Twang is an
onomatopoeia originally used to describe the sound of a vibrating
bow string after the arrow is released.
[Hensleigh Wedgwood, ''A Dictionary of English Etymology: Q - Z'' (1865), p. 433.] By extension it applies to the similar vibration produced when the
string of a musical instrument is plucked, and similar sounds. The term came to be applied to a
nasal vocal resonation Vocal resonance may be defined as "the process by which the basic product of phonation is enhanced in timbre and/or intensity by the air-filled cavities through which it passes on its way to the outside air." Throughout the vocal literature, various ...
, and was historically used to describe "a disagreeable resonance".
Later, however, the term came to be more broadly associated with regional dialects, to the extent that in some locations, "a twang is a desirable commodity".
[Jim Tushinski, Jim Van Buskirk, ''Identity Envy Wanting to Be Who We're Not: Creative Nonfiction by Queer Writers'' (2014), p. 27.]
Specific uses of the term include:
* A particular sharp vibrating sound characteristic of some
electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic g ...
s.
* A high frequency singing sound especially affected by
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
singers. It allows for a higher vocal reach than would be possible using the standard
guttural
Guttural speech sounds are those with a primary place of articulation near the back of the oral cavity, especially where it's difficult to distinguish a sound's place of articulation and its phonation. In popular usage it is an imprecise term for s ...
technique and can be used as an alternative to
falsetto
''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave.
It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous e ...
singing.
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...
almost always sings with a twang voice.
See also
*
Jangle
Jangle or jingle-jangle is a sound typically characterized by undistorted, treble-heavy electric guitars (particularly 12-strings) played in a droning chordal style (by strumming or arpeggiating). The sound is mainly associated with pop m ...
References
Nasalization
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