DOCSLIB.ORG

Towards a Better Understanding of the Contrasting Effects of the Subtonic

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Towards a Better Understanding of the Contrasting Effects of the Subtonic Towards a Better Understanding of the Contrasting Effects of the Subtonic-Tonic and the Leading Tone-Tonic Gestures Theoretical discussions of the flattened scale degree seven in minor keys have been scarce in literature devoted to the study of the tonal system. Mention of this subtonic scale degree has traditionally been limited to description of its occurrence in descending patterns (e.g., the bass line of i-v6-iv6-V) and the role of the VII chord as the dominant of the III chord. However, a discussion of the subtonic that moves up one step to the tonic, a very important gesture for folk and popular musical styles, has been largely neglected. 1 This gesture has a modal connotation, and strongly contrasts with its tonal counterpart, the leading tone-tonic gesture. Contrast between the subtonic-tonic and the leading tone- tonic gestures is very important for the identity of a myriad of musical styles, and the examination of the contrast between these two gestures can greatly expand our understanding of those musical styles, as well as our understanding of tonal and modal systems in general. In an experiment I recently conducted with music students, I tested the extent to which different types of metaphors can consistently represent the difference of effect between the subtonic-tonic (modal) and the leading tone-tonic (tonal) gestures.2 In this experiment, 12 students of Music Theory 1 (both music and non-music majors) were asked to classify the effect of the leading tone-tonic and the subtonic-tonic gestures 1 For the purpose of this discussion the term subtonic-tonic describes both melodic occurrences (flattened scale degree seven followed by scale degree one) and harmonic occurrences (the VII chord followed by the i chord). The term leading tone-tonic describes melodic occurrences (raised scale degree seven followed by scale degree one) and any harmonic succession that implies a leading tone resolving to a tonic, even if the leading tone is not literally present in the first chord. 2 This experiment is modeled after David Huron’s work on scale degree qualia (Sweet Anticipation, 2006). The remarkable level of agreement Huron observed when asking musicians and non‐ musicians about the main qualities of different scale degrees strongly suggests that metaphors can consistently account for some of the main effects of scale degrees. according to five dualities: natural vs. artificial, complex vs. simple, collective vs. individual, thick vs. thin, and harmonically relaxed vs. harmonically dramatic. Each of these terms was represented by clusters of related terms. For instance, the “thick” side of the thick vs. thin duality also included the terms broad, heavy, and bold. Students were given excerpts from four relatively well-known pieces of music (When Johnny Comes Marching Home, the fourth movement of Dvorak’s “New World” Symphony, Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall, and Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in Dm BWV 565). The four pieces were purposely selected to represent diverse music styles (folk, romantic, rock, and baroque) in order to promote the cross-stylistic validity of the results of the experiment. Two versions of each excerpt, the original and a modified version, were provided: one with the subtonic-tonic gesture, and the other with the leading tone-tonic gesture. Students were provided with a video-clip containing both sound and music notation for each excerpt. They were then asked to determine which side of each duality better described each version of the excerpt. In addition, students were required to assess the degree to which each pair of terms described the difference between the original and its variation. Three options were provided: “to a small degree,” “to a moderate degree,” and “to a considerable degree.” Since both the survey and the video clip were available online, students had the freedom to spend as much time as they wanted on the exercise and to view the video as many times as necessary. The students’ categorization was largely consistent with my own previous assessment of the effects of the subtonic-tonic and leading tone-tonic gestures (81% of the results matched my assessment). In addition, most students regarded the dualities as representing the difference between the gestures “to a moderate degree.” The results of this experiment demonstrate that this particular set of metaphors consistently describe the effect of the subtonic-tonic and leading tone-tonic gestures. There are at least two additional implications of these results that are worth mentioning. On the one hand, metaphors, and particularly metaphors presented as dualities can be used as powerful tools for the study of different theoretical topics. These dualistic pairs are more effective if the theoretical topics are also presented as basic dualities; the opposition between the subtonic-tonic gesture and the leading tone-tonic gesture being just one example of a basic duality. On the other hand, dualistic pairs such as subtonic-tonic vs. leading tone-tonic, are directly connected to classical and popular music styles, and for this reason provide a good opportunity to obtain a more complete picture of the possibilities of different musical structures by contrasting diverse musical practices. Excerpts used in the Experiment .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Day 17 AP Music Handout, Scale Degress.Mus
