Although the tuning is interesting, this composition is about as gripping as stale bread. LaMonte Young's "The Well-Tuned Piano" is harmonically, rhythmically, and formally much more expansive. (I say this with the full knowledge that Young and Zazeela are in the audience.)
Although the tuning is interesting, this composition is about as interesting as stale bread. LaMonte Young's "The Well-Tuned Piano" is harmonically, rhythmically, and formally much more expansive.
I would like to know more about the background of your tuning. Can you tell us something about? Sounds definitly interesting, new... not as used up as the basic 12sqrt(2)-tuning. This is not pythagorein nor pure intonation... so what is it? : )
Amazing music! I've never been inclined to listen to solo piano type music before, but this has a beautiful other worldly sound that is simply brilliant!
I really like this. Initially, the different tuning sounds 'wrong' because you are used to hearing different intervals. But after a while of listening, it sounds perfectly normal. Of course, no tuning is any more natural than any other, it is simply what sounds best, the chosen intervals are arbitrary, whether or not they co-incide with natural numbers has little bearing on the perception of the sound by you brain.
@frosty956 The chosen values are hardly arbitrary, the current 12 tone equal temperament system works because it is a good approximation for just intonation but also allows key changes. The brain seems to interpret whole number frequency ratios as consonant.
No I dont think so. You can get nearly any frequency ratio (to within the tolerance of you being able to tell two frequencies appart) with 'whole numbers' eg, 134:133. Would you consider a tri-tone dissonant? This has a ratio of sqrt(2) to 1 in equal temperement, can be aproximated arbitrarily accurately with 'whole numbers' eg: 71:50 is accurate to within less than half a percent.
@leakeg you could round this to about 7:5 and still be accurate to within about 1 percent. But is 7:5 (a ratio of whole numbers!!!) any more consonant than a tritone? You'd struggle to tell the difference without hearing them both at once! Dissonance/consonance is just your perception. It is completely subjective. Hence the intervals are arbitrary. (as I said in my comment choose the ones that you think sound nice).
@frosty956 You've made some good points here. I was over simplifying by saying whole number ratios are consonant, but I still don't completely agree with you .
I think perhaps a note will sound consonant if it has a corresponding harmonic/overtone with the original note. The ratio example you gave (7:5) cannot be a harmonic of the original note hence sounds dissonant, but the ratio 4:5 is consonant (it's pretty close to the major third). Basically that means you need a number of the form '2^n' on the left hand side.
It can't be a coincidence the notes in the major and minor scales form these nice frequency ratios.
When I say this is perhaps the best minimalist music I've heard, it isn't an impulsive comment. I've played with Philip Glass, had to study the minimalists in college, and first heard Harrison immediately after listening to an hour's worth of La Monte Young's Well Tuned Piano. Harrison seems to have culled the best of La Monte Young, Riley and Reich, given it the variety of texture in Adams and Nyman, and somehow remained entirely original. Bravo. I'll be picking up a copy of Revelations.
I was there also, and am behind Harrison's head in the video. It was one of the best performances I can remember, of any type, and the intonation is wonderful. Meeting Harrison and my favorite composer, LaMonte Young, at the following reception was a great bonus.
I was at this concert (in Chelsea NYC October 2007). That is indeed La Monte. There were also rows of seats behind the camera. The room fills with indescribable harmonics. Worth seeing this performed Live, if you can possibly make it.
Nice. I love the microtonality (is this a justly-tuned piano?); it's so neat to listen to. I don't see anything wrong with deviating from 12-tone equal temperament (besides, singers and string/wind instruments don't really play in 12-ET like people think)....
However, this video looks like some sort of promotion that would be on his website or something.
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Who can stand to listen to this entire "piece"? It sounds like an out of tune rambling for 7+ minutes, never deviating from 4/4, never even hitting a black key. This is the future of music? Maybe for those who have been lobotomized. What a joke.
