In this post, we will examine triangle techniques and sound choices within the context of Dvořák’s Carnival Overture. Using Black Swamp’s Arch Bronze and Artisan Steel triangles, along with various beaters, we’ll demonstrate how these tools affect sound and articulation. Understanding these nuances can help you make informed decisions about instrument and beater selection based on your ensemble and performance setting.
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TL;DR
Understanding the subtleties of triangle techniques and instrument selection can significantly impact your performance.
By adjusting the angle of your beater, choosing between stainless steel and bronze beaters, and selecting the right triangle, you can tailor your sound to match your ensemble and venue.
This approach, demonstrated through an excerpt from Dvořák’s Carnival Overture, provides a practical framework for enhancing your percussion technique.
Meet Your Instructor
Dr. Brad Meyer is a Black Swamp Educator and the Associate Professor of Percussion at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he teaches private lessons and directs the percussion ensemble. He regularly presents recitals, workshops, and clinics worldwide, with performances in countries like Austria, Taiwan, and South Africa. Meyer is an active participant in major music festivals and conventions, such as PASIC and TMEA, and has numerous compositions published through prominent outlets. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance from the University of Kentucky and has extensive experience in marching percussion, world music, and electro-acoustic percussion.
Instruments Used in this Lesson
Dr. Brad Meyer is using a selection of Black Swamp Percussion triangles and beaters for this lesson and demonstration.
6" Artisan Triangle: https://www.blackswamp.com/products/at6
7" Arch Bronze Triangle: https://www.blackswamp.com/products/abt7
Stainless Steel Teardrop Spectrum Beater: https://www.blackswamp.com/products/spec4-ss
Bronze Spectrum Beater: https://www.blackswamp.com/products/spec2
Triangle Techniques in Dvořák’s Carnival Overture:
The excerpt we’ll focus on comes from the opening of Dvořák’s Carnival Overture. A key element of this passage is maintaining clear articulation while achieving a balanced, resonant sound. Black Swamp Artist, Josh Jones, uses specific triangle techniques, such as applying light damping with the finger to articulate single strokes, while leaving the instrument more open for long notes and rolls. Watch a Josh's triangle instructional, here.
In Dvořák’s Carnival Overture, where rhythmic clarity and dynamic contrast are vital, specific techniques can help achieve the desired sound. Let’s explore these techniques in detail.
1. Articulating Short Notes
For articulated single strokes, lightly damping the triangle is essential. To achieve this, you can use a finger to gently touch the top or backside of the triangle. This slight damping helps shorten the resonance, giving each note a crisp, defined attack. Without this control, the triangle could sound too resonant, causing short notes to blur into the surrounding music.
In faster passages, this technique is especially useful for maintaining clarity. The idea is to control the resonance without fully muting the triangle, so that it retains its natural brightness while making the individual notes stand out.
2. Handling Long Notes and Rolls
In contrast, for longer notes, half notes, or sustained rolls, the triangle should be allowed to resonate more freely. Here, it’s important to completely release the damping fingers, letting the full tone of the instrument come through. The key is to match the sound of the triangle to the musical phrasing—open and full for longer notes, adding depth and warmth to the passage.
When rolling, the positioning of the beater also becomes crucial. For rolls, a controlled release is required immediately after the articulation of the beat to avoid excessive ringing. This ensures the roll transitions smoothly into the following note or rest without disrupting the flow of the music.
3. 45-Degree Beater Angle
Maintaining a consistent angle of the beater—typically around 45 degrees to the corner of the triangle—is vital for achieving a full, rich tone. When striking the triangle, whether for individual notes or rolls, this angle helps produce a balance of overtones, resulting in a fuller, more resonant sound.
If the beater strikes the triangle flat or at an improper angle, it can produce a “bell-like” tone with fewer overtones, which may be less desirable for orchestral contexts. The 45-degree angle maximizes the instrument’s natural resonance, allowing for a more complex and rounded sound that blends well within an ensemble.
Black Swamp Artist, Andrea Venet, has an in-depth lesson on finding the right angle for your triangle beater and the importance of keeping that 45-degree angle for triangle performance. You can read that post, here.
4. Combining Techniques
The real challenge in playing the triangle comes from alternating between these techniques seamlessly. In Dvořák’s Carnival Overture, there are sections where short articulated strokes must quickly transition to long, resonant notes or rolls. Mastering the switch between damping for short notes and releasing for longer notes is essential for maintaining musical flow.
A practical example from the excerpt involves playing articulated rhythms with light damping for short notes, followed by open rolls that fill the space with resonant sound. After the roll, a quick, precise damping helps bring out the next short note clearly. These transitions require careful timing and finger control, especially at faster tempos.
5. Practical Application in Performance
When applying these techniques in performance, it’s important to consider the dynamic demands of the piece. Damping and articulation should always serve the overall musical texture. In a section that demands more energy and brightness, you might reduce the amount of damping to let the triangle cut through the ensemble. In contrast, quieter, more delicate passages require greater damping control to prevent the triangle from overwhelming other instruments.
Triangle and Beater Selection:
Choosing the right triangle and beater combination can greatly influence the sound, tone, and overall impact of a performance. In Dvořák’s Carnival Overture, different triangles and beaters can produce noticeable differences in articulation, resonance, and dynamics, making the choice of equipment a key factor in achieving the desired sound. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the effects of triangle and beater selection.