    Scale Degrees, Chord Quality, & Roman Numeral Analysis There are a total of seven scale degrees in both major and minor scales. Each of these degrees has a name which you are required to memorize tonight. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 & w w w w w 1. tonicw 2.w supertonic 3.w mediant 4. subdominant 5. dominant 6. submediant 7. leading tone 1. tonic A triad can be built upon each scale degree. w w w w & w w w w w w w w 1. tonicw 2.w supertonic 3.w mediant 4. subdominant 5. dominant 6. submediant 7. leading tone 1. tonic The quality and scale degree of the triads is shown by Roman numerals. Captial numerals are used to indicate major triads with lowercase numerals used to show minor triads. Diminished triads are lowercase with a "degree" ( °) symbol following and augmented triads are capital followed by a "plus" ( +) symbol. Roman numerals written for a major key look as follows: w w w w & w w w w w w w w CM: wI (M) iiw (m) wiii (m) IV (M) V (M) vi (m) vii° (dim) I (M) EVERY MAJOR KEY FOLLOWS THE PATTERN ABOVE FOR ITS ROMAN NUMERALS! Because the seventh scale degree in a natural minor scale is a whole step below tonic instead of a half step, the name is changed to subtonic, rather than leading tone. Leading tone ALWAYS indicates a half step below tonic. Notice the change in the qualities and therefore Roman numerals when in the natural minor scale.
    [Show full text]
  • Discover Seventh Chords
    Seventh Chords Stack of Thirds - Begin with a major or natural minor scale (use raised leading tone for chords based on ^5 and ^7) - Build a four note stack of thirds on each note within the given key - Identify the characteristic intervals of each of the seventh chords w w w w w w w w % w w w w w w w Mw/M7 mw/m7 m/m7 M/M7 M/m7 m/m7 d/m7 w w w w w w % w w w w #w w #w mw/m7 d/wm7 Mw/M7 m/m7 M/m7 M/M7 d/d7 Seventh Chord Quality - Five common seventh chord types in diatonic music: * Major: Major Triad - Major 7th (M3 - m3 - M3) * Dominant: Major Triad - minor 7th (M3 - m3 - m3) * Minor: minor triad - minor 7th (m3 - M3 - m3) * Half-Diminished: diminished triad - minor 3rd (m3 - m3 - M3) * Diminished: diminished triad - diminished 7th (m3 - m3 - m3) - In the Major Scale (all major scales!) * Major 7th on scale degrees 1 & 4 * Minor 7th on scale degrees 2, 3, 6 * Dominant 7th on scale degree 5 * Half-Diminished 7th on scale degree 7 - In the Minor Scale (all minor scales!) with a raised leading tone for chords on ^5 and ^7 * Major 7th on scale degrees 3 & 6 * Minor 7th on scale degrees 1 & 4 * Dominant 7th on scale degree 5 * Half-Diminished 7th on scale degree 2 * Diminished 7th on scale degree 7 Using Roman Numerals for Triads - Roman Numeral labels allow us to identify any seventh chord within a given key.
    [Show full text]
  • Harmonic Resources in 1980S Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Music
    HARMONIC RESOURCES IN 1980S HARD ROCK AND HEAVY METAL MUSIC A thesis submitted to the College of the Arts of Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Music Theory by Erin M. Vaughn December, 2015 Thesis written by Erin M. Vaughn B.M., The University of Akron, 2003 M.A., Kent State University, 2015 Approved by ____________________________________________ Richard O. Devore, Thesis Advisor ____________________________________________ Ralph Lorenz, Director, School of Music _____________________________________________ John R. Crawford-Spinelli, Dean, College of the Arts ii Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................... v CHAPTER I........................................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1 GOALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................................ 3 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE............................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER II..................................................................................................................................... 36 ANALYSIS OF “MASTER OF PUPPETS” ......................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Major and Minor Scales Half and Whole Steps
    Dr. Barbara Murphy University of Tennessee School of Music MAJOR AND MINOR SCALES HALF AND WHOLE STEPS: half-step - two keys (and therefore notes/pitches) that are adjacent on the piano keyboard whole-step - two keys (and therefore notes/pitches) that have another key in between chromatic half-step -- a half step written as two of the same note with different accidentals (e.g., F-F#) diatonic half-step -- a half step that uses two different note names (e.g., F#-G) chromatic half step diatonic half step SCALES: A scale is a stepwise arrangement of notes/pitches contained within an octave. Major and minor scales contain seven notes or scale degrees. A scale degree is designated by an Arabic numeral with a cap (^) which indicate the position of the note within the scale. Each scale degree has a name and solfege syllable: SCALE DEGREE NAME SOLFEGE 1 tonic do 2 supertonic re 3 mediant mi 4 subdominant fa 5 dominant sol 6 submediant la 7 leading tone ti MAJOR SCALES: A major scale is a scale that has half steps (H) between scale degrees 3-4 and 7-8 and whole steps between all other pairs of notes. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 W W H W W W H TETRACHORDS: A tetrachord is a group of four notes in a scale. There are two tetrachords in the major scale, each with the same order half- and whole-steps (W-W-H). Therefore, a tetrachord consisting of W-W-H can be the top tetrachord or the bottom tetrachord of a major scale.
