User:Aura/Aura's Ideas on Functional Harmony (Part 1): Difference between revisions
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Found a better follow-up to a sycophant chord that stays in key. |
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'''Antipodism''' - Notes that are either opposite in pitch hue or nearly so due to being approximately half an octave away from the starting point are harmonically opposed to the starting point. Non-tonic notes related through this process tend to have the opposite function relative to the Tonic. For the notes related to the Tonic by this process, see Antitonic below. | '''Antipodism''' - Notes that are either opposite in pitch hue or nearly so due to being approximately half an octave away from the starting point are harmonically opposed to the starting point. Non-tonic notes related through this process tend to have the opposite function relative to the Tonic. For the notes related to the Tonic by this process, see Antitonic below. | ||
'''Preparation''' - Notes that "prepare the way" for either a Dominant or a Serviant through any of the above operations, or through some other mechanism, relate to said notes by this process. Functions which have this kind of role relative are denoted with a "pre-" prefix here. | '''Preparation''' - Notes that "prepare the way" for either a Dominant or a Serviant through any of the above operations, or through some other mechanism, relate to said notes by this process. Functions which have this kind of role relative to some other function are denoted with a "pre-" prefix here. | ||
'''Detempering''' - When the comma or subchroma that separates a note from one of the three primary functions is not tempered out, it results in the appearance of notes with either similar functions to the Dominant or Serviant, or, in the case of this function being applied to the Tonic, a Nontonic function similar to one of the Chromatic functions. Often, though not always, these notes fall within the uncanny valleys of the three primary functions. | '''Detempering''' - When the comma or subchroma that separates a note from one of the three primary functions is not tempered out, it results in the appearance of notes with either similar functions to the Dominant or Serviant, or, in the case of this function being applied to the Tonic, a Nontonic function similar to one of the Chromatic functions. Often, though not always, these notes fall within the uncanny valleys of the three primary functions. | ||
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The exact outcome and specific function of any given Antitonic depends on whether or not the interval in question is an augmented fourth or a diminished fifth. | The exact outcome and specific function of any given Antitonic depends on whether or not the interval in question is an augmented fourth or a diminished fifth. | ||
'''Sycophant''' - | '''Sycophant''' - This type of Antitonic is mapped to both 3\7 and 12\24, and is named as such on account of it having a tendency to "kiss up to" and tonicize the Dominant- that is, to cause the Dominant to become a new Tonic- unless followed up by a different note such as some type of Mediant. A prototypical example of this type of Antitonic is 45/32. | ||
'''Tyrant''' - | '''Tyrant''' - This type of Antitonic is mapped to both 4\7 and 12\24, and it tends to contrast with the Tonic in a manner somewhat akin to that of a Dominant, but by sheer brute force and contrary harmonic nature, and indeed these brute force Dominant-esque tendencies are the source of the name "Tyrant". For example, if the Tonic harmony is Minor in nature, the Antitonic harmony will be Major- or more rarely, Supermajor- in nature. Furthermore, in scales such as the Locrian scale, any type of Serviant harmony tends to resolve towards some other type of substitute for a Dominant, often bypassing this type of Antitonic, though on rare occasions, a Tyrant will act as a leading tone to the Serviant. A prototypical example of this type of Antitonic is 64/45. | ||
== Chromatic Functions == | == Chromatic Functions == | ||
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However, in non-meantone settings, it is possible to have a chord which shares its root with the Tertiary Dominant and shares both its third and fifth with the Relative Minor. Since such an arrangement results in a wolf fifth, and since the wolf fifth is a dissonance requiring resolution, one could argue that such a chord has a function distinct from the more traditional options- specifically one which is involved in interrupted cadences, as well as in starting cadences that "wind down" such as VImin-IVmaj-Imaj or even VImin-Vmaj-Imaj. This particular function is what I call the ''Major Contramediant Tensive''. | However, in non-meantone settings, it is possible to have a chord which shares its root with the Tertiary Dominant and shares both its third and fifth with the Relative Minor. Since such an arrangement results in a wolf fifth, and since the wolf fifth is a dissonance requiring resolution, one could argue that such a chord has a function distinct from the more traditional options- specifically one which is involved in interrupted cadences, as well as in starting cadences that "wind down" such as VImin-IVmaj-Imaj or even VImin-Vmaj-Imaj. This particular function is what I call the ''Major Contramediant Tensive''. | ||
'''Primary Adpositive Purity''' - This rule is that for every chord root located one step away from either the Tonic, Dominant or Serviant along the Circle of Fifths, there is a demand for the fifth of the chord in question to be within 3.5 cents of a just 3/2, | '''Primary Adpositive Purity''' - This rule is that for every chord root located one step away from either the Tonic, Dominant or Serviant along the Circle of Fifths, there is a demand for the fifth of the chord in question to be within 3.5 cents of a just 3/2, though in the case of a chord that has a root located at two steps away from the Tonic along the along the Circle of Fifths, the fifth of the chord can be deliberately subjected to the process of Displacement as mentioned before and not run afoul of this restriction. However, chord roots that are located three or more steps away from the Tonic along the circle of fifths are not subject to the aforementioned restriction due to their distance. This means that the Tonic, Dominant, Serviant, Supertonic and Subtonic chords all demand a perfect fifth as the fifth of the chord, whether you are building the Tonality upwards or downwards, but wolf fifths can occur easily as the fifth of chords which are located three or more steps away from the Tonic. | ||
== Beyond Diatonic and Chromatic Functional Harmony == | == Beyond Diatonic and Chromatic Functional Harmony == | ||
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'''Paraserviant''' - This function is essentially the inverse of the Paradominant function, and acts as a sort of counterweight to the Paradominant relative to the Tonic. Like the Paradominant function, it typically appears along prime axes other than that of the 3-limit in which they take Serviant-like function. Thus, for example, in Bass-Up tonality, the note at 8/5 above the Tonic, being a direct prime subharmonic of the Tonic, gets to serve this function in addition to its Mesodistocontramediant function as defined by the 3-limit. When considered alongside the actual Serviant function of 4/3, however, Paraserviants take on the function of Preserviant since the Serviant function of 4/3 is stronger. | '''Paraserviant''' - This function is essentially the inverse of the Paradominant function, and acts as a sort of counterweight to the Paradominant relative to the Tonic. Like the Paradominant function, it typically appears along prime axes other than that of the 3-limit in which they take Serviant-like function. Thus, for example, in Bass-Up tonality, the note at 8/5 above the Tonic, being a direct prime subharmonic of the Tonic, gets to serve this function in addition to its Mesodistocontramediant function as defined by the 3-limit. When considered alongside the actual Serviant function of 4/3, however, Paraserviants take on the function of Preserviant since the Serviant function of 4/3 is stronger. | ||
== References == | == References == |