Expert: Clare Redfarn - 5/22/2009

Question
QUESTION: Thanks for answering my question to the best of your ability; it is a tough one indeed and I will let you know if I suss out the word.

ANSWER: I've been thinking about this all day, and I'm baffled.  You're saying it's when a small group of instruments/voices sounds as if it's larger than it really is?  Then they can only be dividing the parts, playing very loudly or they're artificially amplified by the recording engineer, surely - what other circumstances are there?

If inspiration strikes me in the middle of the night I'll let you know tomorrow.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: It's the phenomenon where the combination of the voices or instruments -- say, 5 or 6 -- create the impression that the sound is coming from a much larger group of instruments or voices.  I believe it is the way each voice/ instrument plays off the other to create this sense of greater breadth, richness and depth.

ANSWER: Stuart, are you talking about close harmony?  Counterpoint (the parts are weaving together)?  Homophony (they're all playing the same rhythm so it's a series of block chords)?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes, I've looked at all these and those aren't the right words.  It's a single word, though.  It's so tormenting... kind of like the brain equivalent of a poppyseed that you can't quite dislodge from your mouth.  LOL...

Answer
Hello Stuart, and thank you for ruining my weekend <g>.

I phoned my mum (retired professional musician) yesterday to see what she could come up with.  The only suggestion she could make was, are you thinking of harmonics or overtones?  

The problem is, neither of us can think of any situation where a small group of instruments would sound larger.  We agree that, whatever word you're thinking of, you possibly haven't got the definition right, but we can't come up with anything that comes anywhere close.

Sorry I couldn't help - PLEASE let me know what the wretched word is once you or someone else think of it!

Stuart, after all this time I think I've found it!  Are you by any chance talking about barbershop quartet singing?  Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbershop_music - I think you're talking about the "ringing chord".  

I've never come across this term before.  Do let me know if I'm right - this has been nagging me for months.  

Best wishes
Clare