Why composers must learn the overtone series

The overtone series is one of the most important concepts to learn for composition, orchestration and arrangement. A composer that understands the harmonic series can do almost anything with an ensemble or orchestra...

#composition #arrangement #musictheory #orchestration #overtone

[sappy.]

Another fascinating compositional technique using overtones is using them to increase the fatness of chords. I went to my music teacher’s big band concert & felt that some of the chords the band played would literally shake the whole venue & vibrate my whole body. It was truly breathtaking. I asked him about it later & he told me that the way he did that was by making horn voicings that followed the overtone series. What happens is that the vibrations coming out from the horns would sympathetically vibrate the other horns & in turn make them even louder & fatter sounding. Truly fascinating stuff & there is still so much more to explore!

[bakthoven]

It makes it impossible to take my eyes off the video even for a moment. you are such a genius and got a humor! I’ll be your fan! Thanks

[angelicamartacahyaningtyas]

4:50 Pipe organs use this stack of overtones nicely. Not only pipe organs have different sound at different octaves, but some larger ones may also have several special transposed sounds at fifths, thirds, sevenths etc. What people recognize as 'pipe organ sound' is simply those several sounds stacked at mostly octaves and fifths being played together.

[timothytikker]

The instrumentation that Ravel used for that statement of the first theme in Bolero is in principle the same as a register in pipe organs known as the "Cornet." This is a voice known in organs since the early Baroque, and used in several countries. But, unlike Ravel's use of such timbrally diverse instruments, the organ uses five sets of pipes of all similar timbre, normally what is called "flute" tone. These five sets -- "ranks" -- are tuned to the first five harmonics of the unison pitch, which are designated 8', 4', 2-2/3', 2' and 1-3/5.

[liltick]

0:20 I knew within a billionth of a second that this was Bolero by Ravel. LOVE that piece.

[frickermints]

This also helps in a mixing environment. If you have two instruments competing for the same sonic space, taking out the overtones of one will make the other stand out, as the overtones "imply" the fundamental's existence. Awesome video!

[unownnnn]

"Why have you paused the video so long" 😂Got me there! Already familiar with this but this is definitely the best explanation I've heard. Also, the Frequency to Pitch is great thank you

[drissledriss]

It's not only about orchestration and making new sound colors. It's about understanding all of music and why we have some systems such as the major and minor scale and why a tritone wants to resolve.

[Echolaliaxu]

I love your dedication to pronouncing words in their original language

[ethanluvisia]

This video was incredible, thank you so much!

[JanneSala]

I never knew this about Bolero's melody. Very eye-opening! Earned a subscription for such a fantastically succinct and well-structured lesson.

[elihyland]

My second video in a row.. i am so in love…totally blown away 😱💘🔥🪦

[Green_Eclipse]

One rather cool effect is hearing the harmonics (overtones) added one by one by a computer to hear how each one changes the timbre.

I wrote a program to do that back in high school. I should see if I can dig it up.

[amj.composer]

I use the overtone series a lot in my music!!

[SamChaneyProductions]

Great video, just want to add that real instruments also have inharmonic overtones, which are overtones that do not fit in the overtone series. These are a crucial part to many instruments' tonal color, for example bells have very significant inharmonic overtones which gives them that eerie complex tone. Gongs are on the extreme end where inharmonic overtones can even dominate the harmonic ones

[stephenweigel]

This is a cool video! I also really like your frequency to pitch calculator.

[richardanderson-zesk]

I am 69 yrs. old. Still have a lot to learn. Thank You.

[Janen]

I found your channel this morning - binge watching! And listening! Thank you for all this clever content! Great work!!

[ornleifs]

I knew the first example from Bolero but that's just because I was so puzzled by that sound when I was listening to it and I couldn't figure it out, I heard that there was flute but what on earth gave it that strange metallic tone ? - So I bought the score and found out - just another example of Ravel's genius.

[michele_alves_de_salvatore]

I'm a composer and producer, i'm gonna start experimenting with the overtone series, to create new sounds. Thank you, this video is very inspiring.