User:Mousemambo/Workbench: Difference between revisions

Line 73:

== Xenharmonic music: An introduction to 21st century tuning systems ==

This outline of links can be used as an introductory course through the [[Main Page|Xenharmonic Wiki]] for people interested in understanding, playing or composing what's termed microtonal or [[xenharmonic music]]. Although it consists almost entirely of links to Xen Wiki and some Wikipedia articles, it's carefully ordered to guide a growing conceptual understanding for people new to the subject. The intention is to help answer the question, "Where should I begin learning about xenharmonic music?" for those who wish to go deeper than the more introductory texts provided on the Xen Wiki [[Guides]] page.

This outline of links can be used as a self-guided introductory course through the [[Main Page|Xenharmonic Wiki]] for people interested in understanding, playing or composing what's termed microtonal or [[xenharmonic music]]. Although it consists almost entirely of links to Xen Wiki and some Wikipedia articles, it's carefully ordered to guide a growing conceptual understanding for people new to the subject. The intention is to help answer the question "Where should I begin learning about xenharmonic music?" for those who wish to go deeper than the more introductory texts provided on the Xen Wiki [[Guides]] page.

This course overlaps and extends from a prerequisite of Music Theory 101, a ubiquitous first-semester college course whose material is also commonly taught to high school piano, guitar and jazz musicians. There are several excellent free online comprehensive textbooks teaching conventional Music Theory 101 ([https://musictheory.pugetsound.edu/mt21c/MusicTheory.html Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom], [https://viva.pressbooks.pub/openmusictheory/ Open Music Theory], [https://www.8notes.com/theory/ Music Theory]). If you work through one of those comprehensive courses, many of the links below to Wikipedia articles will be redundant.

Line 79:

This course begins by reintroducing some basic musicology terms but in a xenharmonic context. That may mean they have unusual definitions, or that they're explained in a way that points toward how they're understood and used in xenharmonic musicology and music. If there is corresponding English Wikipedia page, a link is provided here to help contrast the xenharmonic perspective with the one more commonly taught in conventional music theory. However, some Wikipedia pages were created with a partly or entirely xenharmonic perspective (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Regular diatonic tuning|Regular diatonic tuning]]).

This course draws a somewhat arbitrary line between "beginner" material that is included, and "intermediate" material that is not. A guideline for that distinction is that the material presented might fit within a one-semester college course. People who already have significant xenharmonic theory understanding may feel this course remains too superficial, and that much more could be added to the "Tuning system analysis and design" section [possibly a few items could be added]. Unfortunately, hardly any standard introductions to music theory go deeply enough into tuning systems and temperament to provide enough of a foundation for exploring xenharmonic music theory. Therefore, this course recapitulates many introductory topics but with a xenharmonic perspective.

This course draws a somewhat arbitrary line between "beginner" material that is included, and "intermediate" material that is not. A guideline for that distinction is that the material presented might fit within a one-semester college course. People who already have significant xenharmonic theory understanding may feel this course remains too superficial, and that much more could be added to the "Tuning system analysis and design" section (possibly a few items could be added). Unfortunately, hardly any standard introductions to music theory go deeply enough into tuning systems and temperament to provide enough of a foundation for exploring xenharmonic music theory. Therefore, this course recapitulates many introductory topics but with a xenharmonic perspective.

Some of the articles linked to by this outline start with useful introductory material but then go deeper than the level intended by this course. In these cases, readers are encouraged to use their judgement as they read to decide when a useful depth of understanding has been reached, and then return to this outline. Revisiting deeper material ~~at a~~ later ~~time~~ is always possible!

Some of the articles linked to by this outline start with useful introductory material but then go deeper than the level intended by this course. In these cases, readers are encouraged to use their judgement as they read to decide when a useful depth of understanding has been reached, and then return to this outline. Revisiting deeper material later is always possible!

There is no "listening guide" for this course but you will find links to YouTube videos that provide much of that useful experience.

=== Foundations ===

*What is [[Xenharmonic music|microtonal or xenharmonic music]]? Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:Microtonal music|Microtonal music]].

**[[Misconceptions about xenharmony]]

**[[Kyle Gann]]. [https://www.kylegann.com/AntiJI.html Combatting Anti-Just-Intonation Propaganda].

**Kyle Gann. [https://www.kylegann.com/JIreasons.html My Idiosyncratic Reasons for Using Just Intonation].

**[[What is microtonal music]]

**[[Why microtonality|Why microtonality?]] And some [[:Category:Why microtonality?|responses]].

*[[Glossary]]

*[[Interval]]. Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:Interval (music)|Interval (music)]].

