Compendium Of Music on Superphysics

The 2 Affections of Sound

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The object of Music is Sound.

Its effect is to:

please us
move various emotions in us

But songs can be diverse, at once sad and delightful.

This is why the elegiac poets and tragedians are more pleasing the more they stir grief in us.

The 2 Affections of Sound

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Time in sounds is calculated through:

equal parts, which are most easily perceived by the senses according to previous article 4 or
parts that are in duple (2:1) or triple (3:1) ratio are the most easily sensed and distinguished by hearing and practice (accrodng to article 5 and 6).

Suppose someone tries to sing evenly spaced notes, placing a note every fifth unit (e.g., 5, 10, 15…), they will find it difficult.

The Number or Time to be observed in Sounds

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Time, in Sounds, should consist of equal Parts because such are the most easily of all others perceived by the sence, (according to the fourth Præconsiderable:) or of Parts which are in a double or triple proportion, nor is there any further progression allowable; because such are of all others the most easily distinguished by the ear, (according to the fifth and sixth Præconsiderables.) For, if the measures were more unequall, the Hearing could not apprehend their differences without labour and trouble, as experience witnesseth: For, if against one note we should place (for instance) five equall ones; it could not be sung without extream difficulty.

The Diversity of Sounds, concerning Acute and Grave

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

This has 3 ways:

Sounds which are emitted at once and together from diverse bodies
Those which are emitted successively from the same voyce;
in those which are emitted successively from divers voyces, or sonorous bodies

From the first manner, arise Consonancies: from the second, Degrees: from the third, Dissonancies, which come nearer to Consonancies. Where it is manifest that in Consonancies the Diversity of Sounds ought to be lesse, than in Degrees; because that would more tire, and disgust the Hearing…

Consonancies

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

I observe:

A Unison is not a Consonance because therein is no Difference of Sounds, as to Acute and Grave.

But that it bears the same relation to Consonances, that Unity doth to Numbers.

An Eighth

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

That this is the first of all Consonances, and that which is the most easily perceived by the Hearing after an Unison, is manifest from the Premises, and also comprobated by experiment in Pipes: which, when blown with a breath stronger than ordinary, instantly yield a sound more Acute one Eighth. Nor is there any reason, why that sound should immediately arise to an Eighth, rather than to a Fifth, or any other Note; unlesse because an Eighth is the first of all Consonances, and that which is the least different from an Unison. From whence, we conceive, it doth also follow, that no sound can be heard, but it seems in some sort to refound in the ear more Acute an Eighth: and that this is also the cause, why in a Lute to the greater strings, which give Graver sounds, other smaller strings more Acute one Eighth are consociated, which are alwayes percuffed at the same instant, and so effect that the Graver sounds are heard more distinctly. Whence it is manifest, that no sound which shall be consonant to one Term of an Eighth, can be dissonant to any other Term of the same Eighth.

Degrees, or Tones Musicall

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

A COMPENDIUM (Page 20)

We answer, that, from this Instance, our Assertion is rather confirmed, than infirmed.

An Eighth is so set because it comprehends an Unison in it self.

A Fourth

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

THis, of all Consonances, is the most unhappy; nor is it ever used in Tunes, unless by Accident, and with the assistance of others: not that it is more imperfect than a Third Minor, or a Sixth, but that it approacheth the nature of a Fifth so neerly, that the grace of this is drowned in the sweetnesse of that. To the understanding of which, we are to note, that a Fifth is never heard in Musick, but that, in some sort, an acuter Fourth is withall advertised…

A Ditone, a Third Minor, and Sixths.

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

By the same way will it be conceived, if any say that a sound doth strike the ears with many percussions or verberations, and that by so much the more swiftly, by how much the more acute the sound is; for then, that the sound AB may arrive at the requisite Uniformity with the sound CD, it ought to strike the ears with only five touches or verberations, while CD strikes only once: but the sound Cf will not so soone returne to an Unifonance…

Degrees, or Tones Musicall

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

For 2 causes chiefly are Degrees required in Musick;

1 That by their assistance a Transition may be made from one Consonance to another, which cannot, so conveniently, be effected by Consonances themselves with Variety, the most gratefull thing in Musick:

Degrees, or Tones Musicall

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The reason of composing

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

It follows that the composition of Music has 3 axioms.

All sounds which are emitted together, may be distant each from other, in any Consonance, except a Fourth, which lowest ought not to be heard, i.e. against a Basse.

Modes

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Frequent it is among Practitioners to treat of these Modes, and what they are, all well know; therefore would it be superfluous here to insist thereon: wee shall observe only, that they have their originall from hence, that an Eighth is not divided into equall Degrees, for one while a Tone, another while a Semitone…