Unakceptable_views (@Unakceptabke_views)

The ‘Devilish’ Mathematics of Heavy Metal Chords “Have you ever wondered how heavy metal turns math into musical mayhem? Well, as a guitar player, let me tell you, this has a lot to do with note combinations and tonal intervals. So, when talking about the mathematics of heavy metal, the tritone (aka Devil’s Interval) immediately piques my interest. In fact, the tritone is one of the most intriguing note combinations, and it has been turning heads in the world of music for quite a while. It's time to take a walk down the “Diabolus in Musica” memory lane. _____________ Backdrop to the Devil’s tone Before the advent of the Baroque, music was predominantly monophonic (tackling one note at a time) and adhered to the standard harmonics as designed by ancient music scholars. The tritone has its roots in ancient Greece. Pythagoras believed that this interval was an essential part of music theory. The Greek mathematician is known for having introduced the notions of consonance: harmony between two (or more) tones causing a pleasing sound; and dissonance (a combination of two (or more) tones resulting in a displeasing sound). He called these intervals “pure” or perfect consonances because they were based on ratios of small integers such as 1/2 or 2/3. Other intervals were considered imperfect consonances because they were based on ratios of large integers like 5/6 or 9/8—they weren’t quite so simple to calculate. Then came the Middle Ages and the sunset of the pagan gods. God became a single universal entity. Hence, if God was undivided “harmony,” the Devil was in the intervals of “dissonance.” Musical theorists of the time wished to create celestial harmonies representing heaven’s flawless harmony while producing consonant and pleasing sounds. Thus, we can imagine how the Catholic Church may have turned its back on the tritone, prompting some composers to exercise caution and refrain from incorporating it into their liturgical compositions. “The prime interval requiring resolution is the tritone — an augmented 4th or diminished 5th. Known in the early church as the “Devil’s interval,” tritones were actually prohibited in official church music.” ~ The Devil’s Interval by Jerry Tachoir in The Percussive Arts Society. In my view, as is often the case with any form of censorship, this likely had the unintended consequence of stimulating composers’ creativity. Today, there’s still a lot of debate about the religious predicaments of this musical interval. Even if we can’t really place where and when the expression “diabolus in musica” originated, it seems to date back to the beginning of the 18th century. ______________ The tritone in music and pop culture So what happened to the tritone? Over time, it became associated with evil because many composers used it in their compositions as a disruptive musical interval to introduce a sinister event or produce a feeling of dismay. For example, the tritone was often used as a “suspension” when a composer wanted to create tension and suspense. Suspensions are chords that have two dissonant notes separated by a consonant note. ___________ The tritone is present in many cultures worldwide The tritone is heard in many cultures, including Indian classical music, Hungarian folk music, and the music of Azerbaijan. Western European tonal harmony from 1600 to 1900 often appears in cadences or pre-dominant seventh chords. We also find examples in non-harmonic tones of near-diatonic scales, such as Lydian mode melodies, where it creates an indeterminate tone that can resolve onto any scale degree. The tritone has been used in film scores from time immemorial—from James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein onwards—often for scenes of violence or fear, for example, Bernard Herrmann’s score for Psycho, Leonard Bernstein’s “Maria” from West Side Story or references in several episodes of The Simpsons. _________ The tritone in heavy metal music Alternative music genres like heavy metal often were inspired by this interval because it was traditionally popularized as an “avoid chord” when composing music. In heavy metal music, the tritone has been used by many bands throughout the years to create a dark atmosphere in their songs. This can be done using chords based on the tritone or melodies that include notes from this interval. The tritone is often used in riffs and solos to create tension and to build up suspense before releasing this tension with other notes or chords in the song’s melody line. This creates a dramatic effect that can make listeners anxious or excited about what’s coming next. Jimmi Hendrix’s first interval in “Purple Haze” is a classic example of that “dramatic effect” and how the use of tritone can entice the audience to an immersive musical experience with somewhat psychedelic nuances. The tritone can be found in many different heavy metal riffs, namely in the following songs from some of the genre’s most renowned bands: Black Sabbath — “Black Sabbath” Metallica — “Enter Sandman” Deep Purple — “Smoke on the Water” Marilyn Manson — “The Beautiful People”. _____________ How to tame the Devil’s interval Let me break it down for you. A tritone is a dissonant interval spanning 3 whole steps or 6 half steps. Depending on the context, it can be described as either an augmented 4th or a diminished 5th. The goal here is to play two notes simultaneously that are three tones apart. An example of a tritone can be found between the notes F and B. […] The tritone effect and its unique sonority will convey an unsettling feeling of disquiet to the listener, and that’s the reason why the tritone “needs” to be resolved. This brings us to the ultimate question on your mind right now. ____________ How can I resolve a tritone? First, I’d like to clarify that to resolve a tritone, we have to look at the context within a musical progression. Resolving a tritone typically involves adjusting the notes involved to create a more stable and consonant sound. Here are some ways to resolve a tritone: Tritone resolution to a diminished chord: This can be used to create a sense of tension and suspense. For example, in the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves,” the tritone in the G7 chord resolves to a D♭m7 chord, which then resolves to the tonic chord (Cm7). Tritone resolution to an augmented chord: This can be used to create a sense of dissonance and surprise. For example, in the Beatles song “A Day in the Life,” the tritone in the E7 chord resolves to an F♯aug triad. Tritone resolution to a polychord: This can be used to create a more complex and nuanced sound. For example, in the Stravinsky ballet “The Rite of Spring,” the tritone in the G7 chord resolves to a polychord consisting of a G7 chord and a D♭m7 chord.” […] https://archive.is/UBvVO The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze (Official Audio) (2:52) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WGoDaYjdfSg&pp=ygU1VGhlIEppbWkgSGVuZHJpeCBFeHBlcmllbmNlIOKAlCBQdXJwbGUgSGF6ZSB8IFlvdVR1YmU%3D Metallica: Enter Sandman (Official Music Video) (5:30) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CD-E-LDc384