Re: CURRENT EXCHANGE ON TRITONE PARADOX

[James Carlsen <carlsen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To the extent that the discussion centers on general auditory perception,
the findings and commentary are interesting, and possibly even useful.
For musicians interested in theories of music, it is another matter.
Perhaps, with the growing interest in electronic and computer composition,
Shepard tones will come in to popular usage as a means of musical
expression.  Until then, it is not clear what this tells musicians.
I imagine that theories of music have been no more informed by the various
research applications of Shepard's tones than have theories of structural
engineering been informed by Escher's stair illusions.

_______________________________________________________________________________
James Carlsen, Professor Emeritus   INTERNET: carlsen@u.washington.edu
Psychomusicology  DN-10             University of Washington
Seattle  WA  98195                  (206) 543-9339 - FAX: (206) 685-9499