Line 119:

Line 127:

**

*Articles

**[[Kyle Gann]]. [https://www.kylegann.com/tuning.html Just Intonation Explained].

**[[Kyle Gann]]. [https://www.kylegann.com/histune.html An Introduction to Historical Tunings].

**Pierre Lewis. [https://leware.net/temper/temper.htm Understanding temperaments].

**Chris Morda. [https://microtonal-guitar.com/tutorial/microtonal-guitar-tutorial-overview/ Microtonal guitar tutorial overview].

**[[Margo Schulter]]. [http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/harmony/pyth.html Pythagorean tuning and Medieval polyphony].

** [[Tall Kite]]. [https://www.tallkite.com/AlternativeTunings.html Alternative Tunings: Theory, Notation and Practice].

**[[Paul Erlich]]. [[:File:MiddlePath2015.pdf|A middle path between just intonation and the equal temperaments]].

*Videos

**... to be added

=== Tuning system analysis and design ===

Line 130:

Line 146:

**Is an EDO close enough to a popular temperament to substitute for it, e.g. [[19edo]] for [[1/3-comma meantone]].

**Has few enough pitches per [[equave]] that there's no need to select a subset for mapping to standard piano format controllers.

*[[Harmonic lattice diagram]]

*[[Tonality diamond]]. [Unfortunately, the current (2023-09-04) Xen Wiki page doesn't present the common meaning of he term, providing instead only some off-putting advanced math. It does provide a link to the [[Tonalsoft Encyclopedia]] article for [http://www.tonalsoft.com/enc/t/tonality-diamond.aspx tonality diamond], which is closer to what we really need here but needs a simpler and cohesive accompanying explanation for what it is and how its used.]

*[[Equave]]

Line 136:

Line 153:

*[[Val]]

*[[Tour of regular temperaments]]

*Notable xenharmonic tuning systems

*Notable xenharmonic tuning systems for beginners

**[[19edo]]. Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:19 equal temperament|19 equal temperament]].

**[[24edo]] (aka, quarter tone scale). Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:Quarter tone|Quarter tone]].

Line 142:

Line 159:

**[[53edo]]. Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:53 equal temperament|53 equal temperament]].

*Articles

**[[Mike Sheiman's Very Easy Scale Building From The Harmonic Series Page]]

**Siggy. A Trivial Knot (blog). [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/07/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-1-perception-of-microtones/ Xenharmonic music theory part 1: Perception of microtones], part 2: [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/13/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-2-dissonance-theory/ Dissonance Theory], part 3: [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/16/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-3-tuning-theory/ Tuning theory]

**[[Dave Keenan & Douglas Blumeyer's guide to RTT: introductions]]

**[[Mike's lectures on regular temperament theory]]

**[[Mike Sheiman's Very Easy Scale Building From The Harmonic Series Page]]

**Siggy. A Trivial Knot (blog). [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/07/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-1-perception-of-microtones/ Xenharmonic music theory part 1: Perception of microtones], part 2: [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/13/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-2-dissonance-theory/ Dissonance Theory], part 3: [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/16/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-3-tuning-theory/ Tuning theory]

**[[User:Aura/Aura's Music Theory: Introduction|Aura's Music Theory: Introduction]]

*Videos

**... to be added

=== Xenharmonic harmony ===

Line 159:

Line 178:

**Melodic arpeggiation, ostinato, and the introduction of early basso continuo accompaniment, provided composers with an opening to more sophisticated harmonic ideas in early European JI music, without the more obvious dissonance of nearby-pitched notes sounded simultaneously. The developing popularity of counterpoint in Medieval melody also encouraged considering more complex harmony.

**Subsequently, the abandonment of pure intonation for newly developed [[Wikipedia:Meantone temperament|meantone temperaments]] in European Renaissance music expanded the number of acceptably consonant intervals ([[Wikipedia:List_of_meantone_intervals|List of meantone intervals]]), while listeners also became more accepting of less pure intervals as consonant (continuing into the 20th century [[Wikipedia:Emancipation of the dissonance|Emancipation of the dissonance]]). This allowed expansion and exploration of triadic and larger harmonies. These tempered tunings also permitted key modulation on fixed-pitch instruments like piano.