    [Show full text]
  • Secondary Dominant Chords.Mus
    Secondary Dominants Chromaticism - defined by the use of pitches outside of a diatonic key * nonessential chromaticism describes the use of chromatic non-chord tones * essential chromaticism describes the use of chromatic chord tones creating altered chords Secondary Function Chords - also referred to as applied chords * most common chromatically altered chords * function to tonicize (make sound like tonic) a chord other than tonic * applied to a chord other than tonic and typically function like a dominant or leading-tone chord - secondary function chords can also be used in 2nd inversion as passing and neighbor chords - since only major or minor triads can function as tonic, only major or minor triads may be tonicized - Secondary function chords are labeled with two Roman numerals separated by a slash (/) * the first Roman numeral labels the function of the chord (i.e. V, V7, viiº, or viiº7) * the second Roman numeral labels the chord it is applied to - the tonicized chord * secondary function labels are read as V of __, or viiº of __, etc. Secondary Dominant Chords - most common type of secondardy function chords * always spelled as a major triad or Mm7 chord * used to tonicize a chord whose root is a 5th below (or 4th above) * can create stronger harmonic progressions or emphasize chords other than tonic Spelling Secondary Dominant Chords - there are three steps in spelling a secondary dominant chord * find the root of the chord to be tonicized * determine the pitch a P5 above (or P4 below) * using that pitch as the root, spell a
    [Show full text]
  • Extending Chord Selection in Diatonic Major / Minor Keys
    Extending Chord Selection in Diatonic Major / Minor Keys This chart demonstrates the full range of chords available in a given major or minor key using the technique of tonicisation (temporarily establishing an alternative tone centre within the key – a “mini-modulation” for a short duration). This technique is used extensively in Jazz and Classical music to expand the range of the major/minor system to it’s utmost. The chart below can be used to facilitate composition and reharmonisation, both in the considered and ad-hoc sense s(e.g. scoring a composition/arrangement vs spontaneous chord substitution in Jazz Improvisation). This harmonic technique can be expanded to any genre! The following classes (functions) of additional chords are used: 1. Secondary Dominants and their tritone substitutes (“V” & “bII” function) e.g. D7 (Secondary Dominant) and Ab7 (Tritone Substitute), resolving to G in key of C major 2. Secondary Supertonics (“iim7 & ii0/7” function) e.g. F#m7 to resolve to B7 to Em in key of C 3. Secondary Subdominants (“IV & iv function) also known as borrowed chords – “borrowed” from the key’s parallel major/ minor scale counterpart) e.g. Fm in key of C or F in key of C minor Scale Degree Names in Major Key Scale Degree Names in Minor Key I Tonic i Tonic ii Supertonic ii Supertonic iii Mediant bIII Mediant IV Subdominant iv/IV Subdominant V Dominant v/V Dominant vi Submediant bVI/vi Submediant bVII Subtonic vii Leading Note vii Leading Note C Major F /Fm G/Gm A/Am B/Bm C/Cm D/Dm E/Em Secondary Subdominants (IV) Dm7 Em7 F#m7 Gm7
    [Show full text]
  • Gtrbook1.Pdf
    www.guitartheoryrevolution.info Guitar Theory Revolution 2011 1 © 2011 by Cornelis Blokland www.guitartheoryrevolution.info All rights reserved Cornelis Blokland reserves the copyright for the terms: 'Five Fret Pattern' and the 'Universal Note Pattern' Mike George retains all rights to the Color and Shape Code that is depicted on page 11 of this book and that is used in all fretboard diagrams, as well as the term Color Music®. You can find out more about Color Music® at: http://mycolormusic.com Cover illustration and all diagrams created by Daniel Blokland: www.blokland.co.uk www.guitartheoryrevolution.info Guitar Theory Revolution 2011 2 Contents Introduction 6 How To Use This Book 7 Chapter 1: Learning the fretboard 1.1 Numbering the strings 8 1.2 The note names 9 1.3 Learning the notes on the fretboard 10 1.4 Colours and shapes 11 1.5 The 'Universal Note Pattern' 12 1.6 Diagrams for the notes F, G, A, B, C, D and E 13 1.7 Exercises 15 1.8 Test yourself 16 1.9 Filling in the blanks 18 1.10 Chapter summary 18 Chapter 2: The Five Fret Pattern and Intervals 2.1 Relationships and distances between notes 19 2.2 How the guitar is tuned 20 2.3 The 'Five Fret Pattern' 21 2.4 Descending Five Fret Pattern 23 2.5 Why the Five Fret Pattern is Useful 23 2.6 So what is an interval? 24 2.7 Chapter summary 25 Chapter 3: The Major and Natural Minor scale 3.1 The Major scale 26 3.2 The Natural Minor scale 28 3.3 Exercises 29 3.4 Chapter summary 31 www.guitartheoryrevolution.info Guitar Theory Revolution 2011 3 Chapter 4: The CAGED chord pattern 4.1 Major
