Jean-Claude Risset’s harmonic arpeggio is a spectral composition technique that uses sine wave interference patterns to create a downward cascading arpeggio of a specified subset of the harmonic series. Created by beating patterns that result from closely-spaced sinusoids (i.e. slightly detuned sine waves), Risset described the arpeggio gestures as “spectral scans”.
Spectral scans with inharmonic partials (from Sylicae EP):
ChucK code (spork the additive synth before sporking the score file):
- Additive synthesizer
- Score file with the core ‘risset’ function (delta is the basis on which detunings are calculated)
- Score file with examples
- Arve Knudsen version (no classes, no sporking)
Tech info:
Computer Music: Why? by Jean-Claude Risset
Composing Sound using Spectral Scans by Reginald Bain
Making Music with Risset Beats by Chris Tralie