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Piano Multiphonics

This document provides a catalogue of 60 different multiphonics that can be produced on a single string of a piano, ranging from the lowest A string to the highest F# string. It includes notation for the pitch content of each multiphonic using cents to indicate deviations from equal temperament, as well as the gripping distance on the string to produce each sound. While the catalogue focuses on a hypothetical lowest note of G1, it is intended that composers can transpose the information to any other fundamental pitch.

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Onur Dülger
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129 views3 pages

Piano Multiphonics

This document provides a catalogue of 60 different multiphonics that can be produced on a single string of a piano, ranging from the lowest A string to the highest F# string. It includes notation for the pitch content of each multiphonic using cents to indicate deviations from equal temperament, as well as the gripping distance on the string to produce each sound. While the catalogue focuses on a hypothetical lowest note of G1, it is intended that composers can transpose the information to any other fundamental pitch.

Uploaded by

Onur Dülger
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Appendix 3.

Catalogue of Piano Multiphonics

The simplest of multiphonic flageolets are available on most grand pianos and thus the
catalogue below represents a small selection compared to the most reliable instrument
models, which could reach higher partials than the 19th. There are 60 multiphonics listed
that exist on each string from A to F#, totalling 600 different multiphonics. For reasons
of space and ease of transposition, here the chart represents 60 different multiphonics for
only one fundament has been reproduced, and it is for a hypothetical fundament G1, ca.
49 Hz, near to the monochord strings. This pitch is not a monochord on the piano yet
serves as the most convenient point for transposing the multiphonic pitch content on the
piano and further on to open strings of bowed string instruments. The same chart can
and should be transposed for any fundament string in use, and the percentages for node
positions given are universal.
The gripping distance has also been marked using the node nearest to the performer, and
for reachable nodes, on the mirroring side as well. These grips have been calculated and
remain far removed from practicality as the strings are so stiff that bending, or strongly
gripping, is not an option. This flageolet notation, however, is the one most familiar to
bowed string players who get to memorise most the distances on a string by heart. Grip-
ping distance pitches, although strongly discouraged in final notation, are shown here in
72-TET approximation whereas cent amounts are given for partials.
The notation used in the catalogue follows the one proposed at the end of chapter 5.4.
The microtones marked in cents are the theoretical deviations from the tempered system
as calculated from the harmonic series. A small-number partial will be present in several
successive multiphonics. It will be loudest at the middle of a succession. Big-number par-
tials are not available on small grand pianos, are more local and weak in sound level but
not always in perception. There highest available partial depends on the instrument.
The 19th partial is the highest component taken into account. Taking the 20th partial into
account would increase the collection by several new multiphonics and a limit has to be
set also based on audibility. The highest available pitch in this accuracy, the 19th partial
on a F#1 string would sound at around 879 Hz (a2 -2 ¢). In multiphonic constellations of
the upper three pitches, the lowest available pitch will be the second partial on an A2
string, A1, at around 55 Hz. Each individual flageolet has not deserved its own box as
from around the 5th partial onwards individual partials cannot be produced without also
invoking nearby partials. Thus, each uppermost pitch in a multiphonic has to be under-
stood as the first and main occurrence of that partial in that region.
Notice the octave-transposing clefs.

96
97
Fig. App.3-1. Catalogue of piano multiphonics on the dichord G1.
This catalogue could also be sorted in terms of node position, difficulty, or highest pitch.
Difficulty levels have not been marked as they can be deduced from the highest partial
and distances to the next independent multiphonics.
For practicality of playing, the chart shows the multiphonics sorted by node position, i.e.
the distance from the pianist. As a result, any multiphonics timbrally similar to each oth-
er will be distributed widely apart. For compositional use, comparison of multiphonics on
all the available strings ought to be helpful. To not overcrowd the presentation, similari-
ties in pitch content (especially useful for pitch-concerned composition) have not been
specifically pointed out, though exact similarities can be found by locating the “synony-
mous” multiphonics (having the same uppermost partial) on the same string, or for iden-
tical or almost same pitches within multiphonics on different strings, which makes
ground for notable creativity. A chart with all the 600 possible monochord string trans-
positions of multiphonics has not been provided and the composer will in many cases do
well by first comparing microtonal differences between the overtone series of different
strings and only then locating the multiphonics that include those partials, in their re-
spective “synonymous” nodes.

98

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