From rhythmic textures to floating spheres

Hundreds of tension-charged clusters are available in several dynamic levels, short and long, with and without marcato, and as short and long crescendos. Sustained textures are grouped in several categories, some either slightly changing in pitch (microtuning) or gravitating slowly toward the root note (or vice versa). Others don’t change in pitch, but in volume, with different sections of the orchestra alternating their volume resulting in a sustained tone that’s constantly changing its colors.



A “seagull arpeggio” effect is created by flageolet glissandos played on open strings, with the accompanying wind instruments playing arpeggios that follow the overtone series of the strings.



The so-called Shuffled Sustains deliver some form of controlled chaos, where different groups of the orchestra play complementary rhythmic patterns. Due to its complex structure, this effect can be used independently of tempo and provides a propelling density that lends itself well to underscores, for instance.