A Temporal-Gestalt Analysis of Mark Fell's n-Dimensional Analysis

8/18/2019 A Temporal-Gestalt Analysis of Mark Fell's n-Dimensional Analysis

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A Temporal-Gestalt Analysis of Mark Fell's n-Dimensional Analysis

Brian Bartling

4/16/2015



A Temporal-Gestalt Analysis of Mark Fell's n-Dimensional AnalysisBrian Bartling

T e infl!" of #ast $!antities of ele%troni% &an%e m!si% in re%ent years poses a n!m er

of pro lems for t e listener an& t e analyst( T e )i&esprea& a#aila ility of personal %omp!ters*

%o!ple& )it in%reasingly refine& met o&s for %reating an& pro%essing &igital so!n&s* %ontri !tes

to ne)* !nforeseen m!si%al materials( +on%omitantly* t is gi#es %omposers t e free&om to

&e#elop a #ery personal style )it o!t t e a&&e& ne%essity of )riting anyt ing &o)n* or

presenting any form of )ritten material in %on,!n%tion )it t e pie%e itself( T e analysis t at is

ne%essary for ele%troni% &an%e m!si%* t en* m!st e gro!n&e& in per%eption f!n&amentally* an&

only employ so!n& &es%riptors as a referential tool( 1

A per%ept!al analysis of ele%troni% &an%e m!si% )o!l& ne%essitate a &e%omposition of

t e pie%e into an or&ere& nests of so!n&s( T ese )o!l& e &elineate& y o!n&aries t at )o!l&

mark off or&ere& passages t at e" i it some so!r%e of so!n& %onfig!ration( A %lassi%al m!si%

t eorist mig t refer to t ese %onfig!rations as moti#es* p rases* passages in .ames Tenney's

parlan%e* t ese time spans are referre& to as temporal-gestalt units * or TGs( A temporal-gestalt

analysis of m!si% in#ol#es splitting t ese !nits into #ario!s ierar% i%al le#els* ) i% t en allo)s

t e listener to %onsi&er t e str!%t!re of a pie%e #ia its nest of interrelations( .ames Tenney 2 )as

t e first to apply a temporal-gestalt analysis to m!si%* an& is o)n #o%a !lary an& met o&s )ill

e !se& in t e follo)ing analysis(T e appli%ation of gestalt psy% ology to t e analysis of m!si% first appeare& as a means

1 T ese refer to a #ariety of tools t at % ara%teri e an& &es%ri e so!n&* mostly in or&er to in&e" so!n& &ata ases(ome e"amples are ark s%ales* mel s%ales* an& #ario!s forms of spe%tral analyses( Alt o!g t ese a#e yet toe analy e& e"tensi#ely* t ey a#e een resear% e& in Malt 3 .o!r&an 200 (

2 Tenney 1



to make sense of t e in%reasing %omple"ity of m!si% in t e 20 t %ent!ry(7 T e pre#io!s %ent!ry

&i&n't ,!st see a reorgani ation of ol& materials in a ne) )ay* a%%or&ing to Tenney* !t a

f!n&amental % ange in t e materials t emsel#es( T ese 8ne) m!si%al materials9 also &eman& a

ne) )ay to !n&erstan& t em* t !s t e s ift from t e material-oriente& nat!re of %lassi%al :estern

t eory to t e in)ar&ly-fo%!se& nat!re of per%ept!al o!n&aries an& t e temporal gestalt( T e 21 st

%ent!ry as seen yet anot er s ift in m!si%al materials )it t e intro&!%tion of t e personal

%omp!ters an& te% nology mentione& earlier( Being f!n&amentally per%ept!al* t e analysis

proffere& y Tenney is still !sef!l for ele%troni% &an%e m!si%* espe%ially ) en applie& to t e

re%ently release& +; n-Dimensional Analysis y Mark Fell( <n t e follo)ing* < )ill firstintro&!%e some of t e rele#ant #o%a !lary an& met o&s !se& y .ames Tenney* t en < )ill apply

t ese i&eas to t e analysis of t e +;(

Introduction to the Temporal Gestalt

As mentione& earlier* t e %r!" of temporal gestalt analysis lies in its organi ation into

ierar% i%al le#els* largely fo!r or more* in ) i% m!si%al material is ase&( T is* a%%or&ing to

Tenney* %onstit!tes t e form of t e pie%e itself* an& ea% le#el &eals )it progressi#ely greater

amo!nts of material( T e most asi% so!n& !nit in a gi#en pie%e is its element * ) i% %o!l& e

imagine& as t e n!%le!s of a gi#en pie%e( A %olle%tion of elements* or t e element itself* forms

t e first ierar% i%al le#el of t e form = t e clang ( T e %lang is also imagine& as a %ore or a

n!%le!s t e only &ifferen%e et)een t e t)o eing t e &egree to ) i% eit er is %apa le of eing

a sor e& into t e ne"t le#el( An element is mostly an in&epen&ent entity* ) ile %lang is