**Some contemporary composers have been rediscovering the attractive tonality of pure harmony and its deeply consonant quality. ~~Those~~ familiar with the advantages of ubiquitous equal temperament may initially find that composing in just intonation is notably constrained because many intervals are unavailable due to dissonance, reducing its harmonic possibilities. However, constraints in artistic work can also inspire creative solutions. One of the charms of composing in a new tuning system is learning what works well in it, and expresses its tonality with enough beauty that the listener doesn't realize what the composer has worked to avoid. It's also worth considering that humans have composed music in just intonation for thousands of years, although nearly all of it has been lost.

**Some contemporary composers have been rediscovering the attractive tonality of pure harmony and its deeply consonant quality. People only familiar with the advantages of ubiquitous equal temperament may initially find that composing in just intonation is notably constrained because many intervals are unavailable due to dissonance, reducing its harmonic possibilities. However, constraints in artistic work can also inspire creative solutions. One of the charms of composing in a new tuning system is learning what works well in it, and expresses its tonality with enough beauty that the listener doesn't realize what the composer has worked to avoid. It's also worth considering that humans have composed music in just intonation for thousands of years, although nearly all of it has been lost.

*[[Dyadic chord]]

*Harmony in specific tunings

Line 166:

Line 185:

**[[Harmony of 23edo]]

*Articles

**Margo Schulter. Pythagorean tuning and Medieval polyphony § [http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/harmony/pyth5.html Pythagorean tuning and Gothic polyphony].

**[[User:Aura/Aura's Ideas on Functional Harmony|Aura's Ideas on Functional Harmony]]‎‎

**[[User:FloraC/Analysis on the 13-limit just intonation space: episode ii#Chapter VI. Overview on Functional Harmony|FloraC's Overview on Functional Harmony]]

*Videos

**... to be added

=== External links ===

Here are links to even more introductions to Xenharmonic music. Different people learn differently and there are many possible entries into this rich artistic and analytic world. You may find a better entry for you below.

* Articles

** [[Links#Educational websites|Links § Educational websites]]

** ... more to be added

* Videos

** Sevish. [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL65EDA7FBA5F8A3CF Learn about microtonal music]. YouTube (playlist).

