Javanese Pélog Tunings Reconsidered

Rahn, Jay

doi:10.2307/767348

Cited by 12 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Consider the Gamelan pelog scale, variations of which account for over two thirds of cluster p. Pelog scales rarely contain imperfect fifths. A crude approximation of the pelog scale reduces it to intervals on a 9-tet scale (61). This scale is composed of 5 small intervals (average size 133 cents) and 2 large intervals (average size 267 cents).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-cultural data shows musical scales evolved to maximise imperfect fifths

McBride¹,

Tlusty²

2019

Preprint

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Musical scales are used in cultures throughout the world, but the question as to how they evolved remains open. Some suggest that scales based on the harmonic series are inherently pleasant, while others propose that scales are chosen that are easy to sing, hear and reproduce accurately. However, testing these theories has been hindered by the sparseness of empirical evidence. Here, to enable such examination, we assimilate data from diverse ethnomusicological sources into a cross-cultural database of scales. We generate populations of scales based on proposed and alternative theories and assess their similarity to empirical distributions from the database. Most scales can be explained as tending to include intervals roughly corresponding to perfect fifths ("imperfect fifths"), and packing arguments explain the salient features of the distributions. Scales are also preferred if their intervals are compressible, which could facilitate efficient communication and memory of melodies. While no single theory can explain all scales, which appear to evolve according to different selection pressures, the simplest harmonicity-based, imperfect-fifths packing model best fits the empirical data.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-cultural data shows musical scales evolved to maximise imperfect fifths

McBride¹,

Tlusty²

2019

Preprint

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“…We wonder whether this societal difference would persist if we were to only compare measured scales from societies, since theory scales will certainly exhibit intonation variability when performed. In the literature, Western scholars often discuss variation in intonation in societies that lack mathematical musical theory as being an intentional form of expression [64,68,[138][139][140][141], whereas studies of classical musics typically investigate to which theoretical tuning system the musicians conform [13,123,126,127]. Ultimately, it is difficult to intuit the differences between societies, since there are only a few cross-cultural studies of interval discrimination [142,143].…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Convergent evolution in a large cross-cultural database of musical scales

McBride,

Passmore,

Tlusty

2023

PLoS ONE

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Scales, sets of discrete pitches that form the basis of melodies, are thought to be one of the most universal hallmarks of music. But we know relatively little about cross-cultural diversity of scales or how they evolved. To remedy this, we assemble a cross-cultural database (Database of Musical Scales: DaMuSc) of scale data, collected over the past century by various ethnomusicologists. Statistical analyses of the data highlight that certain intervals (e.g., the octave, fifth, second) are used frequently across cultures. Despite some diversity among scales, it is the similarities across societies which are most striking: step intervals are restricted to 100-400 cents; most scales are found close to equidistant 5- and 7-note scales. We discuss potential mechanisms of variation and selection in the evolution of scales, and how the assembled data may be used to examine the root causes of convergent evolution.

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“…Sugree et al (1997) reported fundamental-frequency measurements for 35 “bands,” that is, instrumental ensembles. Like Somchai (1973), theirs is one of the most extensive studies of tuning for Thai classical music, comparable in its scope to the path-breaking account of Central Javanese tuning by Surjodiningrat, Sudarjana, and Susanto (1972) that has been a basis for several further studies: for example, Dowling (1978), Rahn (1978), Carterette and Kendall (1994), Braun (2002), Sethares (2005), and Rahn (2016).…”

Section: Measurements Included In the Present Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“Equiheptatonic” Tuning in Thai Classical Music: Strict Propriety and Step Sizes

Rahn

2019

Music & Science

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Tunings of Thai classical music have been a source of disagreement during the past century. Focusing on 28 ensembles, the present study analyzes ways in which the intervals they produce can be formulated so that they are both falsifiable and verifiable. Of these, a model that corresponds to Rothenberg's formulation of strict propriety excels among pairs of tones that span different numbers of scale degrees. According to Rothenberg's model of strict propriety, intervals that span fewer scale degrees are smaller than intervals that span more scale degrees. Further, according to a formulation of clear patterning among intervals that span precisely two scale degrees (i.e., a single step), there is no clear pattern of one-step intervals unless all the instances of at least one interval that spans two particular consecutive scale degrees are smaller and/ or larger than all the instances of all the other intervals that span two consecutive scale degrees. Among the 28 ensembles, single-step intervals tend to constitute chains that overlap in size rather than a clear pattern of small and large intervals.

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Javanese Pélog Tunings Reconsidered

Cited by 12 publications

References 3 publications

Cross-cultural data shows musical scales evolved to maximise imperfect fifths

Cross-cultural data shows musical scales evolved to maximise imperfect fifths

Convergent evolution in a large cross-cultural database of musical scales

“Equiheptatonic” Tuning in Thai Classical Music: Strict Propriety and Step Sizes

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