%onfig!re& into its ne"t ierar% i%al le#el* t e sequence ( At t is le#el* t e notion of similarity

an& %onne%ti#ity of parts egins to esta lis itself as an important formal aspe%t( A %omposer

7 Tenney 1



often gro!ps elements toget er to %reate interesting %om inations of so!n&s at a asi% le#el* !t a

re%!rsi#e str!%t!re in#ol#ing gro!ps of gro!ps re$!ires a ig er le#el of a stra%tion( T is

a stra%tion &epen&s !pon some aspe%ts of !nity an& similarity et)een %langs t at )o!l&

pers!a&e t e listener to a%%ept t eir gro!ping( T e se$!en%e &epen&s !pon memory for its

,!stifi%ation* an& one %o!l& imagine a #ast n!m er of &ifferent se$!en%es o%%!rring in a gi#en

pie%e* an& e#en a #ast n!m er of se$!en%es of se$!en%es(

T e type of se$!en%e referre& to ere is t e polymorphic sequence * ) i% is t e most

%ommon type of se$!en%e* an& is %onsi&ere& to e a %olle%tion of %langs( >n t e ot er an&* a

monomorphic sequence sometimes appears in a m!si%al %omposition = #ery often in ele%troni%&an%e m!si% an& repetiti#e m!si%( T is is a s!stension of a %lang eyon& t e normal limits of

%lang &!ration* ) i% often o%%!rs in t e a%kgro!n& of a passage( e$!en%es %an also e

monophonic * in t at %langs o%%!r one at a time* or polyphonic * ) i% is a per%epti#ely noti%ea le

&ifferen%e et)een t)o or more monop oni% se$!en%es( T e pie%e itself* t en* is %ompose& of a

gi#en n!m er of t ese se$!en%es( A &iagram of intera%tions et)een t ese formal !nits is gi#en

in Figure 1 (

T e )ay in ) i% t ese !nits are !ilt an& intera%t )it ea% ot er is t e most

re)ar&ing aspe%t of t is type of analysis( T is is referre& to as t e morphology of a gi#en !nit*

an& t e o!tline of t e morp ology is its morphological profile ( T e profile is !sef!l for

&etermining % anges in t e morp ology in a gi#en !nit* ) i% t en allo)s t e listener to

&isting!is elements from ot er elements* %langs from ot er %langs* an& se$!en%es from ot er

se$!en%es( T is is %r!%ial to per%ept!al analysis* as t e per%ei#e& form of a pie%e is a f!n%tion of

t e per%ei#e& &ifferen%es among its !nits( 4

4 Tenney 1



Figure 1. A ierar% i%al &iagram of formal !nits in a Temporal Gestalt analysis(?er%ei#e& &ifferen%es are in fa%t a %r!%ial formal aspe%t of t e analysis among t e

in&i#i&!al !nits t emsel#es( As )as pointe& o!t y Tenney* t e formati#e parameter t at %reates

a !nit in any gi#en %onfig!ration is !s!ally t e parameter t at % anges t e most( A %orollary tot is is t e formati#e parameter in a gi#en se$!en%e is !s!ally t e parameter t at % anges t e

most from t e pre#io!s se$!en%es( T is is a strategy t at as een e"ploite& a n!m er of times

in repetiti#e m!si% an& ele%troni% &an%e m!si%* espe%ially in t e m!si% of Mark Fell( As )ill e

seen* t e fo!rteen se$!en%es t at %onstit!te n-Dimensional Analysis e"ploit t is type of

%onstr!%tion to make a %o erent pie%e(

<nn-Dimensional Analysis * t ere is a neste& str!%t!re t at is forme& from t ese

se$!en%es* se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es* an& so on( T is is s o)n in t e re%!rsi#e grap of Figure 3 *

!t t ere also ten&s to e anot er le#el of per%ept!al analysis in#ol#e& in t is nest of relations(

As a %ompositional tool* Fell ten&s to alternate et)een monop oni% an& polyp oni% se$!en%es*



) i% also informs parameters s!% as sparsity an& &ensity( T is )ill e s o)n in t e so!n&

&es%riptors t at a%%ompany t e follo)ing analysis* !t first it is ne%essary to &es%ri e o) %langs

an& se$!en%es are forme& from elements an& %langs* respe%ti#ely(

T ere are t)o primary fa%tors an& a n!m er of se%on&ary fa%tors t at are employe& to

