Textural/"scratchy" atonal string articulations.

[Mr. Quimper]

As I have no real "formal" training beyond basic music theory, this has always eluded me and Google hasn't been of much help as I'm not exactly sure what to call it; the fact that I'm primarily a keyboardist who has no experience playing violin, viola etc makes the situation worse.

Hollywood and avant-garde composers love making use of dissonant/atonal "scratchy" textures with the string section and I have no idea how these are notated nor what they are formally called or if there is any standardized way of approaching this. Every horror and sci-fi flick known to man seems to feature these textures at some point in the score, yet I'm having a hard time finding clips that definitively cover what I'm talking about.

For that matter, are there orchestral libraries that contain samples of these types of performances/textures? I don't have the best libraries in the world, but I wonder if something like Symphobia would have them? I've been experimenting with creating similar textures with synths in their absence, but having some samples would be nice as well.

I'll keep trying to think of specific examples if I'm not being clear enough, but to anyone who has some suggestions, thanks in advance.

[bkshepard]

sul ponticello my friend. It produces that glassy, wispy kind of sound. The player bows very near the bridge of the instrument which produces tons of harmonics with little fundamental. You notate it the same was as usual, but put the indication sul ponticello above the part. Be sure to put ord. when you want them to go back to normal playing. Although the players can theoretically play almost anything with this technique that they would play otherwise, it works best with rapid, flurrying types of passages and bowed tremolos.

[Mr. Quimper]

Actually, right before I posted I watched this video, thinking that might be it, but the performer used the technique to play a melody that didn't approach anything near the sort of free-form abstraction I was looking for, which made me think I was still incorrect. Obviously, it must all come down to the performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VneWLghPpjc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bdr]

You will want to check out Penderecki, especially 'Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima' which is virtually a textbook of those string techniques, and if you can grab hold of the score it will tell you about all these techniques.

Also having a look at:

http://www.lunanova.org/CelloET/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and
http://www.mti.dmu.ac.uk/~ahugill/manual/intro.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

which is a fantastic resource on all playing styles.


I don't have Symphobia but I think it has some of these samples. EW Orchestra has a selection. But by their very nature many of these things have varying degrees of randomness so using those samples becomes very recognisable very quickly. There's nothing like getting a real section to play them.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

When I was scoring for the Chicago Symphony, I was warned to NEVER instruct the string players to use their bows in anything but a convention way. Often the bows can cost as much as the instruments. Asking them to use them to tap on their vintage (circa 1700s) instruments... well, I was told to just not do it!

But in the MIDI realm I guess it's OK...

[Mr. Quimper]

You will want to check out Penderecki, especially 'Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima' which is virtually a textbook of those string techniques, and if you can grab hold of the score it will tell you about all these techniques.

Wow! Intense as the most aggressive free jazz! Very nice.

I've always compared music of this sort to spicy food - some people will never appreciate it, but those that have a taste for it really like it. I happen to like my music spicy, if not my food.

[bdr]

When I was scoring for the Chicago Symphony, I was warned to NEVER instruct the string players to use their bows in anything but a convention way. Often the bows can cost as much as the instruments. Asking them to use them to tap on their vintage (circa 1700s) instruments... well, I was told to just not do it!

But in the MIDI realm I guess it's OK...

Yes, I've been told to let the contractor know if there's any unconventional playing so the performers can be forewarned. Sensitive little possums!

[FMiguelez]

.

They certainly will not appreciate being asked to play col legno with their shinny rose-wood bows

To the OP:
It's all in the playing. They have to play all the way down there aggressively. Even in the space between the bridge and the tailpiece for those squeaks.

You can also try a Waterphone.

Does anyone know of a dedicated and exclusively avant-garde library out there?

[bkshepard]

Tapping the wood of the bow on the strings can certainly damage the wood, so they often keep a cheap bow on hand for these sorts of things. Letting them know in advance is always best.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Some string players will keep a penci or chopstick handy as well.