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center of the system

Ramsay
"The third note of the octave scale, E, the center of the tonic chord in the key of C, is the center of the system. It is the note which has the least tendency either upward or downward, and it has immediately above it in the octave scale the note which has the greatest amount of specific gravity, F, the root of the major subdominant; and immediately beneath it the note which has the greatest amount of specific levity, D, the top of the major dominant. Thus the root of the subdominant chord and the top of the dominant are placed right above and below the center of the system, and the gravity of the one above, and the levity of the one below, causes each of them to move in the direction of the center. These tendencies are seen in the scale at whatever key it may be pitched, and by whatever names the notes may be called. And it is on account of this permanency of character of the notes that the third note of the scale, E, in the key of C, has a lower effect1 than the second, D; and that the fourth note, F, has a lower effect than either the first, second, or third; the fifth note, G, has a higher effect than the fourth, F; but the sixth, A, has a.." [scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 28]

of the major being upward, and the genesis of the minor being downward. The ascending genesis, beginning with the root of the subdominant major F, produces in the ascent a scale of notes at varying distances, and of increasing levities; the middle note, D27, being carried a little above the center of the system. The descending genesis, beginning with the top of the dominant minor B, produces in the descent a scale of notes with identical variety of distances, but with increasing gravities; the middle note, D26 2/3, being pressed a little below the center of the system, thus giving rise to these two D's - one whose genetic number is 27, the major D, and one whose genetic number is 27 2/3, the minor D - the duality of D is thus residing in itself.1 [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 43]

ANOTHER LETTER TO A PUPIL.


The System of Musical Sounds might be sketched as follows : - Three different notes having the simplest relations to each other, when combined, form a chord; and three of these chords, the one built up above the other, form the system.

Three times three are nine; this would give nine notes; but as the top of the first chord serves for the root of the second one, and the top of the second for the root of the third, in this way these three chords of three notes each are formed from seven different notes.

The middle one of these three chords is called the tonic; the chord above is called the dominant; and the chord below is called the subdominant. The order in which these three chords contribute to form the octave scale is as follows : - The first note of the scale is the root, of the tonic; the second is the top of the dominant; the third is the middle of the tonic; the fourth is the root of the subdominant; the fifth is the top of the tonic; the sixth is the middle of the subdominant; the seventh is the middle of the dominant; and the eighth, like the first, is the root of the tonic.

In the first six chords of the scale the tonic is the first of each two. The tonic chord alternating with the other two produces an order of twos, as - tonic dominant, tonic subdominant, tonic subdominant. The first three notes of the octave scale are derived from the root, the top, and the middle of the tonic dominant and tonic; the second three are derived from the root, top, and middle of the subdominant, tonic, and subdominant. The roots, tops, and middles of the chords occurring as they do produce an order of threes, as - root, top, middle; root, top, middle. The first, third, fifth, and eighth of the scale are from the tonic chord; the second and seventh from the dominant; and the fourth and sixth from the subdominant. In the first two chords of the scale the tonic precedes the dominant; in the second two, the subdominant; and in the third two the tonic again precedes the subdominant; and as the top of the subdominant chord is the root of the tonic, and the top of the tonic the root of the dominant, this links three chords together by their roots and tops. The second chord has the top of the first, the third has the root of the second, the fourth has the root of the third, the fifth has the top of the fourth, and the sixth has the root of the fifth; and in this way these successive chords are woven together. The only place of the octave scale where there are two middles of chords beside each other is at the sixth and seventh. The seventh note of the octave scale is the middle of the dominant, and the sixth is the middle of the subdominant. These two chords, though both united to the tonic, which stands between them, are not united to each other by having a note in common, inasmuch as they stand at the extremities of the system; and since they must be enabled to succeed each other in musical progression, Nature has a beautiful way of giving them a note in common by which to do so - adding the root of the subdominant to the top of the dominant, or the top of the dominant to the root of the subdominant, and this gives natural origin to compound chords. The tonic chord, being the centre one of the three chords, is connected with the other two, and may follow the dominant and dominant; and either of these chords may also follow the tonic; but when the dominant follows the subdominant, as they have no note in common, the root of the subdominant is added to the dominant chord, and this forms the dominant seventh; and when the subdominant follows the dominant, the top of the dominant is added to the subdominant, and this forms the subdominant sixth. The sixth and seventh of the octave scale is the only place these two compound chords are positively required; but from their modifying and resolvable character they are very generally used. When the dominant is compounded by having the root of the subdominant, its specific effect is considerably lower; and when the subdominant is compounded by having the top of the dominant, its specific effect is considerably higher. In the octave scale the notes of the subdominant and dominant chords are placed round the notes of the tonic chord in such a way was to give the greatest amount of contrast between their notes and the tonic notes. In the tonic chord the note which has the greatest amount of specific gravity is its root; and in the octave scale it has below it the middle and above it the top of the dominant, the two notes which have the greatest amount of specific levity; and in the octave scale it has above it the middle and below it the root of the subdominant - the two notes which the greatest amount of specific gravity. The third note of the scale, the middle of the tonic chord, is the center of the system, and is the note which has the least tendency either upwards or downwards, and it has above it the root of the subdominant, the note which has the greatest amount of specific gravity, and it has below it the top of the dominant, the note which has the greatest amount of specific levity. Thus the root of the subdominant is placed above, and the top of the dominant below, the center of the system; the specific gravity of the one above and the specific levity of the one below cause them to move in the direction of the center. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 98]

See Also


balance
center
fulcrum
Musical System
neutral center
three times three chord
tonic
tonic chord

Created by Dale Pond. Last Modification: Tuesday December 15, 2020 04:22:02 MST by Dale Pond.