%onstit!te t e gestalt per%eption of %o esion an& segregation t at form t e !nits mentione&

pre#io!sly( T e t)o primary fa%tors are similarity an& proximity ( T e former is per aps t e

most important of t e fa%tors* espe%ially in ele%troni% &an%e m!si%* e%a!se it is t e most

effe%ti#e tool to &ifferentiate et)een elements an& %langs in a polyp oni% se$!en%e( T e fa%tor

of similarity states t at any element or %lang t at is similar )it respe%t to some parameter ten&to form %langs or se$!en%es( +on#ersely* &ifferen%es in some parameter segregates t ese %langs

or se$!en%es( T e pro"imity fa%tor is a )eaker #ersion of t e similarity fa%tor* ) i% states t at

elements or %langs t at o%%!r relati#ely %lose in time ten& to form per%ept!al gro!ps* ) ile t ose

t at are &ispla%e& from ea% ot er are segregate&( Bot of t ese are %r!%ial to !n&erstan&ing

form on a per%ept!al asis* as t ey are t e most important = or primary = per%ept!al tools t at a

listener )o!l& employ in t e %o!rse of a pie%e of m!si%( A n!m er of se%on&ary fa%tors f!rt er

&e#elop t ese primary per%ept!al tools( T ese in%l!&e t e fa%tor of intensity* t e fa%tor of

repetition* parametri% intensity* t e attention #e%tor* an& any ot er possi le fa%tor t at )o!l&

%a!se t e listener to interpret asi% m!si%al material to form into gro!ps(

>ne more important &istin%tion t at s o!l& e ma&e in terms of t ese se%on&ary gestalt

fa%tors is t at et)een t e objective set an& t e subjective set ( T ese sets offer !s anot er !sef!l

tool for t e analysis of ele%troni% &an%e m!si%* as t ey are ot ent)ine& )it t e memory an&

e"pe%tation of t e listener( T e s! ,e%ti#e set points to t e set of e"pe%tations or anti%ipations

t at arise t at are a res!lt of pre#io!s e"perien%e( <n t e %ase of ele%troni% &an%e m!si%* t is



)o!l& not only &epen& on t e amo!nt of e"perien%e one as )it t e genre* !t also t e &egree

of familiarity a person as )it m!si%al parameters = mostly r yt m( >f %o!rse* t is is* y

&efinition* ar itrary an& often irrele#ant to t e pie%e at an&* !t %an inform one's e"perien%e

to)ar&s a more meas!ra le tool = t e o ,e%ti#e set( T is is t e set of e"pe%tations an&

anti%ipations t at arise ) en listening to t e same pie%e( @spe%ially in t e %ase of repetiti#e

ele%troni% &an%e m!si%* t e o ,e%ti#e set is an important an% or for %onsi&ering s!% el!si#e

%on%epts as r yt mi% %o eren%e an& pit% or tim ral str!%t!res( T e former of t ese is referre&

to as rhythmic inertia * ) i% in#ol#es a 8psy% ologi%al or kinest eti% ten&en%y to)ar&s r yt mi%

repetition9 or a 8maintenan%e of a pre#io!sly esta lis e& r yt mi% str!%t!re(95

<t is plain to seet at t e o ,e%ti#e set is %r!%ial in algorit mi%ally-%reate& ele%troni% &an%e m!si%* as r yt m is

per aps t e most %r!%ial fa%tor in its formation( @spe%ially in t e %ase of Mark Fell* a single

r yt mi% i&ea %an often per#a&e m!ltiple se$!en%es* or %an e#en e altere& in its morp ologi%al

profile to %reate ne) r yt ms( T ese* as mentione& earlier* %o!l& make t e r yt mi% profile t e

formati#e parameter of a gi#en se$!en%e* ) i% is %r!%ial to !n&erstan&ing its form( 6 T is is

also tr!e )it melo&i% material( A melo&i% i&ea in one se$!en%e may e !se& in anot er

se$!en%e* !t % ange& in some )ays = t ro!g a&&iti#e or s! tra%ti#e pro%ess* a % ange in

%onto!r* or t ro!g some r yt mi% &ispla%ement( T ese are all pa%kage& into t e se%on&ary

gestalt fa%tor of t e o ,e%ti#e set* ) i% is a !sef!l per%ept!al tool for t is analysis(

