Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup tuning Spinal Column

Dear all,

Kami Rousseau wrote:

> "How about mapping the harmonic series to the chakras?"

A specific reply relating to the individual chakras would probably be off topic, and as the
flames have just died down, I 'm not taking chances. I refer you to the end of this post for a
follow up.

There are however a number of issues pertinent to the related topics of sound and psychic
anatomy and physiology which I feel are important, relevant and ultimately of interest to
members of this list. For most of what follows I am indebted to the essential Alain Danielou's
'Introduction to the Study of Musical Scales' ( Oriental Books Reprint Corporation, New Delhi
1979 ), his 'NorthernIndian Music' (don't have the book at hand ) and to W.A. Mathieu's
'Harmonic Experience' ( Inner Traditions International Rochester, Vermont, 1997 ).

In the Indian classical tradition, every pitch relative to a tonic drone ( in otherwords,
every dyad ) carries a specific emotional charge. Furthermore, these pitches fit into five
main groups; shining or illustrious, soft, abundant, moderate and compassionate. The Indian
system is essentially 5 - limit , with 66 srutis ( notes ), of which 22 are the most
frequent. Here is a 31 note slice of the lattice:-

(-- means lower by two commas, - means lower by one comma, + means raise by a comma, ++
raise by two, n means natural).

Fsharp-- Dflat-- Aflat- Eflat- Bflat-

\ \ \ \ \

An En Bn Fsharp- Dflat-

\ \ \ \ \
Dflat- Aflat n Eflat n Bflat n Fn
Cn Gn Dn A+ E+ B+
\ \ \
\ \
B+ Fsharp n Dflat n Aflat+ Eflat+
\ \ \
\ \
D+ A++ E++ B++ Fsharp+

In ratios this gives us:-

25/18 25/24 25/16 75/64 225/128

\ \ \ \ \

5/3 5/4 5/8 45/32 135/128

\ \ \ \ \
256/243 128/81 32/27 16/9 4/3
1/1 3/2 9/8 27/16 81/64 243/128
\ \
\ \ \
256/135 64/45 16/15 8/5
6/5
\ \
\ \ \
256/225 128/75 32/25 48/25
36/25

The qualities are as follows; from 1/1 to 243/128 on the central line of fifths, the quality
is described as active (sunshine, strength, joy). >From 4/3 left to 256/243 the quality is
passive (moonlight, beauty, peace). The line above is of the quality of sensitiveness or
emotion. The prime limit 5 therefore introduces tenderness. The top line is of the quality of
great beauty. The line below the middle is described as ranging from charm and liveliness at
the 256/153 end to passion and desire at the other. The ratios on bottom line are considered
to be extremely active. Furthermore the system is closed. If you go so far in one direction,
you eventually meet the qualities of another direction.

I should point out here that these emotional tags have come about through centuries of
consensus between practicing musicians who have observed the effects of their music on their
audiences. I would personally be wary of discounting these finding - listen to Shubha Mudgal's
Monsoon Raga 'Raga Gaud Malhar". (reference on request).

A spiritual and uplifting effect is generally sought in raga and so the ++ and -- series of
intervals are rarely used as the former expresses harshnness and brutality, the latter intense
depression or sadness. The beautiful part of all this is that it is virtually impossible to
build musically useful scales in which all the notes have a similar expression. Hence the
range of emotions in raga, and in other musics.

I would like to draw two threads from this. First, I feel that it might be worthwile
exploring the correlation between the findings of the recent harmonic entropy studies and
these fields of affective sonance, in particular the otonal / utonal issues. This would be a
challenging project for my less than virtuosic mathematics.

Secondly, sound is in essence vibration. The chakras are our individual system's vertically
aligned vortexes of energy. They pick up subtle and gross vibrations from the cosmic and
physical environment, transform them and then they distribute the energy throughout our
system. A healthy system is one in which the chakras are well tuned. This implies many things,
mental and emotional stability, appropriate diet, thought, speech and action. But,
particularly at the emotional level (one of several levels of our existence according to yogic
psychic anatomy and physiology) physical sound can heal, uplift and inspire. Hence the myriad
forms of music therapy, including recreational listening. Take chanting. One technique
involves 108 ( 3 cubed times 2 squared ) recitations of a seed mantra (a syllable) intimately
related to a specific chakra. One recitation consists of timbre ( roughly, the uttered
syllable), frequency and amplitude. The presence of a drone might be provided by an instrument
or by sliding up to the syllable from an implied fundamental. The adept can achieve wonderful
results. Now, which intervals as we perceive them from a given fundamental will activate which
chakras? Much research has been done into the qualities of the various mantras, but I know of
very little relating to the intervals. Perhaps such research would uncover some of the
mysteries of music and emotional effect.