    [Show full text]
  • Schubert's Recapitulation Scripts – Part II
    CHAPTER 4 CATEGORY 2 RECAPITULATIONS 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Mozart, Monahan, and the Crux 4.3. Beethoven and the Minimally Recomposed Category 2 4.4. Beethoven and Schubert: Labor and Grace 4.5. Repetitions of Single Referential Measures 4.6. A Summary Analysis: The Finale of D. 537 4.7. Conclusion ADD CUT 1. One alteration only, + x 1. One alteration only, - x SIZE a. Minimally different, + 1 a. Minimally different, -1 1. by repetition (at the same pitch 1. deletion of originally repeated level) material 2. by sequence (repetition at a 2. deletion of non-repeated different pitch level) material a. by repetition of multiple referential measures, en bloc (backing up) STRATEGY b. by repetition of a single referential measure (stasis) 3. by composing new material Figure 4.1. Category 2 Strategies. 151 The ways in which thematic and harmonic gestures reappear go well beyond what can be captured by the standard notions of return or recapitulation.1 Like virtually all Western music, the music of the common-practice period is characterized by formal correspondences of various kinds. Such correspondences usually do not form exact symmetries, however, even at the phrase level. This stems partly, no doubt, from distaste for too much repetition and regularity—for predictability, that is, the negative side of the symmetrical coin.2 At this very early date, Riepel could scarcely be expected to realize what he was observing; later, of course, asymmetry would set in on a much greater scale.3 If one does not perceive how a work repeats itself, the work is, almost literally, not perceptible and therefore, at the same time, not intelligible.
    [Show full text]
  • Code, Listening for Schubert's
    Volume 1, Number 4, July 1995 Copyright © 1995 Society for Music Theory David Løberg Code KEYWORDS: Schubert, doppelganger, Heine, song, analysis, key characteristics ABSTRACT: A doppelgänger is the ghostly double or wraith of a living person. This essay adopts and adapts this legend to an analysis of Franz Schubert’s song “Der Doppelgänger.” I begin by discussing ways in which the myth of the doppelgänger might relate to Schubert’s personality and other extramusical features such as affective key characteristics. Next, these constructions are mapped onto the piece itself, exploring multiple implications of motivic pitch structures and binary oppositions among chords and modalities. After tracing these features through the piece, I relate this detailed analysis to an interpretation of the text, and finally, aspects of Schubert’s personal life. [1] “Still ist die Nacht” is the opening line of an untitled poem in Heinrich Heine’s collection, Die Heimkehr. Most of us know this poem by its inclusion in Franz Schubert’s Schwanengesang.(1) Regarding Schubert’s setting of the poem, Jack Stein describes it as “painfully wrong in its interpretation of the poem.” For example, “the first stanza, which Schubert sets in a darkly atmospheric, highly charged recitative over somber chords . is in reality the innocuous opening typical of many Heine poems, revealing absolutely nothing of the emotional fireworks to come.” (Stein 1971, 89) Stein seems to be concerned that Schubert’s music prematurely gives away something of the ending, thus altering the narrative structure of Heine’s poem. I would agree that Schubert has dramatically restructured the way in which one experiences the poem, but it is pointless to chastise the musical introduction, as the poem has already been altered by Schubert’s lifting of the word “doppelgänger” from Heine’s third stanza and placing it prominently in the title.