An analysis of Mark Fell's n-Dimensional Analysis is no) possi le )it t e formal an&

per%ept!al tools t at )ere ,!st intro&!%e&(

5 Tenney 16 Mark Fell's irreg!lar r yt mi% profiles a#e een infamo!sly %o!nter to t e pop!lar %on%eption of ele%troni%

&an%e m!si% as primarily a #e i%le for &an%ing( T is per aps stems from is o)n &esire to not in&!lge t ea!&ien%e or eli%it any preme&itate& response Blanning 2012 * or as Mark Fell as sai&* 8< a%ti#ely try not toprompt t e a!&ien%e to s are my ent !siasm9 am!els ( ere is anot er ,!stifi%ation for t e !se of t eo ,e%ti#e set in ele%troni% &an%e m!si%* espe%ially Mark Fell's m!si%( T e algorit ms t at Fell as %reate& ten&to e#ol#e !n&er a %ertain pro%ess t at r!n in %on,!n%tion )it a listener's e"pe%tations an& anti%ipations* !t&on't ne%essarily line !p )it t e r yt mi% s apes an& profiles t at are %onsi&ere& a%%epta le for &an%ing(



An Analysis of n-Dimensional Analysis

T e title of t e al !m is telling of its formal arrangement( As state& in an inter#ie)*

Mark Fell mentione& t at someone sai& is m!si% 8 so!n&e& like an n-&imensional analysis*9 an&

t at e t at t at 8)o!l& e a goo& name for a re%or&(9 T !s* t is al !m approa% es t e same

m!si%al material from &ifferent &ire%tions = Fell 8!n&i& or &e%onstr!%te& t e original tra%k9 in a

m!ltit!&e of )ays( <t )ill e s o)n t at t is is t e means y ) i% ea% se$!en%e is

%onstr!%te&( T e tra%k times of ea% se%tion is s o)n in Table 1 (

A $!i%k glan%e at t e str!%t!re of Mark Fell's +; )ill re#eal a formal pro%e&!re t at

fits remarka ly )ell )it Tenney's %on%eption of form = t e type of form t at is s o)n in Figure1( T e al !m is %ompose& of t)o tra%ks* ot a o!t 11 min!tes long* t at %onsist of 8se%tions9

Fell's term ea% ( @a% se%tion is %ompose& of a se$!en%e of m!si% t at is repeate& many times

Fell gi#es a o!t a min!te an& a alf to ea% se%tion( T e ) ole pie%e is %ompose& of only t ree

tim ral $!alities = a % or&al $!ality* a ass $!ality* an& a per%!ssi#e $!ality = all t ree of ) i%

are %ommonly !se& in o!se m!si%( T e i&ea e in& n-Dimensional Analysis * a%%or&ing to Fell*

is t at #ery familiar so!n&s an& pro&!%tion te% ni$!es are employe& to %reate !n!s!al patterns*

an& t at t ese patterns are seen from m!ltiple &ifferent angles an& in m!ltiple &ifferent )ays(

By attempting to look at m!si%al materials = %langs an& elements = from m!ltiple

angles* Fell !ses a re%!rsi#e str!%t!re to in al !m( ere* a r yt mi% or melo&i% %lang in one

se$!en%e %o!l& e %arrie& o#er into anot er se$!en%e* t ere y %reating se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es(

T e formal plan of n-Dimensional Analysis is s o)n in Figure 2 * ) i% f!rt er ig lig ts t is

re%!rsion(

T e o"es in Figure 2 refer to t e in&i#i&!al 8se%tions9 of t e pie%es t at Mark Fell as

am!elsam!els



&emar%ate& from is tra%k titles( @a% o" as t ree !nits in it* ) i% refer to ea% tim ral

$!ality( T e % or& tim re !ses n!m ers* t e ass tim re !ses %apital letters* an& t e per%!ssion

tim re !ses lo)er%ase letters( <t %an e seen t at t e ass often* !t not al)ays* &o! les t e

% or& tim re* ) i% is s o)n in t e fig!re( @a% of t ese o"e& se%tions are monop oni%

se$!en%es t at are t emsel#es %ompose& of repeate& !nits t at are t emsel#es eit er monop oni%

or polyp oni%( T at is* ea% of t e in&i#i&!al !nits t at make !p t e se%tions ten& to alternate

et)een monop oni% an& polyp oni% se$!en%es* !t t e repeate& ) oles are all monop oni%(