** ... more to be added

==Elements of good Xenharmonic Wiki article writing==

@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 == Xenharmonic music: An introduction to 21st century tuning systems ==
-This outline of links can be used as an introductory course through the [[Main Page|Xenharmonic Wiki]] for people interested in understanding, playing or composing what's termed microtonal or [[xenharmonic music]]. Although it consists almost entirely of links to Xen Wiki and some Wikipedia articles, it's carefully ordered to guide a growing conceptual understanding for people new to the subject. The intention is to help answer the question, "Where should I begin learning about xenharmonic music?" for those who wish to go deeper than the more introductory texts provided on the Xen Wiki [[Guides]] page.
+This outline of links can be used as a self-guided introductory course through the [[Main Page|Xenharmonic Wiki]] for people interested in understanding, playing or composing what's termed microtonal or [[xenharmonic music]]. Although it consists almost entirely of links to Xen Wiki and some Wikipedia articles, it's carefully ordered to guide a growing conceptual understanding for people new to the subject. The intention is to help answer the question "Where should I begin learning about xenharmonic music?" for those who wish to go deeper than the more introductory texts provided on the Xen Wiki [[Guides]] page.
 This course overlaps and extends from a prerequisite of Music Theory 101, a ubiquitous first-semester college course whose material is also commonly taught to high school piano, guitar and jazz musicians. There are several excellent free online comprehensive textbooks teaching conventional Music Theory 101 ([https://musictheory.pugetsound.edu/mt21c/MusicTheory.html Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom], [https://viva.pressbooks.pub/openmusictheory/ Open Music Theory], [https://www.8notes.com/theory/ Music Theory]). If you work through one of those comprehensive courses, many of the links below to Wikipedia articles will be redundant.
@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 This course begins by reintroducing some basic musicology terms but in a xenharmonic context. That may mean they have unusual definitions, or that they're explained in a way that points toward how they're understood and used in xenharmonic musicology and music. If there is corresponding English Wikipedia page, a link is provided here to help contrast the xenharmonic perspective with the one more commonly taught in conventional music theory. However, some Wikipedia pages were created with a partly or entirely xenharmonic perspective (e.g. [[Wikipedia:Regular diatonic tuning|Regular diatonic tuning]]).
-This course draws a somewhat arbitrary line between "beginner" material that is included, and "intermediate" material that is not. A guideline for that distinction is that the material presented might fit within a one-semester college course. People who already have significant xenharmonic theory understanding may feel this course remains too superficial, and that much more could be added to the "Tuning system analysis and design" section [possibly a few items could be added]. Unfortunately, hardly any standard introductions to music theory go deeply enough into tuning systems and temperament to  provide enough of a foundation for exploring xenharmonic music theory. Therefore, this course recapitulates many introductory topics but with a xenharmonic perspective.
+This course draws a somewhat arbitrary line between "beginner" material that is included, and "intermediate" material that is not. A guideline for that distinction is that the material presented might fit within a one-semester college course. People who already have significant xenharmonic theory understanding may feel this course remains too superficial, and that much more could be added to the "Tuning system analysis and design" section (possibly a few items could be added). Unfortunately, hardly any standard introductions to music theory go deeply enough into tuning systems and temperament to  provide enough of a foundation for exploring xenharmonic music theory. Therefore, this course recapitulates many introductory topics but with a xenharmonic perspective.
-Some of the articles linked to by this outline start with useful introductory material but then go deeper than the level intended by this course. In these cases, readers are encouraged to use their judgement as they read to decide when a useful depth of understanding has been reached, and then return to this outline. Revisiting deeper material at a later time is always possible!
+Some of the articles linked to by this outline start with useful introductory material but then go deeper than the level intended by this course. In these cases, readers are encouraged to use their judgement as they read to decide when a useful depth of understanding has been reached, and then return to this outline. Revisiting deeper material later is always possible!
+There is no "listening guide" for this course but you will find links to YouTube videos that provide much of that useful experience.
 === Foundations ===
+*What is [[Xenharmonic music|microtonal or xenharmonic music]]? Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:Microtonal music|Microtonal music]].
+**[[Misconceptions about xenharmony]]
+**[[Kyle Gann]]. [https://www.kylegann.com/AntiJI.html Combatting Anti-Just-Intonation Propaganda].
+**Kyle Gann. [https://www.kylegann.com/JIreasons.html My Idiosyncratic Reasons for Using Just Intonation].
+**[[What is microtonal music]]
+**[[Why microtonality|Why microtonality?]] And some [[:Category:Why microtonality?|responses]].
 *[[Glossary]]
 *[[Interval]]. Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:Interval (music)|Interval (music)]].
@@ Line 119: / Line 127: @@
 **
 *Articles
+**[[Kyle Gann]]. [https://www.kylegann.com/tuning.html Just Intonation Explained].
+**[[Kyle Gann]]. [https://www.kylegann.com/histune.html An Introduction to Historical Tunings].
+**Pierre Lewis. [https://leware.net/temper/temper.htm Understanding temperaments].
+**Chris Morda. [https://microtonal-guitar.com/tutorial/microtonal-guitar-tutorial-overview/ Microtonal guitar tutorial overview].
+**[[Margo Schulter]]. [http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/harmony/pyth.html Pythagorean tuning and Medieval polyphony].
+** [[Tall Kite]]. [https://www.tallkite.com/AlternativeTunings.html Alternative Tunings: Theory, Notation and Practice].
 **[[Paul Erlich]]. [[:File:MiddlePath2015.pdf|A middle path between just intonation and the equal temperaments]].
+*Videos