    [Show full text]
  • Grade 5 Theory
    Grade 5 Theory Examination Length: 1 Hour Recommended Prerequisite s Questions will focus on the basic • There are no prerequisites elements of musical notation as follows: for this grade Keys and Pitch • major and minor keys up to four sharps and flats • treble and bass clefs • notes using up to four (4) ledger lines • accidentals - sharp, flat and natural and enharmonic equivalents • whole tones and semitones - diatonic and chromatic Scales • relative major and minor keys • parallel major and minor keys (tonic minor keys) • to write and identify major and minor scales - harmonic, melodic and natural form • using key signatures and/or accidentals • the tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading note and subtonic notes of these scales Intervals • to write and identify the harmonic and melodic form of perfect, major, and minor intervals within an octave, above a given note • using a key signature and/or accidentals, in major keys only Chords • write or identify triads in root position and inversions, on the tonic, subdominant and dominant notes, solid/blocked or broken form in close position, in major and minor keys • functional chord symbols, I i, IV iv, V, in root position only • root quality chord symbols, D, Dm, G, Gm, A in root position only • using a key signature and/or accidentals Grade 5 Theory Transposition • transpose a given melody up or down an octave and/or rewrite a melody at the same pitch involving a change of clef • in a major key, up to four sharps and flats Rhythm • add time signatures, bar
    [Show full text]
  • VII (The Subtonic)
    The Subtonic Chord (VII) ! ^ In minor keys, the two distinct forms of 7 in minor keys produce two distinct triads: the leading-tone is the root of a diminished triad (vii°), whereas the subtonic is the root of a major triad (VII). These two triads could not be more different, because they exhibit exactly the same tendencies as their respective roots: the leading-tone chord pulls toward the tonic, while the subtonic chord pulls away from the tonic. The most likely resolution of VII is III, because in the key of III (that is, the relative major) VII would be the dominant. For instance, the VII chord in A minor is a G-major triad, and the III chord in A minor is a C-major triad. The expected VII – III motion in A minor is identical to the typical V – I resolution in C major. (In fact, this harmonic motion is so strong and so familiar that it is easy to modulate to the relative major — sometimes even unintentionally — simply by using a subtonic chord and resolving it correctly.) If we keep this fact in mind, the doubling principle is easy to understand: do not double the third of the VII chord, because it acts like a leading- tone. When VII is in root position, it is best to double the root; when VII is in first inversion, doubling either the root or the fifth is acceptable. (Notice that doubling the root of VII is not doubling the leading-tone, it is doubling the subtonic!) VII6 will also resolve to III, just as V6 resolves to I.
    [Show full text]
  • Brain Teasers I NAME A. Major and Minor Scales and Key Signatures
    WS 46: Brain Teasers I NAME A. Major and minor scales and key signatures; scale-degree names, numbers, and syllables; parallel and relative keys. 1. Bß is ^7 in the natural form of the minor scale that has a signature of three flats. 2. C is the leading tone of the major scale that has a signature of five flats. 3. D is the mediant degree of the minor scale whose relative major has a signature of two sharps. 4. Eß is the is the subdominant degree of the major scale whose relative minor has a signature of two flats. 5. F is the submediant degree of the major scale whose relative minor has a signature of four flats. 6. G is ^7 in the natural form of the minor scale whose parallel major has a signature of three sharps. 7. A is ^4 in the minor scale whose parallel major is the relative of the minor scale that has a signature of four sharps. 8. Bß major is the full name of the scale spelled by your answers to #1-7. B. Intervals added. 9. Fƒ lies a M2 above the submediant degree of the harmonic form of the minor scale that has a signature of five sharps. 10. Gƒ lies a d4 below the subtonic of the minor scale that has a signature of one flat. 11. A lies a m7 below the mediant degree of the major scale whose relative minor has a signature of three flats. 12. B lies a M2 above the subdominant degree of the major scale whose dominant lies a m6 higher than the raised submediant of the minor scale that has a signature of three sharps.
    [Show full text]