T !s* t e o"es are se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es* an& t e ra%es !n&erneat t e o"es are se$!en%es-

of-se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es(

First Track tart top

1st e%tion 0 00 1 50

2n& e%tion 1 50 7 76

7r& e%tion 7 76 5 22

4t e%tion 5 22 1

5t

e%tion 1 166t e%tion 16 11 07

Second Trackt e%tion 0 00 1 75t e%tion 1 75 7 1t e%tion 7 1 5 15

10 t e%tion 5 15 6 5

11 t e%tion 6 5 25

12t

e%tion 25 5217 t e%tion 52 11 1

Table 1. Tra%k times for ea% se%tion in my analysis(

T e al !m refers to se%tions in t e tra%ks in&i#i&!ally i(e( t e first tra%k is %alle& 8 e%tions 1- 9 an& t e se%on&tra%k is %alle& 8 e%tions -149 ( Co! )ill noti%e t at t ere is a &is%repan%y et)een t e n!m er of se%tions t at)as &enote& y Fell's tra%k titles an& t e n!m er of se%tions s o)n in Figure 2 ( <n my analysis* < a#e only%o!nte& 17 se%tions = ?arts 1* 2* an& 4 a#e t ree se%tions ) ile ?art 7 as fo!r se%tions* an& ?arts 2 an& 4 a#et eir o)n %losing se%tions( T ese are %ontin!ations of pre#io!s material an& &on't %onstit!te t eir o)n se%tions(



F i g u r e 3 .

T e l a r g e - s % a l e f o r m a l s t r ! % t ! r e o f n- D i m e n s i o n a l A n a l y s i s a s a n e s t e & s t r ! % t ! r e * a s s o ) n i n a

r e % ! r s i o n t r e e (



T e ra%es point to some sort of per%ept!al affinity et)een t)o or more se%tions t at is

go#erne& y t e fa%tor of similarity( T e % or&al an& ass !nits of se%tions 1 an& 2* for e"ample*

are #ery similar in some parameter* ) i% is &esignate& y prime notation ' ( >n t e ot er an&*

t e per%!ssion tim re in ot se%tions is almost %ompletely similar* so t is is &esignate& y t e

same !nit a an& an arro) et)een t e t)o( T e arro)s in t is fig!re refer to a ol&o#er of

similar m!si%al material from t e pre#io!s se%tion into t e ne) se%tion(

: ereas t e ra%es &esignate se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es* t e ra%kets go

e#en a step f!rt er an& &emar%ate t e ne"t le#el of a stra%tion se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es-of-

se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es( T ese make !p t e tra%ks t emsel#es* an& it %an e seen from Fig!re 2t at ea% tra%k as a ipartite str!%t!re( <n t e %ase of t e first tra%k* t ere are t)o opposing

se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es* an& in t e %ase of t e se%on&* t ere is one s!% se$!en%e

%o!ple& )it a more %omple"* %ontrasting s!%%ession of se$!en%es( To t e listener* t e effe%t of

t is %ontrasting s!%%ession = ) i% takes pla%e at t e eginning of t e se%on& tra%k = is t at t ere

is a rapi& an& !nresting mo#ement t ro!g &ifferent m!si%al material( T ere is an interesting

formal aspe%t to t e al !m = if t e large-s%ale formal plan of n-;imensional Analysis is A B +

;* t en an !nsettling + se%tion* f!ll of rapi& mo#ement t ro!g %ontrasting materials* is an

antit esis to t e relati#ely sta le A* B* an& ; se%tions( T !s* a per%ept!al analysis of t is pie%e

%o!l& e la ele& A A B A* ) ere se%tions 1* 2* an& 4 are all tripartite an& ten& to san&)i% a

relati#ely &isor&ere& r yt mi% se%tion et)een or&ere& se%tions* all t e ) ile in%reasing &ensity

t ro!g o!t t e part* s o)n in Figure 3 ( T is is an ele%troni% &an%e m!si% parallel to t e

%ontrasting %onse$!ent p rase of a perio& in :estern %lassi%al m!si%(

Figure 3 s o)s t e large-s%ale re%!rsi#e str!%t!re of t e al !m( >ne %o!l& imagine

Figure 2 to e a ottom-!p approa% to form* an& Figure 3 a top-&o)n approa% ( T is latter



fig!re %learly s o)s t e neste& str!%t!re of t e al !m* an& ea% of t e !nits are la ele& )it t eir

respe%ti#e tra%k times( Also* ea% part of t e form is la ele& = elements* se$!en%es* se$!en%es-

of-se$!en%es* et%(

As )as pre#io!sly mentione&* t e se%tions or se$!en%es-of-se$!en%es are polyp oni%

se$!en%es t at e" i it a %olle%tion of %langs t at are repeate& a n!m er of times = t e in&i#i&!al

!nits of t ese se$!en%es %o!l& e polyp oni% or monop oni%( D yt mi% #ariation among t e

se%tions is a% ie#e& y morp ing an& r yt mi%ally transposing t e material* res!lting in greater

