will use multiphonics in ever
more sonically interesting and creative ways.

Do multiphonics require such a rigorous approach? Accomplished

trombone players often approach extended techniques with less rigor than the
traditional hallmarks of great brass playing: tone, technique, style, and
phrasing. While the same could be said of many other extended techniques
available to trombonists, sung multiphonics are sonically far more complex.
When a performer has full capacity of them, multiphonics can yield an
enormous variety of overtones, texture, and timbre. They also require the ability
to control more than one pitch at once, offering trombonists the rare opportunity
to create harmony and counterpoint with their instruments.

At a bare minimum, trombonists need to master:

•pitch control of the instrument while singing
•vocal pitch accuracy, control of vowel sounds
•balancing both voice and instrument
•maintaing control throughout the range and in all dynamics
•ensemble playing
•combining other extended techniques, such as microtones, with the
multiphonics

The basic rudiments of multiphonics:

Intervals
There is a characteristic sound that prevails over each harmonic interval
produced, and that sound can vary dramatically depending on the interval. In
fact, many intervals create interference wave patterns that distort the played
and sung pitches of the interval. I like to think of it as laying progressively more
transparencies of wave patterns over the original interval (though this may not
be technically accurate, I like to use the metaphor conceptually). Even though
simple intervals are discernible, they gradually become more textural as the
intervals become more complex. The best way to play the intervals in tune is to
familiarize oneself with the feel and quality of sound each interval creates.

Pitch
At first,it is normal to experience flatness in the trombone pitch while singing.
This is easily remedied as the chops learn a new set of muscle memory. When
starting out, check frequently with the regular trombone tone to catch the pitch
when it drops. Vocal pitch accuracy can be improved by basic ear training
practice, singing the passage without the trombone, and by improving relative
pitch by practicing reference pitches (e.g., listening to a G and silently hearing
an E a major 6th above it).

Vowel Sound
We all know how important vowel sound and shape of the oral cavity is to the
trombone's sound. When approaching multiphonics, one has even more
options of vowel sounds that aren't used in one's regular tone. I've found that
making the oral cavity smaller by raising the back of the tongue slightly, on any
vowel, adds a brilliant quality to the tone that enhances the broad frequency
spectrum in multiphonics. Experiment with these four vowel sounds: AH, OH,
OO, EE. Play each one individually in an interval with the played pitch below the
vocal pitch. Then on the same interval, play the sounds in succession all in one
breath. Repeat both steps, altering each vowel with a slightly more raised back
of the tongue. This starts the process of listening closely to these vowel sounds
and learning to control each one.

Balance
A unique part of multiphonics is the necessity of balancing the two pitches. If
one is new to multiphonics, one would benefit from recording oneself playing
multiphonics and playing for friends or colleagues for feedback on balance.
This is because the vibrations caused by playing and singing through the
instrument create a great deal of "head buzz" (vibrations inside the body and
head), thus causing one to hear with less clarity as when playing a regular note
(without singing). This gradually becomes clear, but make sure to do a lot of
recording and playing for others to start.

Range and Dynamics

Similar to most techniques, it is by far the easiest to begin working on
multiphonics in the mid range and with a medium dynamic. As facility
increases, extend the range up and down. Each person's vocal range will vary
slightly, but generally speaking, men should be able to at least sing to a first
space A in bass clef and up to A in the treble clef staff, and women should be
able to at least sing from F fourth line bass clef and up to F in the top of treble
clef. Some people will have more than this range available to them, some less -
this is only a general starting point. Even trombonists who know their voice
range should double check because one's multiphonic singing range is often
different from regular singing range. Once one's vocal range is identified,
gradually play upwards chromatically on the same interval - let's say a 5th - to
the top of the range, and then repeat chromatically downward. Keep in mind
that one's range may increase through practice, so always try one pitch higher
or lower than the day before.
For dynamic extension, try hairpin dynamics in the mid range. Since two
pitches are simultaneously coming out of the aperture, changes in airspeed will
be hard to control at first. Do hairpin dynamics on several intervals, from the
softest to the loudest and back to softest in eight beats (one breath length).
Listen carefully to pitch and tone, and address any inconsistencies with patient
repetition.

Vocal range (i.e., male or female range) must be considered when

composing multiphonically. To my knowledge, the male vocal range has been
used as a guide for all composed trombone multiphonics except for pieces
written for Abbie Conant, Monique Buzzarté, and myself. Acknowledging there
are far fewer women than men who play the trombone, I still find it troublesome
that the female vocal range has not been more widely considered and I am
working to mitigate this imbalance. I asked over 80 trombone players for their
vocal range (while playing multiphonics) and compiled a list of as many
trombone players' vocal ranges as were willing to offer that information. With
roughly 30 vocal ranges to compare, it will help composers make informed
choices.

To help illustrate the effects that range, interval, and vowel usage have
on multiphonics, here are a few examples from recent literature.

1. High, close intervals (used in Pat Muchmore’s THS).

Having commissioned this piece from Muchmore, I worked with him closely
during the compositional process. Here is a measure from the first version,
(later revised to accommodate louder dynamics):

While this passage is playable at p-mp, it cannot be played loudly because

there is too much back pressure from both pitches wave patterns.

2. Low and pedal intervals

While the challenge for high intervals is a matter of overcoming significant back
pressure, low intervals need extra attention with tuning. The played pitch almost
always wants to go flat as soon as the voice is introduced. The lower the played
pitch, the greater the tendency is to go flat, and as mentioned above, pedal Bb
is discouraged while singing because pedal tones sag at least a minor second.
On the other hand, a low B below the staff while singing is consistent, and fake
pedals are also readily available. Characteristics of lower intervals are typically
muddy, with diffuse pitch clarity and a prevailing beating sound. These
multiphonics are great for textural use.

3. Playing higher vs. lower than the sung pitch (ideas for composers)
It is normally louder when the sung pitch is higher than the played pitch. If a
passage has an implied harmonic progression where both pitches need to be
heard with the greatest clarity, place the sung pitch higher. If pitch is of minor
importance, such as textural or sound-based passages, or if the tone quality
would benefit from being smoother and slightly muted, place the played pitch
higher. The dynamic range for this voicing is also much smaller, being pp-mp
or mf at best.

4. Unbalancing the balance

Unbalanced multiphonics, where one pitch is intentionally louder than the
other, generally sound more like a texture, and one or both pitches may be
indiscernible. From a Bb at the top of bass clef and lower, the played note can
be softer than the sung note, if the sung note is played above the played pitch.
Above the same Bb, the played pitch becomes more prominent in the chord, so
if an "unbalancing" is preferred, it is best to play the note louder than the sung
pitch.

As a professional freelance trombonist in New York, I plan to utilize my book,

when completed, to refer to colleagues and students for building proficiency
and to composers for study and reference. I hope that we will all benefit from
this information meant to serve conscientious trombonists and brass
composers. - Jen Baker, Jenbakersounds.com, baker7jenz@yahoo.com

The Modern Trombone: A Definition of its Idioms, by Stuart Dempster is

available from Accura Music: http://www.accuramusic.com/books.html
A Progressive Study of Multiphonics on the Trombone, by Don Appert is
available from Tap Music Sales: http://www.tapmusic.com/
Contemporary Techniques for the Trombone - Vol. 4, by David Baker is
available from Ejazzlines: http://www.ejazzlines.com/