Research->Genre Study->Ethnic Music->Scotland
Music
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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.
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About Scotland Music
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The most characteristic of Scotland Music is Bagpipes. Although ,the sound resource of MIDI includes Bagpipe, it does not sound like a real bagpipe. In my
"Automated Composing
System," I added a short flat (b) or sharp (#) note just before each melody-note as ornament. It makes the sound more real because it simulates the sound of pushing button of bagpipe. Music scale is
penta-tonic and "C", "D", "E", "G" ,and "A" are used. Unlike the Okinawan Music Scale, it does not contain half-pitches, and sounds more brilliant. Bass notes are simple. They are just mono-tone. By playing melody and bass notes in this manner, it sounds like Scotland Music already. Then I added drums that are common to marching music. It repeats only one pattern, but it is better than nothing. I will try to improve this feature later.
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Sample by Automated Composing System
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Scale
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Penta-tonic without half pitches "C", "D", "E", "G", "A"
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Instruments
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Bagpipe, Drums (Snare Drum?),
other
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Links to related topics
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Please
visit "Scottish
Traditional Midi" page of
"Laura's MIDI Heaven!", and click
"Amazing Grace", then you will
listen to typical bagpipe music. The site
contains a lot of MIDI files.
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