&egrees of %omple"ity as t e pie%e* espe%ially t e parts* progresses( T e %omple"ity is most

often manifest as some sort of r yt mi% %omple"ity( T at is* ea% tim re is transforme& in some)ay t at &oesn't easily %orrespon& to anot er tim re most often t ere is a &is%repan%y et)een

t e % or& tim re an& t e per%!ssion tim re ( For t e p!rposes of ill!stration* < )ill analy e t e

first t ree se%tions as a gro!p to s o) some of t e transformational approa% e& employe& y

Mark Fell in is +;(

All t ree tim ral $!alities are %ompletely in syn% in t e first se%tion* ) i% is 1 50 in

&!ration( T e se$!en%e in $!estion is %ompose& of t)o %langs t at are &ispla%e& y t e fa%tor of

pro"imity* making t is a monop oni% se$!en%e( T e first %lang en%ompasses all t ree tim res

an& lasts fo!r eats* at a o!t 106 B?M( T e ass an& t e % or& tim res ot s!stain fo!r eats

) ile t e per%!ssion plays a simple r yt m( T e ne"t %lang is also fo!r eats* !t only t e % or&

3 ass is playe& a semitone ig er on t e t ir& eat( A fa%tor t at ol&s t e listener's interest

t ro!g o!t t e al !m is t e #ery a%ti#e % or&al $!ality = t e so!n&font t at )as !se& for t is

tim re &oesn't ol& a &efinite pit% an& as a )a#y* $!asi-p asing effe%t to it( T is $!ality ten&s

to os%illate an& l!r t e lines of ot pit% an& r yt m* so t e morp ologi%al profile of ea%

se$!en%e %an e ar& to grasp in t ese &omains( Ee#ert eless* t e first se%tion is r yt mi%ally



%lear* an& is ear& as t e trans%ription s o)s in Figure 4 (

Figure 4. T)o %langs t at form t e se$!en%e of t e first se%tion(

An analysis of t e spe%tral fl!" 10 of t is se%tion* &isplaye& inFigure 5 * s o)s t at t ere

is a %risp e"% ange et)een noise an& silen%e( T is means t at t e first se%tion manifests a

reg!lar inter% ange et)een t e t)o %langs* e#en )it t e a%ti#e % or&al so!n&font(

Figure 5. A spe%tral fl!" of t e first se%tion s o)s t at it is r yt mi%ally pre&i%ta le(

As s o)n in Figure 2 * t e se%on& se%tion ofn-Dimensional Analysis retains t e same

per%!ssi#e material* !t t e material in t e % or& 3 ass tim res % ange some o)( <n fa%t* t e

same material is el& o#er to t e se%on& se%tion = a ) ole note follo)e& y a $!arter note a

10 T e spe%tral fl!" is a meas!re or a %omparison of t e po)er spe%tral &ensity of t)o s! se$!ent signals( T isis !se& as an onset &ete%tor in t is paper* an& grap s of t e fl!" are !se& to ill!strate t e onsets times in ea%se%tion( pe%tral fl!"es* in %on,!n%tion )it mel s%ales* are also %apa le of &isting!is ing et)een tim ral$!alities* ) i% is a po)erf!l tool for t e analysis of ele%troni% &an%e m!si% in real time( B!t for t e p!rposesof t is paper* < a#e only &isplaye& grap s of t e spe%tral fl!"( T ese )ere ma&e y !sing sa(&es%riptors asma" o ,e%ts e--, &e# (



semitone ig er on t e t ir& eat of t e se%on& meas!re = !t t is is r yt mi%ally transpose&( <n

its pla%e is a&&e& anot er t at %ompletely &ispla%es t e syn% roni%ity et)een t e t ree tim res(

<nstea& of t e monop oni% se$!en%e t at t e listener as gro)n !se& to earing for t e first 1 50*

t e pie%e no) ran% es off into t)o separate tim ral streams* an& t e per%ept!al effe%t is no)

t at of a polyp oni% se$!en%e( T at is* it e%omes apparent t at t)o lines are going on at t e

same time = t e % or& 3 ass are still in !nison* !t t e per%!ssion is ol&ing o#er ol&er

r yt mi% material t at as een morp e& an& s ifte& in t e % or& 3 ass( As a res!lt* t ree

separate %langs intera%t to form t is se$!en%e( A sket% of t e opening material of se%tion 2 is

s o)n in Figure 6 (

Figure 6. e%tion 1 as een s ifte& y t e a&&ition of ne) material in t e % or& 3 ass(

T e se%on& %lang in t is fig!re is t e 8 ol&o#er9 material from t e first se%tion in t e

% or& 3 ass* an& it is imme&iately apparent t at it not only &oesn't syn% roni e )it t e %lang

in t e per%!ssion* !t it is perio&i%ally pla%e& at &ifferent 8lo%ations9 at ea% iteration( T is is

