December 1999: On Muffling: Unit 3: Ranges Of Notes

The common term for damping the strings of the harp is "muffling". There are various signs used to indicate this. Most often it is a circle with a cross through it. Because the majority of overring occurs in the middle and lower registers, we primarily muffle with the left hand. A single circle indicates one muffle, two circles imply the muffling of two ranges one oafter the other.

Sometimes the composer wishes us to muffle a specific range of notes. In this case the lower and upper notes are indicated with a diagonal line between them and another vertical line connecting to the muffle sign below. In this way some notes may be intended to ring with others are stopped.

The same indication can be used for a single note to be muffled with a specific finger and is used to silence a note that might not fit with the harmonic quality of subsequent notes in a passage.

The choice of when and what to muffle is often interdependent upon both the composer and the player. If a specific effect is intended, the composer will indicate what is to be dampened, or even what is to be allowed to ring in which case the term LV is used (let vibrate). But often, we, as players must determine when to muffle, specific to the resonant qualities of our individual instruments. In orchestra or ensemble settings this is particularly important.

In January we will discuss some special effects related to damping of sounds.

See you next month.

Stephanie

*November and December lessons were posted at the same time... find the November lesson in the Archive...(Webmaster)

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