I hope that it is not controversial to say that there are many variations/schools regarding the voice-leading principles described in Harmony textbooks, and that there is not one "correct" method for connecting chords in common practice harmony.

I am wondering if there are any comprehensive surveys that address/quantify/compare the main guidelines ("rules") that are described in different textbooks. For example, dealing with hidden octaves/fifths (whether it ranges from FORBIDDEN to acceptable under X and Y circumstances), doubling of the notes in 4-part writing, and other aspects of voice leading that are commonly addressed in textbooks.

I am aware of David Huron's Voice Leading: The Science behind a Musical Art

Are there any other papers/books that I should be looking into?

Thank you,

Néstor

1. Does the system [pre]determine the outcome of [tertian/tonal] harmonic results?

2. Is Tonnetz related to the harmonic series?

3. How do other types of triangle/stem triads work in Tonnetz charts (major, minor, diminished, augmented, suspension, M3b5) in asymmetrial combinations?  

4.  Are there other "templates" for Tonnetz that are irregular in symmetry?  

I'm curious for example how Tonnetz geometry might play out in a non symmetrical geodescic model (pentagon/hexagon combinations).  

Thank you.  

Could someone please direct me to any articles that discuss the use of implicit and explict memory with respect to how one learns to play piano (or any instrument, for that matter)?

Thanks, and stay safe,

Paula

Throughout history and in nearly every documented culture, we have evidence of a pervasive prejudice against women. In many cultures, women's participation in music making was actively discouraged, highly restricted, or simply forbidden.

This applies to public music-making.  A mother or stand-in is and has been, of course, the primary singer of lullabies to her children.  Interesting to note that this tends to be a solo performance (my wife and I sing in harmony and heterophony, in addition to monophony, to our children).  I wonder if there is any reason thus that we tend to be conditioned to hearing highest-voice melodies.  In barbershop perhaps we don't seek the same effect since the voices are male. [So, the female voice tends to be the first singing voice a person hears in their life.]

Google Forms - can't/shouldn't be used for educational purposes

Google for Education - requires an institutional subscription

Adapt - free and great but requires additional programming for audio

I have a student in Delhi who recently completed an M.A. in Hindustani classical music at Delhi University. They are interested in coming to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. Their research interest is musical aesthetics—Western as well as Indian rasa theory. People I would have recommended to them are now retired and I am not familiar with the current generation of scholars specializing in this area. Please let me know of scholars I can have them contact. 

Thank you, 

David Claman Ph.D.

2018-19 Fulbright-Nehru Scholar

University of Delhi, INDIA

Associate Professor of Music

Lehman College-CUNY

Website: http://davidclaman.com

Does anyone out there know the origin of the term "planing" in music? I first came across the technique in my undergraduate jazz studies, but later learned that scholars also use the term to describe Western art music. When you stop and think about it, "planing" is a strange term—curiously accurate if we think of notes as points, and ongoing melodic voices or vertical 'stacks' of notes as lines (horizontal and vertical, respectively), and moving stacks of notes as two-dimensional planes.    

Any help would be appreciated!

I was hoping to draw on the collective wisdom of our community to get help finding some specific repertoire for a project I've been working on. I am looking for anything from exerpts to larger pieces that utilize symmetrical, stacked canons. And by symmetrical, I mean imitation at the same interval upon each voice's entrance, either above or below the dux. An additional criteria for what I'm looking for is strict imitation in each voice. So if a melody moves by interval class 2, then the following voices would have to move not by any diatonic 2nd, but strictly ic2. So for example, after the dux (C–D), if the first comes enters a major third below (Ab–Bb) at a time delay of one beat, then the second comes must enter a major third below the previous comes (E–F#) at a time delay of one beat after the first comes. 

C – D

      Ab – Bb

               E – F#

Three voices would be most germane to what I've done so far, however I wouldn't mind looking at those which use larger stacks. I would imagine that this technique would be found mostly in the early twentieth-century Western art repertoire (Bartók, Schoenberg, Ives?), however I'm open to anything that specifically does this. If specific examples help to clarify what I'm looking for...this analysis started with Gustav Holst's Eight Canons for Equal Voices. I also see that it is used at the beginning of Szymanowski's String Quartet, Op. 37, mvt. III. Any suggestions would be helpful, and of course credit will be given where credit is due when the project is finished!

Thanks in advance,

Dustin Chau

An undergraduate student of mine is looking for theoretical writings on Hindemith's Second Piano Sonata. I've directed him to Simon Desbrulais's book-length study of Hindemith's music and theory, but I'm wondering if anyone knows of any essays devoted to the piece in question. Thanks very much!