Actually, your indignation is perfectly equalled by your ignorance. This piece most certainly is not in 4/4 all the way through, large sections of it play with a 3/4-6/8 ambiguity. Out of tune? It utilizes one of the infinite other possibilities than equal temperament. As for the "future of music" comment.... go and ask your music teacher why that is a dumb thing to have said.
"pure intonation" doesn't describe one tuning system. i think he means this tuning is based on a form of just intonation. this means that intervals are based on simple ratios and are therefore more consonant (in tune) than equal temperament (the ubiquitous modern tuning). a just tuning allows for maximum consonance at the expense of having little or no possibility of modulation (changing keys). equal temperament sacrifices acoustically accurate intervals for the sake of maximum versatility.
I had the fortune of hearing this live. He opened for Grizzly Bear. It was amazing.
ijustneedmyself84 2 days ago
La Monte Young sat there with his walking stick looks so coolXDDD
DCioccoloni 2 months ago
Sounds like an unreleased tune from Drukqs played on the piano. One of the few microtonal tunes that doesn't sound like wank.
poopr1221 5 months ago
this sounds fantastic, i love all the strange rippling beatting tones that get developed.
wrybeat 5 months ago
Although the tuning is interesting, this composition is about as gripping as stale bread. LaMonte Young's "The Well-Tuned Piano" is harmonically, rhythmically, and formally much more expansive. (I say this with the full knowledge that Young and Zazeela are in the audience.)
coasterman16 8 months ago
Although the tuning is interesting, this composition is about as interesting as stale bread. LaMonte Young's "The Well-Tuned Piano" is harmonically, rhythmically, and formally much more expansive.
coasterman16 8 months ago
I would like to know more about the background of your tuning. Can you tell us something about? Sounds definitly interesting, new... not as used up as the basic 12sqrt(2)-tuning. This is not pythagorein nor pure intonation... so what is it? : )
Sensenwerk 1 year ago
Too bad the youtube quality on this is in mono.
saviorsdisciple 1 year ago
Amazing music! I've never been inclined to listen to solo piano type music before, but this has a beautiful other worldly sound that is simply brilliant!
leakeg 1 year ago
I really like this. Initially, the different tuning sounds 'wrong' because you are used to hearing different intervals. But after a while of listening, it sounds perfectly normal. Of course, no tuning is any more natural than any other, it is simply what sounds best, the chosen intervals are arbitrary, whether or not they co-incide with natural numbers has little bearing on the perception of the sound by you brain.
frosty956 2 years ago
@frosty956 The chosen values are hardly arbitrary, the current 12 tone equal temperament system works because it is a good approximation for just intonation but also allows key changes. The brain seems to interpret whole number frequency ratios as consonant.
leakeg 1 year ago
No I dont think so. You can get nearly any frequency ratio (to within the tolerance of you being able to tell two frequencies appart) with 'whole numbers' eg, 134:133. Would you consider a tri-tone dissonant? This has a ratio of sqrt(2) to 1 in equal temperement, can be aproximated arbitrarily accurately with 'whole numbers' eg: 71:50 is accurate to within less than half a percent.
frosty956 1 year ago
@leakeg you could round this to about 7:5 and still be accurate to within about 1 percent. But is 7:5 (a ratio of whole numbers!!!) any more consonant than a tritone? You'd struggle to tell the difference without hearing them both at once! Dissonance/consonance is just your perception. It is completely subjective. Hence the intervals are arbitrary. (as I said in my comment choose the ones that you think sound nice).
frosty956 1 year ago
@frosty956 You've made some good points here. I was over simplifying by saying whole number ratios are consonant, but I still don't completely agree with you .
leakeg 1 year ago
I think perhaps a note will sound consonant if it has a corresponding harmonic/overtone with the original note. The ratio example you gave (7:5) cannot be a harmonic of the original note hence sounds dissonant, but the ratio 4:5 is consonant (it's pretty close to the major third). Basically that means you need a number of the form '2^n' on the left hand side.
