|
In the process of establishing a symbiotic coexistence between Intuition and Knowledge,
the job of Music understanding (Knowledge, Yang %75%) is to propose (solutions and help), and
the job of artistic creation (Intuition, Yin %25%) is to judge (whether to accept or not).
Intuition
Does our Intuition really need help or can it operate perfectly well all by itself? The evaluation of works in both popular
and classical repertoires exposes certain problems for which we have prepared suggestions of help.
Melo-Rhythm
Let's start with situations which are already posted and present on the site -
In  Applications/Evaluation/Analysis, you will find 3 songs,
Santa Claus is Coming To Town, Joy To The World, and Winter Wonderland,
in which we have detected Melo-Rhythm problems.
Have a look at them, send in your scores, and in a return page,
you will see what suggestions we propose for them.
In Rhythm/Preface/The Unknown Container, you will find the Bach fugue in Ebm,
for which we propose a 3/2 meter, rather than the original 4/4.
Listen to both versions and let your intuition decide which you prefer.
Other works have also been examined, but are not yet posted on the site -
In Analysis, we are preparing the following songs -
All The Things You Are by Jerome Kern, 1939
Bye, Bye, Blackbird by Ray Henderson, 1926
Diane by Erno Rapee, 1927
Edelweiss by Richard Rogers, 1959
Greensleeves, Anon
In A Little Spanish Town by Mabel Wayne, 1926
It's All Right With Me by Cole Porter, 1953
Mack The Knife by Kurt Weill, 1928
Muskrat Ramble by Kid Ory, 1926
Over The Rainbow by Harold Arlen, 1938
Tres Palabras (Without You) by Osvaldo Farres, 1942
Some classical works have also been examined -
the beginning of Fur Elise by Beethoven,
the Waltzes in Bm and Am by Chopin.
Melo-Harmony
Already present on the site -
In Analysis, you will find Joy to the World completely re-harmonized,
and part of the bridge of Winter Wonderland transposed a half-tone lower.
In Harmony/Basics/4 Strong Modes/Preface, you will find the Bach fugue in Ebm again,
this time with the second entry transposed from Bbm to Abm.
Other works have also been examined -
the beginning of the third movement of the Symphony No.9 in Em by Dvorak,
where he seems to mistake a DominantizedANTE-3 for a TONIC chord.
There are numerous cases of an ANTE-3 (dominantized or not)
acting as shadow of the DOMINANT -
in Diane by Erno Rapee,
in Muscrat Ramble by Kid Ory,
in the 2-part Invention in E by Bach,
in the Symphony No 1/First Movement by Beethoven,
in the Etude No 1 by Chopin,
in Petite Suite/En bateau by Debussy.
Melo-Lines
Changes in the Melo-Harmony often provoke changes in the Melo-Lines,
the notes themselves of the Melody -
in Analysis, the notes of Winter Wonderland
at the beginning of the bridge,
in the Bach fugue in Ebm, the notes of the Soprano and Alto-Tenor voices,
during the two central lines, bars 3-6.
Other works have also been examined for their Melo-Lines.
Back to Rhythm
It is interesting to note that almost all the problems of Melo-Harmony
as well as the problems of Melo-Lines which result from them,
are the result of poor disposition of the chords in TIME,
the chords themselves being perfectly well constructed,
but not at the right place.
In other words, the problem is one of Rhythm,
more specifically, the inability to intuitively perceive the larger levels.
More of this later.
Knowledge
What kind of Music Theory is capable of offering the help which our Intuition seems to need? We will examine the problems
encountered by Intuition in the previous section and see what is needed to help solve them.
Rhythm
The problem here is invariably the same -
the inability to intuitively perceive alternation (of Beats and Off-Beats) at large levels.
One easily feels the presence of alternation at small levels -
which  s are Beats and which are Off-beats,
because the presence of  s is quite clear;
which s are Beats and which are Off-beats,
because the presence of  s is quite clear;
and, usually, which s are Beats and which are Off-beats,
because the presence of  s is usually clear;
however, one does not always feel which s are Beats and which are Off-beats,
because the presence of  s is not always sufficiently clear,
as was the case in the Bach fugue in Ebm.
We have two solutions to offer,
a possible development of intuitive capacities,
and a source of knowledge.
1. The Footsies will enable anyone, with reasonably little effort,
to actually "feel" the larger levels, one at a time,
in the movements of the body, as they pass through the feet.
No thinking required, guaranteed, certainly worth trying.
2. The Graphics will enable anyone, again with reasonably little effort,
to "see" what has previously been felt at every level,
even showing all the levels at the same time.
Not that much thinking required here either.
Harmony
There are 3 problems here -
1. Construction of individual chords,
2. Disposition of chords in Pitch,
3. Disposition of chords in Time.
As solutions we suggest giving Muzikeco (MusicNovatory) a try, and seeing what happens.
1. Construction of individual chords
The "trick" here is changing the order in the approach -
looking at Tetrads first and Triads later.
Tetrads are built in a FRAME, composed of the rootand thefifth -
one of which is the COMMON TONE and
the other being the PROPER TONE,
with a MEDIAN note (the third) inside the FRAME, and
a MOTRIX note ( the sixth or the seventh) outside the FRAME.
2. Disposition of chords in Pitch
The "trick" here is placing the chords in the series of fifths -
in what we call the diatonic Window.
The 3 major chords are together with the tonic in the center, and
the 3 minor chords are together with the tonic in the center.
3. Disposition of chords in Time
Despite the fact that this is a question of Rhythm, usually in its larger levels,
the disposition of chords, progressions, and cadences
is clearly exposed in the Diatonic Major Mode.
The presence, and precise nature, of 2 Triads within each Tetrad
is also clearly presented on this page.
Melody
Once the Voice-leading Lines of Harmony have been clearly exposed and identified,
their role in the structure of the Melo-lines will be evident,
and of great help in composing (and correcting) melodies.
Praise of Intuition
There seems to be little doubt that, if a priority must be established between Intuition and Knowledge, Intuition must be
granted this preference, and for several reasons. Music is, above all else, an art form, and only an intuitive approach can
allow the composer (or performer, for that matter) the appropriate emotional climate. Intuition is also, in its direction,
more reliable than knowledge, as we well know by the numerous false and detrimental paths taken by the so-called "modern"
classical music in the last century. There seems to be no better solution than to consider Knowledge as Intuition's "hand-maiden",
ready to serve its master as needed, and it is the duty of Knowledge (Music understanding) to be up to the challenge of offering
the required help. MusicNovatory is proud of its role in establishing the symbiotic coexistence of Intuition and Knowledge,
which should exist in all domains, social, scientific, artistic, not only in Music.
Preface
Philosophical Dichotomies
Music Dichotomies
Melody and Development
Harmony Dichotomies
Rhythmic Containers
Cultural Habits
On to the Welcome page
Back to the Home page
|
