Jump to content

Duduk Sound With Orchestral Instruments


keman

Recommended Posts

Hello there,

I am writing a film score for a large orchestra (80 players) and there is a short melodic line that should have the sound of a duduk.

However, I am only allowed to use standard orchestral instruments. Since the duduk sound is basically the chalumeau clarinet register with a very wide, vocal vibrato I thought of a very wet, soft clarinet reed.

Will a clarinet player do this? Do you know a better solution?

- Keman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well it won't get very close to the duduk timbre, but yes a 1 1/2 Reed can help, also a high bafle mouthpiece just these mouthpieces are not built for clarinet just for sax, I once modified a clarinet mouthpiece inner walls with wax, just the overall pitch of the clarinet changes too, gets higher, you have to take off the mouthpiece a little to fix the tuning, also an exaggerated vibrato would help, if the clarinetist is also saxophonist will understand all this, if not, forget it, you can't indicate a mess like this in the score, is just not professional, if you can talk with clarinets maybe, if not, I'd say just mark the score with something like "Edgy Tone, try to emulate a Duduk" :D .... ? :veryunsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you could also copy paste each note bend and toss them between the clarinet players to compensate for performance issues.

like 1 clarinet will bend up slow-the other one will give that fast half tone bend-and then the first one will complete the bend down.

in any case you'd need bending, and maybe a layer to make the clarinet more of duduk timbre.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you could also copy paste each note bend and toss them between the clarinet players to compensate for performance issues.

like 1 clarinet will bend up slow-the other one will give that fast half tone bend-and then the first one will complete the bend down.

in any case you'd need bending, and maybe a layer to make the clarinet more of duduk timbre.

Uhm, I don't think it's possible to coordinate both at a vibrato speed, is it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I also would say the defining characteristic is breathiness, even more than reediness. I'd use bass flute if there's access to one in the group, otherwise alto flute, with an indication such as "very wide, free vibrato, like a duduk."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...