Harmonic energy
This Soundpost is referenced in the blog post, Musical Energy: Harmony. It provides a quick, sensory-based introduction into the deep world of harmonic energy.
Most music theory in the west deals with harmony and melody, and indeed the theories of other musical cultures focus most of their attention on pitch. Pitch is a realm of culturally-specific patterns, habits, and rules, and in music deriving from western classical traditions – think jazz, rock, country, etc. – harmony is a central factor that determines musical impact, or energy. For the Sound-Energy Aggregate theory, though, it is the energy of the sonic outcome, the acoustical energy itself that is most important. Harmonic patterns and their use are incredibly important as well, especially as they relate to the intellectual energy of pattern recognition and recall, but the energy of the sound itself is the starting point for SEA theory.
A quick set of sound experiences will lay out the territory, which is simply to reckon the level of energy in a set of pitches sounding together.
Listen to the group of notes (chord) provided here, and describe its energy. Be aware that naming the chord is not the issue, simply considering the energy level is!
Listen to a second group, and describe its energy briefly.
Now compare the two: which group of notes (harmony) has the greater level of energy, the first or second group?
Let’s do the same with the simplest of harmony, the interval. Describe the energy of this interval (again, we’re not concerned with naming it.)
And another interval: describe its energy.
And again, which of the two intervals carries higher sonic energy?
The Sound-Energy Aggregate theory is concerned in the first place simply with the level of energy contributed by harmony, which is often in a state of flux as we listen, and therefore presents a changing energy flow. Of course harmony is the foundation of a great theoretical tradition, and that is important. Recognizing patterns and their implications is a source of fascination and energy for those trained in the practice. However, virtually every person who hears a series of chords experiences the energy changes, and that is an important reality addressed by the SEA theory. How an individual interprets that energy is another matter!
Return to blog post source of this Soundpost.