Harmonic Series Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Between 1971 and 2006, James Tenney created more than fifty significant works of what is now commonly called ‘spectral music’. In their materials and procedures, his compositions frequently paralleled, sometimes anticipated, and in some... more

Between 1971 and 2006, James Tenney created more than fifty significant works of what is now commonly called ‘spectral music’. In their materials and procedures, his compositions frequently paralleled, sometimes anticipated, and in some instances strikingly contrasted with spectralist developments in Europe. This article provides an analytical introduction to the spectralist component of Tenney’s large and varied output, and explores its emergence and place within a North American tradition of spectral music composition. Among the compositional concerns addressed are the duality of timbre and harmony, the harmonic series as a structural resource, the instrumental synthesis of speech, rhythmic analogs of spectral structures, the expansion of traditional harmonic means, and practical performance considerations.

Abstract: Research into the origin of the Western European Folk Music Scale has been inconsistent, varied, and mostly unsatisfying. This scale has many characteristics that seem inexplicable to researchers; some of these distinguishing... more

Abstract: Research into the origin of the Western European Folk Music Scale has been inconsistent, varied, and mostly unsatisfying. This scale has many characteristics that seem inexplicable to researchers; some of these distinguishing traits are that the scale is “gapped,” tuned in a different manner than Pythagorean tuning or Equal Temperament, is somehow aligned with the ecclesiastical modes, is either pentatonic or hexatonic, is also missing half-steps when pentatonic, etc. The present paper suggests that the Natural Scale is the foundation of the Western European Folk Music Scale and solves all of the above-mentioned anomalies. If the assumption is made that the general music played by “the folk” is in fact “pastoral music;” that is, created by instruments employed by shepherds, then confusing variables are eliminated. Moreover, the dichotomy between “art” and “folk” music begins to have an understandable relationship based on a dichotomy of tuning systems that has not been suggested to date. This duality of tuning suggests a spectrum of transcendence of one tuning system over another over time. On one end of the time spectrum, there is the present day with a musical culture of Western Europe art music based on the equally tempered Diatonic Scale and few elements of the Natural Scale remaining. On the other end, perhaps 1,500 years ago, there was a musical culture that was primarily based on the Natural Scale with a few elements of the Diatonic Scale.

This is a completely new setting for "The Celtic Lyre." The Preface contains information that suggests that Gaelic music is based on a triplet rhythmic pattern and whose pitches are determined by the natural scale (harmonic series).

This paper is a brief pictographic history of the natural trumpet in Europe. This subject is an adjunct to the previously published theory that the European Folk Music Scale was created on shepherds’ trumpets (a synopsis on:... more

This paper is a brief pictographic history of the natural trumpet in Europe. This subject is an adjunct to the previously published theory that the European Folk Music Scale was created on shepherds’ trumpets (a synopsis on: http://ethnomusicologyreview.ucla.edu/content/origin-european-folk-music-scale-new-theory and complete version: http://www.academia.edu/2627765/The_European_Folk_Music_Scale_A_New_Theory). My investigation into this topic has led me to question the assumption that metal natural trumpets (with the appearance of Baroque trumpets) have a unique development; previously, it has been assumed that metal trumpets were not imitations of shepherds’ trumpets but have a separate military or religious provenance. Additionally, the assumption that the history of trumpet playing at aristocratic courts springs from the military encampment and not the pasture seems doubtful. This paper displays a series of photographs taken from the internet that, at-a-glance, parallels my scholarly, written investigations. The material is easily available and accessible online; therefore, only general references are provided in the Bibliography.

First draft of specifications for a software that produces a fundamental-variable, user-controlled, Harmonic Series-based tone-scale. The Mechanism allows the user to play the tones of the Harmonic Series of whatever fundamental... more

First draft of specifications for a software that produces a fundamental-variable, user-controlled, Harmonic Series-based tone-scale. The Mechanism allows the user to play the tones of the Harmonic Series of whatever fundamental tone/pitch. The user can play the tones alone (monophonic) or together (polyphonic). It can re-tune MIDI instruments and eventually Controlled Voltage devices.