&!e to t e mo&-10 eat-%lass set of 15 tH( T e se%on& an& t ir& %langs ot a#e a %-set of

mo&- * ) i% is a far %ry from t e r yt mi% %onfig!ration of t e first %lang( T ese t)o mo&!li

are not relati#ely-prime t o!g * ) i% implies t at %langs 2 an& 7 )ill line !p at some iteration

10 an& a#e a least %ommon m!ltiple of 40* ) i% means t at t e t)o %langs )ill t eoreti%ally

%ome toget er again at e#ery fift iteration( T is is in fa%t t e %ase* an& %langs 2 an& 7 meet



se%tion offers a temporary respite from t ese tripartite %-sets y employing a 4 7 r yt m(

T e 8 ol&o#er9 %lang in t is se%tion is t e t ir& %lang in t e fig!re* ) i% is also

s ifte& o#er a n!m er of eats* !t is also &imin!te& to fit in t e mo&-7 %-set pattern( T e

spe%tral fl!" of t is se%tion refle%ts t e monop oni% nat!re of t e se$!en%e* !t also s o)s t at

t is passage is m!% more &ense t an t e pre#io!s t)o se$!en%es( Also* ) en %ompare& to

Figure 4 * t e tripartite %-set pattern is refle%te& in t is grap ( T is is s o)n in Figure " (

Figure ". T e t ir& se$!en%e is monop oni% an& pre&i%ta le* !t &ense(

T e se$!en%es s o)n in Figures 4# 6# an& ! %onstit!te t e first part of t e first tra%k(

<n ot er )or&s* t ese t ree se$!en%es in %on,!n%tion %reate t e first se$!en%e-of-se$!en%e-of-

se$!en%e( As %an e seen in t e formal &esign of Figure 2 * t e melo&i% nat!re of t e % or& 3

ass % anges more fre$!ently t an t e per%!ssion( <n t e first t)o se%tions* t e per%!ssion

remains t e same ) ile t e % or& 3 ass is r yt mi%ally transpose&* ) ereas in t e t ir& se%tion

t e per%!ssion % anges ) ile still grasping onto some of its ol&er feat!res( T e ne"t se$!en%e-

of-se$!en%e-of-se$!en%e seems to follo) t e same pro%e&!re t e per%!ssion part stays

some) at similar t ro!g o!t t e fo!r se%tions ) ile t e melo&y is some o) manip!late&(

T e r yt mi% elements et)een t e t)o parts of t e tra%ks are &rasti%ally &ifferent

se%tions 1-7 e" i it a %lose&* )ell-str!%t!re& r yt mi% mo&!li* ) ile t e per%!ssion in se%tions

4- ten& to e m!% more %omple" an& !npre&i%ta le( T e melo&i% i&ea in t e % or& 3 ass* on



t e ot er an&* !ses t e same notes from se%tion t ree* s o)n in Figure ! ( T at is* an as%en&ing

fo!rt is t en follo)e& y a &es%en&ing semitone* !t t e r yt m of t e melo&i% tim res % anges

in a%%or&an%e )it a more o!se-like se%tion fo!r( T is melo&i% i&ea ser#es as t e link et)een

t ese t)o parts of t e tra%k(

e%tion fo!r also marks a ret!rn to fo!r eats per meas!re* a n!meri%ally e#en n!m er(

<n fa%t* ea% %lang only lasts one meas!re* or fo!r eats* !t t e t)o tim res are split sin%e t ey

a#e e%ome so ra&i%ally &ifferent( T e formati#e parameter in ea% fo!r- eat %onfig!ration lies

in t e per%!ssion se%tion* as it is t e part t at as % ange& t e most &rasti%ally from its %lose&

an& pre&i%ta le nat!re in t e first t ree se%tions( Attention in t is se%tion is &ra)n to t e%l!stering effe%t t at o%%!rs in t e per%!ssion* ) ere y gappe& moments in ot #oi%es are fille&

in y t ese %l!stere& per%!ssi#e &r!ms( Anot er filling in o%%!rs ) en Fell pla%es a %lapping

so!n& et)een !nspe%ifie& mo&!li( <n t is se%tion* t e listener is oriente& to)ar&s &ispla%e&

mo&!les* !t t e i&ea of #erti%ality still applies* sin%e ea% mo&!l!s is %omplete&* t en repeate&(

ere* t ere is no) t e !nforeseen possi ility of manip!lating repetitions so t at a se$!en%e isn't

perfe%tly repeate& t ro!g o!t ea% se%tion( T is is manifest in t e %lapping so!n& et)een

