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Asistance required (Notation)

I have been -some sort of- commissioned to compose a work for 4 musicians: a cellist, a harpist, a percussionist and a vibraphone player.

The harpist will probably play more than one instrument, some of which will be tuned different than 12tet. (I'll decide on the tunings and the # of harps.) All harps can span the three-octave+ range.

The cellist is "accustomed to play in different tunings/systems". No problem on that side.

The vibraphone (actually "Maragophone") is capable of playing 53 pitches per octave, 12 of which is selected at once.

The percussion will consist of pitchless instruments. A kudüm and cymbals will be included. There will be some drums as well.

What I need to know is:

1) How is the vibraphone played (with mallets like marimba or Xylophone?) and how is it notated (with couple-staves as in Piano?) Also, what is the range of the vibraphone?

2) How is the pitchless percussion notated? What does a percussion clef look like? I know the single-line staff and that'll be worked-around. However, how will I insert instrument changes (not in MIDI, indeed)?

I know there are talented percussionists around (Andrew?) and all help will be appreciated. This is *urgent*! The concert is to be held on November (in Vienna!)

Regards

PS: I'll prepare the score in German, is there anything wrong with the linked file (names, order of inst.s etc.)?

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Re: Asistance required (Notation)

Reply #1 –
1) Vibes are played with mallets much like marimba and xylophone. You can play two mallets per hand, but don't change distances between mallet pairs too frequently, (or make them too far apart).

2) Pitchless percussion is fairly flexible, but the norm is a single line with a || clef. Can be scored on five line stave for percussion that has more than "on and off", though (eg congas - have a high and low but are classed as non-pitched). Normally, notes will be positioned in the spaces rather than on lines. This gives you the opportunity to use NWC pretty well as is (maybe with hidden percussion lines to implement it sound wise). Simply name the parts to coincide with which space you are using, eg
Ride
S.Tom
Snare
L.Tom
Bass
HHat
is often how drum kits are scored.
w.r.t. midi implementation, use a hidden stave (or two or three) and keep your visual percussion as clear and tidy as possible. You'll find enough cymbals in General Midi percussion (esp if you use patch 49 on SB - Classical Music Percussion). What is a kudüm?

A

Re: Asistance required (Notation)

Reply #2 –
Andrew wrote in https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=1929.msg10532#msg10532:
> What is a kudüm?

First of all, thanks millions. The playing technique of the kudüm was discussed at the ng within the last couple of weeks. I'm extracting from there:

"Joe, Andrew and others who mention,

"The predominant percussive instrument in Mevlevî (and by its influence classical) music is "Kudüm", a double drum, made of leather face worn over a hemispherical copper or clay body. (Similar to the Tabla). It's played using
wooden plectra with felt endings called "Zahme". Three classes of 'beats' are implemented in Kudüm playing;

"1) Right plectrum on the right drum;
"2) Right plectrum on the left drum;
"3) Left plectrum on the left drum.

"Kudüm is pitchless, however, the sonorities of the beats 2 and 3 reasonably vary (probably because of the location the plectrum hits; #2 closer to the centre). That's why I've been using pitch-bending in Kudüm simulation."

The referenced "Andrew" is you, btw. ;)

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Re: Asistance required (Notation)

Reply #3 –
Vibraphone is written all in the treble clef, from F below the staff to the F above, a three octave range.

Re: Asistance required (Notation)

Reply #4 –
Thanks, Paul.

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