User:Grady/Harmonic similarity: Difference between revisions

Line 12:

== Overview ==

Harmonic similarity is a measure of how similar in harmonic function two pitches are. This is in contrast to consonance or concordance, which is generally defined as a measure of how harmonious or stable two or more pitches sound when played together, or perhaps less commonly a measure of how much timbral fusion occurs when playing them together.

Harmonic similarity is a measure of how similar in harmonic function two pitches are, or in other words, how closely related the two pitches are to each other. This is in contrast to consonance or concordance, which is generally defined as a measure of how harmonious or stable two or more pitches sound when played together, or perhaps less commonly a measure of how much timbral fusion occurs when playing them together.

The concept of harmonic similarity is a generalization of octave equivalence: two notes that are some number of [[2/1|octaves]] apart will be considered highly harmonically similar, but there are other pairs of notes that are harmonically similar to a lesser degree, such as two notes a [[3/1|tritave]] apart.

Line 69:

=== Neutrality of the major second ===

The [[9/8|major second]] is often regarded as a dissonant interval, but it seems rather unique in that it produces auditory roughness, but doesn't necessarily feel emotionally jarring and unstable in the way something like one of the various flavors of [[tritone]] does. This is easily explained by the fact that two notes a major second apart are somewhat harmonically similar, due to being related by two factors of 3 and three factors of 2, which gives the major second a more emotionally neutral flavor than other dissonant intervals.

=== Usage of the circle of fifths ===

In Western music theory, the [[Chain of fifths|circle of fifths]] is often touted as a tool for determining which chords and keys are related to each other. The circle or chain of fifths is essentially an abstraction of the idea of harmonic similarity: it first assumes octave equivalence by implying that notes within the same pitch class can be treated as equivalent, and then denotes which pitch classes are harmonically related to each other. Chord progressions often involve successive chords whose root notes are adjacent on the chain of fifths; this is viewed as a smooth harmonic movement, which can be explained by the fact that the two root notes are harmonically similar to each other. The full theory of harmonic similarity correctly demonstrates that an even smoother harmonic movement can be achieved by moving from one chord to another chord whose root note is an octave away from that of the first, although this of course results in a change of character that's so minimal that Western music theory wouldn't even consider it to be a different chord at all.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 == Overview ==
-Harmonic similarity is a measure of how similar in harmonic function two pitches are. This is in contrast to consonance or concordance, which is generally defined as a measure of how harmonious or stable two or more pitches sound when played together, or perhaps less commonly a measure of how much timbral fusion occurs when playing them together.
+Harmonic similarity is a measure of how similar in harmonic function two pitches are, or in other words, how closely related the two pitches are to each other. This is in contrast to consonance or concordance, which is generally defined as a measure of how harmonious or stable two or more pitches sound when played together, or perhaps less commonly a measure of how much timbral fusion occurs when playing them together.
 The concept of harmonic similarity is a generalization of octave equivalence: two notes that are some number of [[2/1|octaves]] apart will be considered highly harmonically similar, but there are other pairs of notes that are harmonically similar to a lesser degree, such as two notes a [[3/1|tritave]] apart.
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 === Neutrality of the major second ===
 The [[9/8|major second]] is often regarded as a dissonant interval, but it seems rather unique in that it produces auditory roughness, but doesn't necessarily feel emotionally jarring and unstable in the way something like one of the various flavors of [[tritone]] does. This is easily explained by the fact that two notes a major second apart are somewhat harmonically similar, due to being related by two factors of 3 and three factors of 2, which gives the major second a more emotionally neutral flavor than other dissonant intervals.
+=== Usage of the circle of fifths ===
+In Western music theory, the [[Chain of fifths|circle of fifths]] is often touted as a tool for determining which chords and keys are related to each other. The circle or chain of fifths is essentially an abstraction of the idea of harmonic similarity: it first assumes octave equivalence by implying that notes within the same pitch class can be treated as equivalent, and then denotes which pitch classes are harmonically related to each other. Chord progressions often involve successive chords whose root notes are adjacent on the chain of fifths; this is viewed as a smooth harmonic movement, which can be explained by the fact that the two root notes are harmonically similar to each other. The full theory of harmonic similarity correctly demonstrates that an even smoother harmonic movement can be achieved by moving from one chord to another chord whose root note is an octave away from that of the first, although this of course results in a change of character that's so minimal that Western music theory wouldn't even consider it to be a different chord at all.