|
Research->Genre Study->Ethnic Music->Traditional
Chinese Music
|
|
|
What is ethnic music? What element distinguishes an
ethnic music style from other ethnic music styles? For example, what
is the difference between Okinawa music and Scotland music? I think
elements of music are (1) melody (scale), (2 ) chord, (3) rhythm,
and (4) instruments.
First, let's think about melody. Rock and Blues are easy examples,
even though they are not ethnic music. Rock uses normal music scale
while Blues includes blue-notes in its music scale. Next, think
about chords. Rock uses simple chords (triad) while Jazz includes
7th in its chords. Chord progression of Jazz is more complicated
than that of Rock as well. For rhythm, Rock uses 8 beat, Fusion uses
16 beat, Jazz uses 4 beat. Finally, think about musical instruments.
It is easy to see differences between Classical music and Rock
music. Especially, musical instruments are important elements of
ethnic music, since each country has different music instruments.
I am trying to capture features of each ethnic music style based on
this idea, and to reproduce them with automated composing system.
This page includes considerations that I faced when I embedded
functions of ethnic music composition.
|
|
|
|
|
About Traditional Chinese Music
|
| Traditional Chinese Music varies with time and region.Therefore, it is impossible to say what Chinese Traditional is, in one word. However, Automated Composing System captures its features as follows. First, Music scale is
penta-tonic and "C", "D", "E", "G", "A" are used.These notes are played by flutes and strings. Automated Composing System uses "Fifth Saw Wave" for strings and "Music Box" for Chinese Koto. "Fifth Saw Wave" includes 5th pitch a lot, and it makes more Chinese-like sound. "Koto" is used for harmony section. Sequence of 8th notes also makes more Chinese-like sound. There are a lot of Rhythm patterns in Traditional Chinese Music, but most characteristic of rhythm section is Chinese Cymbal. So, Automated Composing System put Chinese Cymbal at the begining of every measure.
|
| Sample by Automated Composing System
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scale
|
| Penta-tonic without half pitches "C", "D", "E", "G", "A"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
