Music Theory (was Re: quick little survey for my research)

From: Steve Oldmeadow (soldmeadow@bigpond.com)
Date: Fri Feb 04 2000 - 08:01:30 MET

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    An example of a perfect 5th interval is the interval from the note C to the
    note G (basically 7 semi tones up). I can send you some stuff privately
    that explains the exact physics of why it sounds good but basically it has
    to do with the fact that a string (or column of air) vibrates at multiples
    of its fundamental frequency (called overtones) and the first overtone that
    is not the same note as the fundamental is the perfect 5th. Pythagoras
    worked all this out back in his time and it is really basic maths and wave
    theory from physics.

    There is a similar relationship to the 4th (5 semitones up) e.g. C to F.

    These intervals crop up all the time in music. The basic 12 bar blues
    progression on which so much music (including a lot of jazz) is based is (in
    C):

    C|C|C|C|C|C|C|C
    C|C|C|C|F|F|F|F
    C|C|C|C|G|G|G|G

    Jazz usually mutates the progression significantly but it is the basis of
    tonnes of old blues and rock and roll songs. If you know the theme song to
    Batman (who doesn't) then you know these intervals.

    Steve



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