Naturally there will be sceptics who will dismiss all this and empiricists who will demand
proof. The proof can only be had by direct experience. Listen, sing, chant and find a justly
intoned instrument. It is possible that the music of great composers, in particular their
harmonic and melodic movement, hints at the resonances of pure chant and at the emotional
lattices shown earlier. This is why we are moved. Bach's music moves through harmonic and
melodic space pointing us to emotional states particularly effectively , as does Charlie
Parker's for that matter. Or try the Kyrie from Johannes Ockeghem's Missa Fors Seulement.
Grown men (and women) weep listening to this as they do to raga. It is said that as you
travel the spiritual path you are attracted to music of greater purity, which can mean many
things to many people. I believe that much of the purity of music stems from the tuning of the
music or the tuning to which the music points. This is why we all love Just Intonation (don't
we).

Finally, I have several excellent powerful daily routines for tuning and aligning the chakras
which I would be pleased to share off list by individual email. These are excellent for
improving musical awareness, poise and grace. My in progress website will have a page on
similar techniques. I would like to share the observation that some of us are more creative
in nature and we work a lot from the visuddhi (throat) chakra. Others are more intellectual
and analytical and work more from the ajna chakra (third eye). This is very beautiful. Before
I do anything important such as compose, practice, perform or post to this list, I like to
take my energy to the heart chakra, the Anahata, in which lies the pure and primal sound, and
which lies in the very centre of our seven (that prime again) principal chakras. It can also
help to keep down the flames.

Peace to everyone.

Paul Erlich wrote:

>
> --- In tuning@egroups.com, Alison Monteith <
> alison.monteith3@w...> wrote:
>
> >Furthermore the system is closed. If you go so far in one direction,
> > you eventually meet the qualities of another direction.
>
> How does that work, exactly?

One example would be that the top line of fifths extending to the right is tending towards
beauty and tenderness in quality, as is the central line of fifths at the extreme left end.
They eventually lose their usefulness as expressive intervals as qualities such as doubt,
confusion and inexpressiveness enter. I suppose also that a sort of emotional unison vector
situation is reached as the negative qualities become similar at both ends. I will try to
supply better examples when I get my notes.

>
> >
> > I should point out here that these emotional tags have come about
> through centuries of
> > consensus between practicing musicians who have observed the
> effects of their music on their
> > audiences.
>
> Are you sure? Or are you just relying on Danielou's
> word? (He had a penchant for fantasy.)

I know about Danielou's reputation. I have, however spent many years living with and learning
from Asian and particularly Gujerati Hindu musicians and yoga practitioners. I've never really
questioned the truth of what I learned as I had faith in my teachers and in their methods. But
I also know that many Indian musicians have varying opinions over tuning and over the effect
of the srutis. I was taught that if you are still enough and listen well you will hear well
and that the intention and spirit of the performer has a great bearing on the effect. This
has of course been construed as a cop-out by some critics but I find the idea of the artist
and audience seeking the highest in themselves to be most delicious. Also some music will be
confusing and some performers will play confusing music - both have their charm. Naturally I
don't mean to imply that perfectly poised raga is any better music than the best of another
idiom.

>
>
> > I would personally be wary of discounting these finding - listen to
> Shubha Mudgal's
> > Monsoon Raga 'Raga Gaud Malhar". (reference on request).
>
> Yes, please.

Let me get the original from the public library and I'll post the reference.

>
> >
> > I would like to draw two threads from this. First, I feel that it
> might be worthwile
> > exploring the correlation between the findings of the recent
> harmonic entropy studies and
> > these fields of affective sonance, in particular the otonal /
> utonal issues. This would be a
> > challenging project for my less than virtuosic mathematics.
>
> I'd love to help -- please elaborate.

Well, first I would need time to read through and fully understand the postings on harmonic
entropy. As I am not a scientist as such I can only suggest a crude method of comparing the
peaks and troughs of the harmonic entropy curves with their associated expressions and looking
for patterns. I just have a curious desire, probably as a result of following the list
discussions, to see if there are any mathematical patterns to the Hindu system. One limitation
is the 5-limit of the system, though I have a list of 66 srutis, with at least one 11 and one
13 limit interval. . If these intervals have associated qualities, perhaps things would be
more interesting. I'll trawl through my notes. 7-limit intervals are absent as far as I
remember. The use of higher primes is in the 'esoteric' department and out of my realm.
Nonetheless that doesn't stop the rest of us from discussing our subjective feelings about
intervals based on higher primes. I will post the details I have when my website is up and
running.

I also have a proposal for a general bass and treble clef notation for 22 tet. It is
incomplete in that I haven't credited your good self with the original paper and terminology.
I have attached a PICT file and an htm file. and If none of these opens I could post a
Sibelius "Scorch" file to your website that you could open with a downloaded plug-in. I'll be
putting the idea on my website as soon as along with soundfiles of guitar studies in the near
future.

>
>
> And Peace to you too.

Om Shantih

>
>
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Spinal Column

🔗Alison Monteith <alison.monteith3@which.net>

🔗Kami Rousseau <kamikulture@hotmail.com>

🔗M. Edward Borasky <znmeb@teleport.com>

🔗Alison Monteith <alison.monteith3@which.net>

🔗Paul Erlich <PERLICH@ACADIAN-ASSET.COM>

🔗Alison Monteith <alison.monteith3@which.net>