+**... to be added
 === Tuning system analysis and design ===
@@ Line 130: / Line 146: @@
 **Is an EDO close enough to a popular temperament to substitute for it, e.g. [[19edo]] for [[1/3-comma meantone]].
 **Has few enough pitches per [[equave]] that there's no need to select a subset for mapping to standard piano format controllers.
+*[[Harmonic lattice diagram]]
 *[[Tonality diamond]]. [Unfortunately, the current (2023-09-04) Xen Wiki page doesn't present the common meaning of he term, providing instead only some off-putting advanced math. It does provide a link to the [[Tonalsoft Encyclopedia]] article for [http://www.tonalsoft.com/enc/t/tonality-diamond.aspx tonality diamond], which is closer to what we really need here but needs a simpler and cohesive accompanying explanation for what it is and how its used.]
 *[[Equave]]
@@ Line 136: / Line 153: @@
 *[[Val]]
 *[[Tour of regular temperaments]]
-*Notable xenharmonic tuning systems
+*Notable xenharmonic tuning systems for beginners
 **[[19edo]]. Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:19 equal temperament|19 equal temperament]].
 **[[24edo]] (aka, quarter tone scale). Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:Quarter tone|Quarter tone]].
@@ Line 142: / Line 159: @@
 **[[53edo]]. Wikipedia: [[Wikipedia:53 equal temperament|53 equal temperament]].
 *Articles
+**[[Mike Sheiman's Very Easy Scale Building From The Harmonic Series Page]]
+**Siggy. A Trivial Knot (blog). [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/07/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-1-perception-of-microtones/ Xenharmonic music theory part 1: Perception of microtones], part 2: [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/13/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-2-dissonance-theory/ Dissonance Theory], part 3: [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/16/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-3-tuning-theory/ Tuning theory]
 **[[Dave Keenan & Douglas Blumeyer's guide to RTT: introductions]]
 **[[Mike's lectures on regular temperament theory]]
-**[[Mike Sheiman's Very Easy Scale Building From The Harmonic Series Page]]
-**Siggy. A Trivial Knot (blog). [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/07/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-1-perception-of-microtones/ Xenharmonic music theory part 1: Perception of microtones], part 2: [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/13/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-2-dissonance-theory/ Dissonance Theory], part 3: [https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2022/06/16/xenharmonic-music-theory-part-3-tuning-theory/ Tuning theory]
 **[[User:Aura/Aura's Music Theory: Introduction|Aura's Music Theory: Introduction]]
+*Videos
+**... to be added
 === Xenharmonic harmony ===
@@ Line 159: / Line 178: @@
 **Melodic arpeggiation, ostinato, and the introduction of early basso continuo accompaniment, provided composers with an opening to more sophisticated harmonic ideas in early European JI music, without the more obvious dissonance of nearby-pitched notes sounded simultaneously. The developing popularity of counterpoint in Medieval melody also encouraged considering more complex harmony.
 **Subsequently, the abandonment of pure intonation for newly developed [[Wikipedia:Meantone temperament|meantone temperaments]] in European Renaissance music expanded the number of acceptably consonant intervals ([[Wikipedia:List_of_meantone_intervals|List of meantone intervals]]), while listeners also became more accepting of less pure intervals as consonant (continuing into the 20th century [[Wikipedia:Emancipation of the dissonance|Emancipation of the dissonance]]). This allowed expansion and exploration of triadic and larger harmonies. These tempered tunings also permitted key modulation on fixed-pitch instruments like piano.
-**Some contemporary composers have been rediscovering the attractive tonality of pure harmony and its deeply consonant quality. Those familiar with the advantages of ubiquitous equal temperament may initially find that composing in just intonation is notably constrained because many intervals are unavailable due to dissonance, reducing its harmonic possibilities. However, constraints in artistic work can also inspire creative solutions. One of the charms of composing in a new tuning system is learning what works well in it, and expresses its tonality with enough beauty that the listener doesn't realize what the composer has worked to avoid. It's also worth considering that humans have composed music in just intonation for thousands of years, although nearly all of it has been lost.
+**Some contemporary composers have been rediscovering the attractive tonality of pure harmony and its deeply consonant quality. People only familiar with the advantages of ubiquitous equal temperament may initially find that composing in just intonation is notably constrained because many intervals are unavailable due to dissonance, reducing its harmonic possibilities. However, constraints in artistic work can also inspire creative solutions. One of the charms of composing in a new tuning system is learning what works well in it, and expresses its tonality with enough beauty that the listener doesn't realize what the composer has worked to avoid. It's also worth considering that humans have composed music in just intonation for thousands of years, although nearly all of it has been lost.
 *[[Dyadic chord]]
 *Harmony in specific tunings
@@ Line 166: / Line 185: @@
 **[[Harmony of 23edo]]
 *Articles
+**Margo Schulter. Pythagorean tuning and Medieval polyphony § [http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/harmony/pyth5.html Pythagorean tuning and Gothic polyphony].
 **[[User:Aura/Aura's Ideas on Functional Harmony|Aura's Ideas on Functional Harmony]]‎‎
 **[[User:FloraC/Analysis on the 13-limit just intonation space: episode ii#Chapter VI. Overview on Functional Harmony|FloraC's Overview on Functional Harmony]]
+*Videos
+**... to be added
+=== External links ===
+Here are links to even more introductions to Xenharmonic music. Different people learn differently and there are many possible entries into this rich artistic and analytic world. You may find a better entry for you below.
+* Articles
+** [[Links#Educational websites|Links § Educational websites]]
+** ... more to be added
+* Videos
+** Sevish. [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL65EDA7FBA5F8A3CF Learn about microtonal music]. YouTube (playlist).
+** ... more to be added
 ==Elements of good Xenharmonic Wiki article writing==