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Performers have always utilized the characteristic timbres of their instruments or voices to enhance musical interpretation. This activity has been greatly refined by the resources of recording technology. The recording process allows the performers greater flexibility in shaping the timbre of their instruments for creative expression. Of equally great importance, after the performance has been captured, the recording process allows for the opportunity to return to the performance for further (perhaps extensive) modifications of sound quality.
The selection of a sound source to represent (present) a particular musical idea is vital to the successful communication of the idea. The act of selecting a sound source is among the most important decisions composers (and producers) make. The options for selecting sound sources are:
(1) to choose a particular instrumentation,
(2) modifying the sound quality of an existing instrument or performance, or
(3) to create, or synthesize, a sound source to meet the specific need of the musical idea.
The selection of instrumentation was once merely a matter of deciding which generic instrument of those available would perform a certain musical line. The selection of instrumentation has become very specific, since the performance of a recording may virtually live forever, whereas previous performance existed for only a passing moment.
Today, the selection of instrumentation is often so specific, as to be a selection of a particular performer playing a particular model of an instrument. Generally, composers and producers are very much aware of the sound quality they want for a particular musical idea. The performer, the way the performer can develop a musical idea through their own personal performance techniques, and their ability to use sound quality for musical expression are all considerations in the selection of instrumentation.
Vocalists are commonly sought for the sound quality of their voice, and their abilities to perform in particular singing styles. The vocal line of most songs is the focal point that carries the weight of musical expression. Vocalists make great use of performance techniques to enhance and develop their sound quality, as well as to support the drama and meaning of the text.
Performance techniques vary greatly between instruments, musical styles, performers, and functions of a musical idea. The most suitable performance techniques will be those which achieve the desired musical results, when the sound sources are finally combined. One performance technique consideration must be singled out for special attention: the intensity level of a performance.
A performance on a musical instrument will take place at a particular intensity level. This perceived performance intensity is comprised of loudness, performance technique and the expressive qualities of the performance. Each performance at a different intensity level results in a characteristic timbre of that instrument, at that loudness level. The same sound source will have different timbres, at different loudness levels (and at different pitch-levels), etc., through performance intensity.
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