- Andrew Schartmann (New England Conservatory)

Can anyone locate the source of the following:

"Bruckner used to say that the diminished seventh was like the Orient Express: it could take you rapidly in the most distant places" [quoted in Aldwell and Schachter. In the 2nd ed. it is on p.561]

Dr. Yosef Goldenberg

Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance

I would like to know if anybody could recommend any music theory articles that relate to the idea of “hook” vs. “glue” in chord progressions as discussed by Coker, Knapp, and Vincent in the following passage from their introduction to their 1997 jazz text-book “Hearin' the changes: Dealing with unknown tunes by ear.” I am particularly interested in finding articles (or books) that discuss this topic in the context of music other than jazz but any jazz references are welcomed as well.

“There are two kinds of commonality extant in the average [jazz] tune's chord progression, and they could be referred to as "Glue" and "Hooks." "Glue" is represented by those aspects of a chord progression which are so common as to occupy approximately 60-90% of its entire length. This would include chord roots which move in the cycle (or circle) of fifths (especially the IIm7-V7-I progression and its multifarious variations and extensions) and chord roots which descend chromatically. In itself, "Glue" does little to attract interest or create excitement. It is so commonplace that it sounds virtually uneventful, mostly serving to cement chords and keys together in a logical fashion. However, the glue portions of a progression are easy to recognize by ear and easy to memorize. They are a good place to begin our study of chord progressions, and at the very least are a signal to the improviser that the progression is momentarily "idling" somewhere within the key and probably not requiring much in the way of harmonic interpretation with regard to scalar/note adjustments. The "Hook," on the other hand, is represented by those aspects of a progression that are highly significant, perhaps even the sound that distinguishes one tune from another, or enables an improviser to recognize a specific tune (perhaps the only tune) which utilizes that sound. "Hooks" offer contrast to the more 'vanilla' "Glue," and exist in much smaller quantity, perhaps only 1-3 "Hooks" in the entire progression. They are generally unexpected surprises of a dramatic, inspiring sort. Some of the possibilities for a "Hook" are unusual root motion, unusual chord-types, an unexpected chord resolution, or a sudden modulation to a remote key. A progression made entirely of "Glue" would probably be dull, placing a heavy burden on the quality of the given or improvised melody. A progression having nothing but "Hooks" would risk sounding illogical, fragmented, weird, harsh, aimless and, believe it or not, dull because of the sameness of its unpredictability. So the most successful/popular progressions will be mostly "Glue" (60-90%), but with at least one well chosen "Hook." The wise improviser· will use the Hooks as emotional, dramatic peaks in his/her solo, well worth expounding upon, being more relaxed and conversational during the "Glue." It is comforting to discover that even specific "Hooks," though less commonplace than "Glue," generally exist in a substantial number of tunes. For example, a modulation to a new key that is a major third above the first key (as in the key of C to the key of E) is a dramatic-sounding modulation (a "Hook"). Yet songwriters, recognizing that dramatic effect, have continued to write many songs which utilize that particular modulation.”

Best,

Ivan

===============

Ivan Jimenez, PhD

Music Theory and Composition

Visiting Researcher

Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts

Helsinki, Finland

http://www.uniarts.fi/mystery-of-harmony

http://www.ivansamples.com/Home.php

Does anyone out there know the origin of the term "planing?" I first came across the technique in jazz studies, but later learned that scholars also use the term to describe Western art music.   

Any help would be appreciated!

I'd greatly appreciate any leads you might offer.

My name is Jordana Qi and I am a senior at Washington College in Chestertown, MD, majoring in psychology and music. For my senior capstone, I am conducting a study on the effect of assistive music technology on visually impaired musicians' self-esteem. So, if you have music or performing arts experience and are visually impaired, or have students who fit this description and would be interested, this survey is for you! The survey is linked below. https://washcoll.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cTmAhpEU3VtXOlL

I am also seeking a handful of interviewees if you (or they) would like to further discuss experiences learning music with assistive technology. Please contact me at jqi2@washcoll.edu with any further questions.Thank you!

Jordana Qi

Washington College Class of 2018

(edit to add—I'm not asking about online courses!)

C  D     E     F  G  A   B   C

C   Bb  Ab  G  F  Eb Db C

Obviously just an exact inversion, a reordered Ab major scale, a phrygian mode in retrograde.  Since the scales have the same interval content obviously a functional compositional relationship between C major and Ab major and the modal variants exists.  Although I am actively examining these relationships I would appreciate any feedback or comments on the mirror scale's properties or usage.  Thanks

I am looking for an assessment tool that measures a listener's description of the emotional, structural, psychophysical and/or contextual (ecological) aspects of a musical piece that account for his/her liking the piece.  I have found a few tools like the Music Experiences Questionnaire, the Motives for Listening to Music Questionnaire (MLMQ) and the Short Test of Music Preferences, though none are exactly what I'm looking for.