A Cognitive Basis for Choosing a Solmization System

Bibliographic Data

ID4390677
AuthorsGary S Karpinski (University of Massachusetts Amherst, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume27
Issue2
Publication date2021-06-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMusic Theory Online (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1067-3040 • E-ISSN: 1067-3040
PublisherSociety for Music Theory (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.30535/mto.27.2.1
OpenAlexW3214333432
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited37

This article focuses on the perception and cognition involved in music listening skills as essential criteria in selecting solmization systems. Drawing on many aural key-identification studies performed by various researchers, and on the model for music perception developed by Karpinski (".fn_cite_year($karpinski_1990).") and formalized in Karpinski (".fn_cite_year($karpinski_2000)."), it concludes that the first and most fundamental process listeners carry out while attending to the pitches of tonal music is tonic inference. In addition, a tonic is inferable without reference to a complete diatonic pitch collection. Melodies that are unambiguous with regard to their tonic might never employ all seven diatonic pitch classes, they might state those pitch classes only gradually, or they might even change the collection without changing tonic. Nonetheless, listeners are able to infer tonics quickly and dynamically under any of the above conditions. According to Butler (".fn_cite_year($butler_1992).", 119), "listeners make assessments of tonal center swiftly and apparently without conscious effort" certainly well in advance of inferring or perceiving entire diatonic pitch collections. This article examines the means through whichdo-based minor movable-dosolmization most closely models this mental process and contrasts that withla-based minor and its inherent inability to model the pitches of a musical passage until all seven of its diatonic members are explicitly stated (or at least implicitly present). This is not to say thatla-based minor is ineffective, but simply thatdo-based minor most closely reflects and represents the way listeners infer tonality

Acoustics · Active listening · Art · Cognitive psychology · Linguistics · Major and minor · Melody · Music education · Music psychology · Musical · Perception · Tonality · Visual arts · Communication · Diverse Music Education Insights · Music and Audio Processing · Neuroscience and Music Perception · Philosophy · Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access