SpiralProgressions

Magic spiral for three voices (basic)

If you're on:	For downward spiral, move thus:	For upward spiral:
5th	up 2 dieses	up 3 dieses
3rd	stay	down 2 dieses
root	down 3 dieses	stay

1. Decide on downward (C-E-G#-B#) or upward (C-Ab-Fb-Dbb) root movement. We found downward easier almost every time.
2. Sing a just major triad (4:5:6), any inversion, open or closed spacing. Tune and match vowel to lowest voice.
3. Move in accordance with the chart. Since two people are moving each time, make eye contact to synchronize the change.

After three moves, you will have the same triad one diesis up or down. Keep going if you can!

recording on [u]: magic spiral basic (andrew jacob ryan) 5_11_07.mp3

Explanation

Descending diesis spiral progression in meantone temperament notation.

This progression plays with the 5-limit diesis 128/125. Each chord change effectively modulates upward or downward by a major third (5/4).

When played in a meantone temperament that does not temper out 128/125 such as 31edo, stacking three major thirds does not make it close up into an octave, but instead exceeds the octave by one diesis. In 12edo, however, three major thirds closes up into an octave, and so every third chord in the progression is enharmonic.