User:Grady/Harmonic similarity: Difference between revisions

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In fact, this correlation in scale degree quality between modes of similar brightness levels is effectively only due to the special case where the period of the [[MOS scale]] in question is an octave and the generator is a tritave, as is the case for the diatonic and pentatonic scales. If the generator is any other interval, the new "bright" scale degrees introduced as you ascend the modal brightness order have little harmonic similarity to each other, and the old "dark" scale degrees that get removed also have little harmonic similarity to each other, and furthermore, the scale degrees within the scale at any given time have little harmonic similarity to each other, which means that traversing the modal brightness order doesn't result in a cohesive shift in emotional character in the same way. This certainly aligns with my experiences comparing different modes of xenharmonic MOS scales, where the brightest and darkest modes don't really feel very distinct in character from each other compared to, say, Lydian and Locrian, but it's unclear how much of this is due to the implications of the harmonic similarity theory versus simply cultural conditioning.

=== Attitudes toward microtonal music ===

Microtonal music is often polarizing for the average Western listener, with many finding microtonal intervals jarring or strange to listen to. Although this is usually dismissed purely as cultural conditioning, there could also be another aspect at play here. I believe harmonic similarity could be the key behind why so many Western listeners have such an immediate reaction to hearing a microtonal interval.

Because 12edo has a perfectly tuned octave and near-perfectly tuned tritave, if any given interval is well approximated by the tuning system, then all the intervals that are harmonically similar to that interval will also be well approximated. Conversely, if an interval falls well outside of the tuning system, for example the [[7/4|subminor seventh]], then all the intervals that are harmonically similar to that interval, such as the [[7/6|subminor third]], will fall well outside of the tuning system as well. Because of this, not only do Western listeners not become acclimated to the subminor seventh itself, but they also don't become acclimated to other intervals that are similar in character, like the subminor third. If Western listeners regularly heard the subminor third but not the subminor seventh (which would be the case if [[9edo]] was the dominant tuning system instead, for example), then they might not find the subminor seventh as jarring, since they'd already be very familiar with a similar interval.

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 In fact, this correlation in scale degree quality between modes of similar brightness levels is effectively only due to the special case where the period of the [[MOS scale]] in question is an octave and the generator is a tritave, as is the case for the diatonic and pentatonic scales. If the generator is any other interval, the new "bright" scale degrees introduced as you ascend the modal brightness order have little harmonic similarity to each other, and the old "dark" scale degrees that get removed also have little harmonic similarity to each other, and furthermore, the scale degrees within the scale at any given time have little harmonic similarity to each other, which means that traversing the modal brightness order doesn't result in a cohesive shift in emotional character in the same way. This certainly aligns with my experiences comparing different modes of xenharmonic MOS scales, where the brightest and darkest modes don't really feel very distinct in character from each other compared to, say, Lydian and Locrian, but it's unclear how much of this is due to the implications of the harmonic similarity theory versus simply cultural conditioning.
+=== Attitudes toward microtonal music ===
+Microtonal music is often polarizing for the average Western listener, with many finding microtonal intervals jarring or strange to listen to. Although this is usually dismissed purely as cultural conditioning, there could also be another aspect at play here. I believe harmonic similarity could be the key behind why so many Western listeners have such an immediate reaction to hearing a microtonal interval.
+Because 12edo has a perfectly tuned octave and near-perfectly tuned tritave, if any given interval is well approximated by the tuning system, then all the intervals that are harmonically similar to that interval will also be well approximated. Conversely, if an interval falls well outside of the tuning system, for example the [[7/4|subminor seventh]], then all the intervals that are harmonically similar to that interval, such as the [[7/6|subminor third]], will fall well outside of the tuning system as well. Because of this, not only do Western listeners not become acclimated to the subminor seventh itself, but they also don't become acclimated to other intervals that are similar in character, like the subminor third. If Western listeners regularly heard the subminor third but not the subminor seventh (which would be the case if [[9edo]] was the dominant tuning system instead, for example), then they might not find the subminor seventh as jarring, since they'd already be very familiar with a similar interval.