Clusters

General

– a Chord Comprising at Least 3 Consecutive Scale Tones Sounding at the Same Time or in Close Proximity to Each Other (Often Semi-Tones)

– i.e. a Chromatic Cluster is at Least 2 Notes 1 Semitone Apart Played Together 

– For Example, 3 “Adjacent” Piano Keys Struck at the Same Time Produce a Tone Cluster

– Variants of the Tone Cluster Consist of Chords that have Consecutive Tones Detached Diatonically, Pentatonically or Microtonally

– Often Played with Varying Densities, Dynamics or Ranges and in “Divisi” Style with, i.e. Unique Notes are given to Unique Players (Less to No Vibrato)

– Appears More in Mid to Upper Register Range to let Low Frequencies Shines through

– you can Space Notes Out to a More Tonal Cluster, i.e. Straying from the Effect of Dissonance and Going form Means of Strengthened Harmonic Support Instead

– e.g. A# High Violins and A Natural + D# Register Below

– or F Major with an Added 6th = F A C D 

– or a Williams Hook was F C Db F G

– but also B-C-D has a Cluster Quality, while it Sounds Dissonant when Played Next to Each Other it can be Spread so B is in the Low Register, C is in the Mid Register and D is in the High Register which Makes it More Open and Not so Confined

– in General, you can Achieve a Cluster Quality by Adding a Note to a Otherwise Sonorous Chord, e.g. Add to C – E – G Chord a Note Like C#, Eb or G#

– György´s Clusters are always in Movement, Like Clouds in Constant Movement Blending into Each Other in Different Colours (where as it begins with a “Nebulous” Note and Ends in “Nothing”)

– Good Trick is to Reduce every Single Voice to about 20% in Expression / Velocity, so 5 Voices can make up a Huge Cluster without an Overloaded Sounds

Cluster Example – John Williams “Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind”

– Cluster Lasts around 25s.

1) Violins 1 Gradually Enter, Split a10 (1 stave of a6, one of a4) – C, C#, D, D#, E, G, G#, A, A# B, all simultaneous, all within the same octave (the a would be 1760Hz) – i.e. 2 octaves above 440

2) 7s later, Violins 2 gradually enter, also split a10 – Db, D, Eb, E, F, Ab, A, Bb, B, C, an octave below. Interesting approach in using enharmonic equivalents on the strings – since an A# and a Bb are different notes on strings, this would thicken up the texture nicely

3) 7s later, Violas gradually enter, split a10 – G, Ab, A, Bb, C, D, D#, E, F, F# pitched about a fifth lower than the 2nds.

4) 7s later, Cellos enter simultaneously, split a10 – G, Bb, C, Db, C# (ooh!), D, F, G, B, D (where the first G is below middle C, and each subsequent note is higher) for a minim, then F#, A, B, C, C, Eb, G, Ab, C, Eb for another minim. At the same time the two flutes enter with two minims, along with the clarinets (inc. bass) and bassoons. Oboe, Cor, 4 Horns and 2 Trumpets enter on second minim, crescendo and bam – C major chord

Cluster Example – Howard Shore

1) Give the Clusters to Mid and Upper Strings

2) You can Change the Effect Intensity by How Tight the Intervals are

– Should be Done with Both, Notation and Written Instruction

3) The Timbre Changes a Lot with the Balance of vl, va, vc and cb

4) With Virtual Libraries, Layer 2 Live Players 6 Times and have them Move in Pitch

– Either with Regular or Wide Vibrato and Slides

5) Shore Does a Lo of Pandiatonic Clusters to Beef Up the Brass Bands

– Press D3, E3, F#3, G#3, A3 together (basically 3 Whole-tone and 1 Semitone Interval) and play with G# or A additionally respectively  – gives a beautiful Open Cluster Fundament plus you may continue to several Scales as D Major, E Major, A Major, F#m (Barbary Major Cluster)

– Press C#4, E4, G#4, A4, B4 together and Vary Expression of All Notes over Time for a beautiful Open Cluster Fundament (Hymning Slews Intro – 1 Min.)

– Very Fine Cluster (Identification Problems), C#2, A#2, D3, G#3, B3 (played with Viola Strings or Piano for Example)