Re: Music-conlangs & music

On Wed, 5 Jul 2006 18:00:58 +0100, "R A Brown"
<ray@...> said:
[snipsnapsnup]
> Bruce Koestner's Eaiea seems also to deal with absolute pitch, thus:
> {quote}
> Eaiea letter       Musical pitch
> a                        A
> b                        A#/Bb
> c                        B
> d                        C
> e                        C#/Db
> f                        D
> g                        D#/Eb
> h                        E
> i                        F
> j                        F#/Gb
> k                        G
> l                        G#/Ab
> {/quote}
>
> But I am skeptical about the practicality of this for ordinary mortals.
Indeed. Having taught ear training to university music students I can
attest that even for them it is not possible. Once in a while someone
will
come along with incredible aural ability, but they are very rare.

> > OTOH, if everyone in the society
> > had absolute pitch, (and the same vocal range...), your group of
> > phonemes
> > would be quite a bit larger, assuming a vocal range of two and a half
> > octaves.
>
> This would work in a fictitious setting where we have creatures all
> endowed with absolute pitch; but I agree with you that most of us
> earthlings are not so endowed.
>
> > --------
> > James W.
> > The composer on the list who has no desire whatsoever to create a
> > musical conlang.
> You wouldn't even find it just a teensy weensy bit interesting?   ;)
Not as a project for me, no. But I won't stop someone else from doing
it. I may even comment on it :-P

For me, part of music's appeal is its *lack* of semantic precision.
Trying to use it as a vehicle for (semi)precise communication doesn't
seem practical to me.
--------
James W.