Snees

It's easy to trick yourself. Do you guys also identify the colors with the keys when tested 'blindly' (i.e., when someone else is playing a tune you don't know the key of)?

It's a little immature, composition-wise. Some lessons or books on composition (especially chords and voice leading) could come in handy. For example, why are you using all these octaves? And why is it you leave out the third in, for example, bar 4? (The b-e-b-e-b-chord and the two chords following it.)

There are no 'rules', but I believe no Baroque composer has ever done this. Since music theory is mostly the study of existing compositions, this would be equal to 'breaking the rules'. It sounds a little awkward as well. Since bar 32 is equal to bar 1, why don't you repeat the section? (Also, it's not really an invention. Inventions are really about imitation between two voices.)

The 'first four' overtones I wrote down are actually the first seven overtones (I left out the octaves). The third and fifth overtone might be relatively strong, they still don't provide enough power (literally) to imply a different chord.

"Doesn't the interraction of overtones make it into a different chord? (You know I love arugment for its own sake...)" That would be moot point (is that expression still used in English these days?). I suppose you're familiar with the overtone series. Different instruments provide a different mix of overtones for the same note (this can be analyzed using Fourier). A different instrumentation therefore gives a slightly different overtone mix. Yet I doubt whether this will imply a different chord. Overtones more than four tones away from the original note hardly play any role in the hearing process. Let's suppose we have the orchestra play a C-major chord and write down the most common (different) overtones: C [ g e b-flat* ] E G [d b f* ] *These notes really aren't in tune. If we take into account the first three overtones, the only possible implied chord would be a Cmaj9 because of the b and d added to the mix. I think we can safely say that different instrumentation won't imply a different chord or harmony.

Sadly, only two individuals have succesfully completed the test. Obviously, the correct answer was Bach.

I don't think you'd easily notice a difference of two cents. Usually, we say that the just noticable difference is five cents. I sometimes experience this problem with MIDI files as well (exported using Sibelius?). It might be a soundcard issue.

The sound of music doesn't have a meaning. Mathematically speaking, it's just a whole bunch of sine waves travelling through mid-air. (It's interesting to note that some 'sounds' aren't actual sounds. Imagine the sound of a major third, played simultaneously. Yet it's just two wave sine waves with different periods simultaneously entering our ear.) To an alien civilization, understanding our music would probably be very difficult. The human mind has a certain way of reacting/recognizing to certain (combinations) of sounds. Most 'advanced' civilizations basically use the same collection of tones (cf. raga's and the Western scale system). I have no idea where this post is heading...

I'm crazy about this kind of stuff. I'm a jazz guitarist, so I love playing around with chord progressions and voice leading, while reharmonizing and rearranging a tune.

I'm not ambidextrous and I have a hard time playing fugues and such as well (on the piano). I think the way you study pieces can make a great difference. And in the end not the technique matters but the music you're conveying.

I'm afraid I can't make it - I won't be visiting the USA the coming months. But I think the idea of an orchestra performing only new works by it's members or other contemporary composers is great. Good luck!

I totally agree with you. I never really understood the American 'jazz band' tradition, except for the bits and pieces I've seen in high school and teen movies and cartoons (Lisa Simpson!).

Technical note: you really can't go below the low D on a classical guitar. Having the E-string lowered to a D should already be specified on the score, but a B-flat (20th measure in 'Shell') is really impossible.

You should work on your technique, by doing exercises as well as practicing etudes. There are a lot of books with etudes, check your library. Everybody has their own favo(u)rite(s). Exercises are mainly scales, arpeggios, trills, chords, intervals, whatever. [Get your scales and chords right instantly, don't struggle with them later on.] The most important thing would be getting the fingering right, playing with correct posture and hand movement, playing cleanly and getting everything up to speed. Concerning 'Spielstücke' (pieces), you should check out simple works by Mozart, Chopin, ... The Mozart 'Facile' sonata is lovely, but it might be too difficult, depending on your current level of playing. Just start with some etudes. And if you've been working on a particular technique, try finding a piece that uses it. A good source for sheet music is sheetmusicarchive.net