Physics 288/489: THE PHYSICS OF MUSIC Fall, 2004
Lecture 9 (10/5)
The mathematics of the western 12-tone scale. Pythagorean, mean, and just tempered scales. Equal tempered scales as a "democratic" compromise to ensure good intervals for any tonic key. The triad (tonic, third, fifth) and the diatonic scale. Major and minor scales.
Lecture notes on equal-tempered major/minor scales and triads
Reading: Hall Chap 7, 18
Music Played:
http://home.no.net/wimkamp/instruments/Harpsichord/harpsichord.html
Fun examples of harpsichord tuned to different temperments
Examples of 10- and 5- tone splitting of octaves (we played 10_fantasy.mp3) , and also a nice clip of Fokker's 31-tone piece "Sevenths in the Tatra Mountains," featuring the perfect 7th found in the 31-tone scale.
Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 1st movement, 4th movement
The Beatles, Girl