25 OCT 2017 by ideonexus
Canons and Fugues
The idea of a canon is that one single theme is played against itself. This is done by having "copies" of the theme played by the various participating voices. But there are means' ways to do this. The most straightforward of all canons is the round, such as "Three Blind Mice", "Row, Row, Row Your Boat", or " Frere Jacques". Here, the theme enters in the first voice and, after a fixed time-delay, a "copy" of it enters, in precisely the same key. After the same fixed time-delay in the second v... 1 
notes
notesBach left his Musical Offering unfinished as puzzles for King Frederick to figure out.
05 FEB 2016 by ideonexus
12 Tone Equal Temperament
On a standard piano keyboard, one octave is divided into 7 whole tones: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. In between these tones are 5 further notes which can be called either sharps or flats: A# (Bb), C# (Db), D# (Eb), F# (Gb), G# (Ab). (whether it's a sharp of a flat doesn't really matter, the note has the same frequency, just a different name). This gives us a grand total of 12 notes in one octave.
If you were to measure the frequency of a note, then measure the frequency of a note exactly one octa...Folksonomies: mathematics music
Folksonomies: mathematics music
1 05 FEB 2016 by ideonexus
The Mind on Music
For some reason that no one really understands, there is a psychological effect upon human listeners in regards to the musical scale. The tonic pitch, or tonal center is not only the mathematical center of the scale, but is the psychological center as well. Human perception of the tonic pitch in relation to the other notes of the scale gives each note of the scale, including the tonic pitch, a distinct "personality" or identity. If we were to label each note of the major scale with a number, ...21 JAN 2014 by ideonexus
Understanding is Music
Sure there is music even in the beauty, and the silent note which Cupid Strikes, far sweeter than the sound of an instrument. For there is music wherever there is harmony, order and proportion; and thus far we may maintain the music of the spheres; for those well ordered motions, and regular paces, though they give no sound unto the ear, yet to the understanding they strike a note most full of harmony. 1 notes
notesKnowledge brings us harmony everywhere.
01 APR 2013 by ideonexus
The 12-Note Octave is Too Good to be True
[Playing notes on a piano] One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven... Eight... Nine... Ten... Eleven... Twelve...
12 different pitches, and then back to where we began. Incredible! Fantastic! The mystical number 12. There are 12 hours in the A.M. and 12 hours in the P.M. The new day begins at 12 midnight. There are 12 months in a year. Both the Western and Chinese Zodiac have 12 signs. Further, the Chinese use a 12-year cycle for reckoning time. There are 12 eggs in a dozen. 12 d... 1 notes
notesThe number 12 seems so perfect, but a 12-note scale made of 3/2 ratios brings the circle around to a point a little sharper than the the next octave.
01 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Mathematics is More Popular Than Music
The fact is that there are few more 'popular' subjects than mathematics. Most people have some appreciation of mathematics, just as most people can enjoy a pleasant tune; and there are probably more people really interested in mathematics than in music. Appearances may suggest the contrary, but there are easy explanations. Music can be used to stimulate mass emotion, while mathematics cannot; and musical incapacity is recognized (no doubt rightly) as mildly discreditable, whereas most people ...Folksonomies: mathematics music
Folksonomies: mathematics music
1 notes
notesPeople can enjoy music emotionally despite not understanding it technically, more people understand mathematics a even a little technically but fear causes them to discredit their ability.
03 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
The Rigidity of Digital
Before MIDI, a musical note was a bottomless idea that transcended absolute definition. It was a way for a musician to think, or a way to teach and document music. It was a mental tool distinguishable from the music itself. Different people could make transcriptions of the same musical recording, for instance, and come up with slightly different scores.
After MIDI, a musical note was no longer just an idea, but a rigid, mandatory structure you couldn’t avoid in the aspects of life that had... 1 notes
notesMIDI as an example of how a digital version of a musical note boxed in the concept and removed us from the analog freedom of musical notes.
24 JUL 2011 by ideonexus
Mozart and Intelligence
One of the more startling findings about early enrichment is the effect of music. You can hardly pick up a newspaper without seeing some kind of reference to how Mozart makes people smarter. The governor of Georgia recently proposed spending $105,000 of state money to provide every newborn baby with a compact disc of classical music, citing its positive effects on brain development and spatial and mathematical skills. What is it about classical music that is so good for mental function, and a... 1 notes
notesWhy we suspect playing Mozart for infants will make them more intelligent.
