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The Measurement of Musical Tone

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The Measurement of Musical Tone The Measurementof MusicalTone WILLIAM H. STUBBINS PRESENT METHODS and techniques Suppose, for example, that it is de- for the measurement of sound per- sired to communicate information to mit the analysis of musical tone as another musician, in another part of acoustical phenomena. It is equally the world, six months from now, con- true that no one is certain at present cerning a clarinet tone which is to that those aspects of the sound wave be played at this present time. This which are customarily measured are information is to be complete infor- the aspects of primary importance in mation, which will include all phases the auditory perception of musical of what we may be able to say or to tone. It is necessary that a correlation show about it. The simple technique be made between these observations of recording it with absolute fidelity and the judgment of the ear. This and then merely playing it for the re- can be accomplished by the coopera- cipient of the information is not tion of the scientist and the musician. enough in this case. True, if the record- The first step in the direction of ing is as perfect as we can obtain, such cooperation lies in the under- and the playback is also perfect, we standing of the problem and in the will have transmitted the identical willingnessof each party to accept each sound of the clarinet across the inter- other's techniques as supplementary vening interval of time. This accom- to his own. There should be no desire plishment, however, is simply a time- to mechanize music nor to reject blind- stretching elaborationof the same kind ly the fact that sound is the basis of of communication which invokes the music. It is not unfair to the musician use of a qualitative vocabulary. We to say that the scientist already knows have been able to retain the clarinet much more about sound than does the tone of the present for future refer- musician, but it is also true that the ence, but information which is needed musician is much better equipped to for analysis and for better under- employ sound in a particular and standing is just as surely missing as specialized manner than is the scien- if the recipient of the information tist. They both have much to offer had been present at the recording. each other through such cooperation; Nothing has been lost, but nothing has and the common gain, which will be been gained. the result of such combined effort, is In addition to the perfect preserva- a contribution to both science and tion of the presently played clarinet to art. tone for future reference, it is also Let us examine the present possi- possible to provide other information bilities for the investigation of musical concerning it by means of other tech- tone quality on the basis of what can niques. be observed as physical phenomena It is possible to present information of sound, in order to place the problem in the form of a picture of the tone in a better perspective. for purposes of visual analysis. It is 135 136 JOURNAL OF RESEARCHIN MUSIC EDUCATION possible to present information which are undoubtedly valuable therapeutic will show visually and measure accur- possibilities which have only been ately the harmoniccontent, the ampli- touched upon so far by a few pioneers tude and intensity, the frequency, the in this field.2 build-up and decay, and the compara- The basic physical property of tive differences between all musical music is sound-without which there tones and this specific clarinet tone, can be no music. The production of or the similarities of this tone to sound for musical purposes is ac- others which have been played at any complished by the use of musical in- time and recorded for reference. struments, which are simply sound Whether this additional information producers. The province of the study will be of value to the musician or not of such sound production, by such will depend on the way in which it is sound producers,for such purposes, is used. The potentialities of communi- properly the science of musical acous- cation are considered as self-evident. tics. The human additives of the per- former are limited by the physical The Problem of Communication considerations involved in this rela- tionship. As the physical malformation Communicationis a basic character- of the cleft palate interferes with istic of human Man beings. accomp- proper vocal production, so does the lishes communication several by means, stutteringor stammeringof the musical of by gesture, by pictorial indication, instrument interfere with proper and which is a and writing sub-script, by desirablemusical tone production. of which word noises and sound, The savage with his reed flute can- musical tones are primary categories. not play Mozart's Concerto in D, not Of these means of the communication, only because he knows nothing of matter of musical its tone, physical Mozart, but also because his reed characteristics and its psychological flute will not do it. We have here no has never been implications, adequate- quarrel with his expression as far as studied in order to realize the ly it goes, his simple melodies and his tremendous which is yield potential emotional satisfaction, but we cannot use of the through proper techniques fail to acknowledgethe vast potential of research available.1 of expressive possibilities implied by A few of the results which be may the development of civilization. anticipated from an adequate study What the limitations of the various of musical tone are better communica- musical instruments may be, no mat- tion means of this method of man's by ter what their present degree of better of the expression, performance refinementmay be, should properlybe art of better and new music, perhaps determined by first attending to a instruments of better music, teaching study of the means used for musical of a more music, adequate terminology sound production. The application of the art of and a concerning music, scientific techniques and methodology for the of the powerfultechnique study in the study of the physical character- psychic aspects of the human being istics of musical instruments is unde- when the physical side of music and musical tone is better known. There 2Lewis, Burris-Meyer,and Cardinell, "Music As an Aid to Healing," Journal of the Acousti- 1H. F. Olson, Musical Engineering (New cal Society of America, XIX (July 1947), 544- York: McGraw-Hill,1952), p. vi. 546. MUSICAL TONE 137 niably an exploitation of the afore- retreats so often is easily understand- mentioned potential of expression.3 able; he might welcome a new vocab- Present knowledge concerning musical ulary which would make his retreat instruments is limited to the heritage less often necessary. of craft which has come down through Now the human mind is a complex the years with all of the mythology thing, and we know that the complexi- developed by tradition. By scientific ties of communication are fascinating determination,it should be possible to as well as baffling. There is no reason cut through this maze of contradiction to suppose that the qualitative vo- and contra-distinction to basic prin- cabulary is going to be discarded; its ciples of fact which would clarify and boundaries are likely to increase with lead to a better understanding of the every musician who is born. However, art of music in terms of reasonable, description of the processes of music logical, and factual evidence concern- in terms of the already established ing the tools of the musician, musical vocabulary of the physical and bio- instruments. logical sciences cannot fail to increase the probability of clearer thinking, The Music Qualitative Vocabulary of more accurate analysis, and more The qualitative aspects of music efficient communication. have long been the subject of dis- cussion among musicians. An extensive The Quantitative Vocabulary vocabulary for this purpose has been The development of a quantitative developed.4But for the individual mu- vocabulary depends on the applica- sician, the interpretive possibilities of tion of scientific techniques to the musical expression have led to the for- physical phenomena which are used mation of an individual subjectivism in the art of music. The application of as concerns each and every musical these techniques to the physical phe- term encountered, a fact which has nomena of music is no different from provided him a communicative escape such applications in other fields of mechanism, based on the single investigation. It is desired very simply standard of individual taste.5 to establish first of all a language of Words are not music, and music is size. For this purpose, the problem not of words, although the expressed may be designated as a problem in the qualitative esthetic experience may be measurementof the qualities of music, parallel.6 If a musician would talk which qualities are those defined as about music, he must use the words the aspects of the phenomenaof music of the only vocabulary so far at his which are measurable. disposal, and he must reserve a place The terminology of music is use- of retreat which is conveniently pro- fully divided into three categories: vided by his personal taste. That he first, terminology concerning the in- strument; second, terminology con- 3H. Fletcher, "An Institute of Musical Science cerning the player; and third, termin- -A Suggestion," Journal of the Acoustical auditors other than Society of America, XIX (July 1947), 527-531. ology concerning 4R. W. Young, "Some Problems for Postwar the player. Musical Acoustics," Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, XVI (October 1944), 105. The Dimensions of Music 5D.
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