New Theory Explains Musical Harmony Through Physical and Computational Phenomena

A New Approach to Musical Harmony

A new theoretical framework for understanding musical harmony has been introduced, moving beyond traditional music theory's reliance on unjustified superstition and non-reasoning. This approach aims to provide a scientific explanation for how music, particularly harmony, functions.

Integrating Physical and Computational Phenomena

The core of this theory involves considering not only the physical phenomena of nature but also the computational phenomena inherent in how a machine, such as the human brain, processes and interprets sound. This dual perspective is central to its derivations.

Key Derivations of the Theory

From this integrated approach, the theory derives three fundamental aspects of music: the Major Scale, the Standard Chord Dictionary, and the distinct emotional qualities of Major and Minor Triads. While the Major Scale has been independently derived before, the derivations for the Standard Chord Dictionary and the Major/Minor Triad differences are presented as original contributions.

Critique of Previous Theories

The theory also critiques the established views on musical consonance, specifically challenging the work of 19th-century physicist Hermann Helmholtz. Helmholtz's theory suggested that notes are in "concord" if their combined sound is "less worse" than other combinations. The new theory argues this implies that a single note would be the most harmonious sound, effectively negating the phenomenon of harmony itself.

Accessibility and Impact

The author intends this article to be a significant contribution to both science and art, while also being accessible to musicians and the general public. The writing style is deliberately plain and conversational, avoiding overly formal language to ensure broader understanding of the complex topic of tonal music.