What is Harmony Space? Coming Soon Publications Analysing Songs Song Walker Whole Body Neurophony Embodied Cognition Photo Gallery Events Broadcast media Presentations History Related Work Guide to practical use Site Map Contact Simon Holland The Music Computing Lab |
Analysing SongsHarmony Space links fundamental concepts in tonal harmony to simple spatial concepts. Consequently it can be used to visually explore analyses that faithfully represent harmonic concepts. At the same time,When combined with whole-body interaction in the Song Walker version of Harmony Space, beginners are able to enact complex harmonic phenomena in physically simple ways. This approach affords rapid, concrete means of reasoning about and manipulating abstract musical entities and relationships by exploiting intuitions associated with bodily movement and navigation. Analyses can sound abstract on paper, but are quickly grasped when played actively using Harmony Space, given only examples of a very small number of cultural conventions. Beginners typically get the hang of playing simple songs within seconds, and many start to gain deeper insights within minutes. Example AnalysesIsn’t She Lovely - Stevie WonderPachelbel’s Canon Pachelbel's Cannon - more analytical view Heart of Gold Neil Young Sultans of Swing Dire Straits Suffragette City David Bowie Honey Pie The Beatles Scarborough Fair Traditional All the things you are - Jerome Kern Giant Steps John Coltrane Ticket to Ride The Beatles Hey Jude Miles Davis Decoy - quartal progressions Mr Blue Sky - an ingenious harmonic dorian to major modulation Spirited Away- Quartal Textures Charlie Parker Swedish Blues (Click on any image to enlarge.) Beatles SongWriting and Harmony Space |