Maj7‡9#11‡13 (harmony in 31-edo)

a vertiginous piano etude exploring the Lydian ‡2, ‡6 motherchord within 31-equal (R - ‡2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - ‡6 - 7) and how it plays against the spectrum.

Lydian is almost everyone’s favorite sound. Fortunately, 31-edo has quite a few different flavors of Lydian which remain true to it’s core identity but offer new shades.

Lydian ‡2, Lydian ‡6, and Lydian ‡2 ‡6 all sound amazing. I see this as fresh extension of composite II from 12edo so the ‡2 + 6 form and ‡6 + 2 form are degenerate forms of the ‡2 + ‡6 base form

The most obvious JI interpretation of this is /56 but the 31-edo vertical has misalignment with the /56 object on its #11. as such, while the #11 gives the great lydian energy tor this, omission of it allows the /56 gestalt to emerge. another option is to instead use Lydia ‡2 ‡6 which has the ♯‡4 instead. This lydia arrangement regains alignment vertically.

#musictheory #microtonal #harmony

[aidananderson]

I love hearing familiar harmonic and melodic language alongside all the unconventional stuff, especially in pieces like this that focus on a specific area. Feels like a guided tour through some weird sonic space

[morplagro]

Dude why have we been limiting ourselves to 12edo, there's so much cool stuff that can be done in all the other scales, sure they're not as forgiving but man they can be so beautiful when done right, actually some of the nicest sounds I have heard.

[cdscissor]

It sounds so welcoming, yet completely foreign as though I'm willing to trust a stranger.

[EmptyKingdoms]

Absurdly wonderful piano timbre. Impeccable harmony. This is what I pay internet for (and why I contributed to xentheory in the first place). Thank you so much for doing this, Zheanna. Thank you.

[nyuh]

whoa
there needs to be a video game with a microtonal ost
it would be so amazing

[TheJonasx]

Microtonal music or more specifically your take on it has a way of perfectly encapsulating the beauty and terror or the fantasy and mystery of nostalgia and dreams that the normal version of this chord progression would completely fail at portraying. Also it matches well with the art of Frank Dorrey whose art i think does the same thing but with video rather than audio. Please keep doing these Z, i love them!! They’re very inspiring !

[LordVestik]

the harmonic 7th tetrad in 31edo is so beautiful

[calebcassell]

These rare chord compositions and theory videos are fantastic. Keep them coming!

[VictorGrand]

this feels like a hot sunny day. to me lydian has always had a sort of sunny positive radiance to it, but the new qualities really pierce through into the spotlight. like how on a hot day you can't help but keep noticing how sunny it is. it's beautiful but unrelenting.

[Kyrikrliy]

It sounds a bit like how a dream feels like. Distantly familiar but also very alien and unique.

[qigital]

i love microtonal music because it's mind blowing and beautiful at the same time. it can express emotions in a much more subtle and precise way than the usual 12edo

[ThrasherMan]

I'd love to hear this piece lengthened! My favorite in the series by far! Great job!

[Guitareben]

Honestly some of the best microtonal stuff I've ever heard

[pediluveverdoyant]

This is the best entrance gate I could ever have to microtonality as a whole. Thank you so much for making this so empirical, yet didactical and technical.

[mrify]

This is what dawn after a rainy night feels like

[viggob]

This makes my brain feel like it’s melting, but in a good way

[nkeuphonium]

Brilliantly composed. As a composer, this feels eye-opening to listen to. Thanks for sharing.

[familiarstranger]

My muse has been restored and my day was enriched with elisions of divinity

[Ooipstronaughtilus]

I like this etude, it is uncannily familiar to me.

[kell_]

The more I listen to it the more I notice and the better it sounds, phenomenal