An Example: How “Clang” Obscures Clarity

In an instrument where the attack is not instantaneous, the metallic clang lasts anywhere from ½ second to several seconds.

Consider how this effects the music:

Played at a moderate tempo, 92% of the notes in Bach’s Three-Part Invention in F Major, all the 8th, 16th and 32nd notes, last less than three tenths of a second.

This means that the vast majority of the notes, 92% of them, have a shorter duration that the attack. Percussive content dominates, leaving poorly defined melodic lines.