Tonal Pitch Space

by Fred Lerdahl

Building on the foundation of Lerdahl and Jackendoff's influential A Generative Theory of Tonal Music , this volume presents a multidimensional model of diatonic and chromatic spaces that quantifies listeners' intuitions of the relative distances of pitches, chords, and keys from a given tonic. The model is employed to assign prolongational structure, represent paths through the space, and compute patterns of tension and attraction as musical events unfold, thereby providing a partial basis for understanding musical narration, expectation, and expression. Conceived as both a music-theoretic treatise and a contribution to the cognitive science of music, this book will be of interest to music theorists, musicologists, composers, computer musicians, and cognitive psychologists.

Genres: Music

411 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Al Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice. Somehow denser though than a Generative Theory of Tonal Music. I lack background.