!nspe%ifie& mo&!li(

T e ne"t fe) se%tions employ some transformations t at )ere pre#io!sly seen in t e

+;( T e se$!en%e in se%tion fi#e slig tly alters t e material in ot t e % or& 3 ass an& t e

per%!ssion tim res ) ile still maintaining t e same mo&!l!s* an& t e se$!en%e of se%tion si"

!ses t e per%!ssion %lang in se%tion fi#e o#er a m!lti-#oi%e& %lang in t e % or& tim re( T is last

transformation !ses an a&&iti#e pro%ess y pla%ing a &es%en&ing fo!rt fig!re o#er t e familiar

&es%en&ing semitone( T e se#ent se%tion %loses off t e tra%k y %ontin!ing t e per%!ssion

fig!re for t e last 15 se%on&s(



As mentione& earlier* t e se%on& tra%k is marke& y a fe) s! se$!ent se%tions t at

&iffer ra&i%ally from ea% ot er* instilling in t e listener a sense of !nrest an& !rgen%y( :e also

see ere* for t e first time* a %ompletely in&epen&ent #oi%e in t e ass( T is is $!i%kly %orre%te&

= t e ass t en &o! les t e % or& tim re for fi#e more se%tions* only e%oming its o)n #oi%e

again in t e last se%tion of t e al !m( <t s o!l& also e note& t at t is tra%k &oesn't e" i it t e

same 8 ol&ing o#er9 of t e per%!ssion material t at )as seen in t e first tra%k only et)een

se%tions 11 an& 12 &oes t e per%!ssion ol& o#er its material( T is f!rt er reinfor%es t e

&ifferen%e et)een t e t)o parts of t e tra%k = t e first part is rapi&ly % anging ) ile t e se%on&

part attempts to ret!rn to t e or&ere& form of t e first tra%k* ) ere t e % anges et)een t ese%tions are relati#ely minimal(

T e first fo!r se%tions of t e se%on& tra%k also play e"tensi#ely )it t e i&ea of roken

symmetry t at )as intro&!%e& in se%tion fo!r( e%tions 10 an& 11 %ontain m!ltiple s! parts*

)ritten as 8I %ont(9 in Figure 2 ( Bot of t ese se%tions maintain t e same melo&i% i&ea in t e

% or& 3 ass tim res* notate& as 6 an& respe%ti#ely* o#er a % anging an& morp ing per%!ssi#e

str!%t!re( At some points* t e per%!ssion &rops o!t* an& at ot ers t e per%!ssion omits %ertain

important feat!res in its pre#io!s arti%!lation( For e"ample* in se%tion ten* after t e per%!ssion

&rops o!t for an iteration of t e se$!en%e in t e % or& 3 ass* t e per%!ssion ret!rns !t )it t e

snare &r!m omitte&( T en* t e %lapping t at first appeare& et)een se$!ential iterations in

se%tion 4 ret!rns( A similar pro%ess o%%!rs in t e ele#ent se%tion t e per%!ssion &rops o!t* it

ret!rns )it t e snare omitte&* an& t en t e %lapping so!n&s make an appearan%e(

T e !se of per%!ssion to l!r t e lines et)een se$!ential iterations = t !s f!rt er

!n&ermining #erti%al time = appears in se%tion 17( ere* t e pattern is noisy an& relati#ely

!npre&i%ta le = it offers no real moments of silen%e* !t seems to e repeate& at a pre-set



$ibliograph%

Blanning* Jisa( K<nter#ie) Mark Fell(K Red Bull Music Academy ( 5 >%t( 2012(L ttp //)))(re& !llm!si%a%a&emy(%om/maga ine/mark-fell-inter#ie) (

+o n* Di% ar&( 8Transpositional +om ination of Beat-+lass ets in te#e Dei% 's? ase- ifting M!si%(9 Perspectives of e! Music !mmer* 1 2 146-1

"--j Dev ( L ttp //)))(e--,(%om/ (

Fell* Mark( -Dimensional Analysis ( Ji eration Te% nologies* 2017( +;(

am!els* A(.( 8An <nter#ie) )it Mark Fell(9 "lectronic Beats (L ttp //)))(ele%troni% eats(net/an-inter#ie)-)it -mark-fell/

Tenney* .ames* an& Jarry ?olansky( KTemporal Gestalt ?er%eption in M!si%(K #ournal

of Music $heory A!t!mn* 1 0 205-41(Tenney* .ames( Meta%&odos' A Phenomenology of ()th *entury Musical Materials and

an Approach to the +tudy of ,orm ( 2n& e&( >aklan& Frog ?eak M!si%* 1 (

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A Temporal-Gestalt Analysis of Mark Fell's n-Dimensional Analysis

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