1. Triangle Material and Design
The material and design of the triangle significantly affect its tone and projection. In this post, we compare two specific models: Black Swamp’s Artisan Steel triangle and their Arch Bronze triangle.
Black Swamp Artisan Steel Triangle: Known for its clear, bright sound, the Artisan triangle is a versatile choice for many orchestral settings. Its focused tone and clean overtones make it well-suited for passages requiring articulation and rhythmic clarity. In a live performance, especially in smaller ensembles or more resonant halls, the Artisan's focused sound can help it cut through the texture of the ensemble without overpowering other instruments.
Black Swamp Arch Bronze Triangle: In contrast, the arch bronze triangle offers a darker, more complex tone. Its sound is rich with overtones, giving it a full, resonant quality. While this can be a great choice for pieces requiring a warm, blended sound, the complexity of its tone can sometimes make individual notes less distinct, especially in faster, more articulated passages like those found in Carnival Overture. This triangle is better suited for large ensembles or venues where more projection and richness are needed.
When choosing a triangle, consider the context of your performance:
• Clarity and Articulation: If the goal is precise, articulated playing with clear rhythmic definition, the Artisan triangle may be a better fit due to its focused, bright sound.
• Warmth and Complexity: If the musical context calls for a fuller, richer sound with more overtones, the arch bronze triangle might be the preferred choice, especially in larger ensembles or drier acoustic settings.
2. Beater Material and Shape
Equally important to the sound is the type of beater you use. The material and shape of the beater can have a profound effect on the attack, tone, and dynamic control of the triangle.
Stainless Steel Teardrop Spectrum Beater: This type of beater, made from stainless steel, produces a bright, cutting sound with a sharp attack. The teardrop shape allows for more precision in striking, giving you a focused sound that is ideal for passages requiring clarity and presence. The stainless steel beater brings out more high frequencies, which helps the triangle cut through dense orchestration. In pieces like Carnival Overture, where the triangle plays a prominent role in rhythmic articulation, the stainless steel teardrop beater can help ensure each note is heard clearly, even in fast passages.
We took a deep dive into the special features of this particular triangle beater in a blog post if you'd like to learn more about this unique beater.
Bronze Spectrum Beater No. 2: The bronze barrel-shaped beater, on the other hand, produces a warmer, softer tone with less attack. Its rounder shape disperses the impact over a wider surface area, resulting in a more blended sound with fewer high frequencies. This beater is ideal for softer, more delicate passages or when a more subtle triangle presence is desired. While it may lack the crispness of the stainless steel beater, the bronze beater’s tone is often preferred in larger ensembles, where a more rounded sound can blend better without overwhelming other instruments.
3. Matching Beaters with Triangles
The choice of beater and triangle should be considered together, as different combinations will produce different tonal characteristics. Here’s a practical guide for matching the two:
• Artisan Triangle with Stainless Steel Beater: This combination results in a bright, sharp sound that is well-suited for fast, articulated passages. The stainless steel beater emphasizes the Artisan triangle’s clarity and projection, making it ideal for situations where the triangle needs to stand out in the mix.
• Artisan Triangle with Bronze Beater: Pairing the Artisan triangle with a bronze beater creates a more balanced sound, softening the sharpness of the stainless steel while still retaining some of the triangle’s focus. This could be a good middle ground if you want the articulation of the Artisan triangle but with a slightly warmer tone.
• Arch Bronze Triangle with Stainless Steel Beater: This combination offers a mix of dark, complex overtones from the bronze triangle and the sharp attack of the stainless steel beater. While the stainless steel beater may add a degree of clarity, the overall sound remains rich and resonant. This combination is best suited for larger ensembles where the triangle needs to project with depth and complexity.
• Arch Bronze Triangle with Bronze Beater: This pairing produces the warmest, most blended sound of all the combinations. The bronze beater enhances the dark, rich tones of the bronze triangle, creating a sound that is soft and warm with less articulation. This combination is ideal for slow, lyrical passages or when a more subtle, background role is needed for the triangle.
4. Contextual Considerations
When selecting a triangle and beater combination, the context of your performance is key. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:
• Ensemble Size: In larger ensembles, it can be harder for the triangle to cut through the texture. A brighter triangle and sharper beater, like the Artisan triangle with a stainless steel beater, may help you achieve the necessary projection. In smaller ensembles, a more subtle combination, such as the Arch bronze triangle with a bronze beater, might provide a better blend.
• Venue Acoustics: The acoustics of the performance venue can also influence your choice. In a dry hall, a more resonant triangle, like the Arch bronze, can fill the space with warmth. In a more resonant venue, a clearer triangle, like the Artisan, may help prevent the sound from becoming too muddy.
• Musical Style and Dynamics: Finally, consider the dynamics and style of the piece. For fast, articulated passages like those in Carnival Overture, a more focused triangle and sharper beater will help ensure rhythmic clarity. For softer, more lyrical sections, a warmer triangle and softer beater may be more appropriate to maintain a balanced sound within the ensemble.
When selecting triangles and beaters, consider the context of your performance—venue size, acoustic conditions, and ensemble dynamics. Each tool brings out different characteristics, so experimenting with combinations will help you find the right fit for your sound. By applying these triangle techniques and making informed choices, you can achieve a more refined and effective triangle performance.
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