It can't be a coincidence the notes in the major and minor scales form these nice frequency ratios.
leakeg 1 year ago
When I say this is perhaps the best minimalist music I've heard, it isn't an impulsive comment. I've played with Philip Glass, had to study the minimalists in college, and first heard Harrison immediately after listening to an hour's worth of La Monte Young's Well Tuned Piano. Harrison seems to have culled the best of La Monte Young, Riley and Reich, given it the variety of texture in Adams and Nyman, and somehow remained entirely original. Bravo. I'll be picking up a copy of Revelations.
Fremglerk 2 years ago
I was there also, and am behind Harrison's head in the video. It was one of the best performances I can remember, of any type, and the intonation is wonderful. Meeting Harrison and my favorite composer, LaMonte Young, at the following reception was a great bonus.
profyost 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
insufferable newage pap of isufferable
duration.
nestortor 2 years ago
I was at this concert (in Chelsea NYC October 2007). That is indeed La Monte. There were also rows of seats behind the camera. The room fills with indescribable harmonics. Worth seeing this performed Live, if you can possibly make it.
JamesJeude 2 years ago
Thank you, lucky guy, for the recommendation :D
Stunt2one 2 years ago
Good piano tuner
nimnimlight 2 years ago
the overtones... amazing...sound like theres more than just a piano there.
jorgepeterbarton 2 years ago
I like it. I bought two of his CD's and I'm pleased with the work. His tuning is explained on his website.
clones98 2 years ago
His website?
There are two Michael Allen Harrison's. I was looking for one of them, and I could only find the website of the one that I didn't want. XD
PianoSonata 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
disgusting.... boring
liliannepiano 3 years ago
You probably listen to Strauss.
DJPsionix 3 years ago
strauss is great, as is this.
just intonation, this is? sounds like it. good job. is that... la monte young in the front row??
defdeezy 2 years ago
It looks like him
thesamc 2 years ago
yeah that's him. marian is there too.
they look like members of the E Street Band here.
sisterenrodentia 2 years ago
Very nice sounds.......mesmerizing...
Oh wait, this is a youtube comment board...
Gah! Terrible! This sucks and you're all idiots!!
wd336 3 years ago 11
Nice. I love the microtonality (is this a justly-tuned piano?); it's so neat to listen to. I don't see anything wrong with deviating from 12-tone equal temperament (besides, singers and string/wind instruments don't really play in 12-ET like people think)....
However, this video looks like some sort of promotion that would be on his website or something.
horncomposer 3 years ago
Its very beautiful. Its like a cloud of tones.
DambeckSeverin 3 years ago
He's using special sound waves from the etherplasm.
ApopheniaIV 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Who can stand to listen to this entire "piece"? It sounds like an out of tune rambling for 7+ minutes, never deviating from 4/4, never even hitting a black key. This is the future of music? Maybe for those who have been lobotomized. What a joke.
yousaybeus 3 years ago
Actually, your indignation is perfectly equalled by your ignorance. This piece most certainly is not in 4/4 all the way through, large sections of it play with a 3/4-6/8 ambiguity. Out of tune? It utilizes one of the infinite other possibilities than equal temperament. As for the "future of music" comment.... go and ask your music teacher why that is a dumb thing to have said.
worldofpenguin 3 years ago 9
A) It's microtonal, it's not using the conventional 12-tone scale.
B) You're an idiot. Good music is all about experimentation.
C) The pretentious quotes on the video aren't needed, I like the video but fucking hell people.
snevelin 3 years ago
It's in A minor actually.
ApopheniaIV 3 years ago
isn't it D minor?
buxheimerorgelbuch 3 years ago
im not 100% sure - i dont think he used any black keys. im not watching/listening again.
ApopheniaIV 3 years ago
Youre shit btw. LOL
snevelin 3 years ago
Well that was nice
FrozenOasis 3 years ago
I don't even like minimalism but I thought this was totally wonderful!!
sequenzaVII 3 years ago
I've been a fan since In Flight! Michael Harrison is the Master and his performance here is Beautiful!
tubehead357 3 years ago
thanks so much for putting this video up! it is much better than the other version! :)
alitamf84 3 years ago
THIS IS FANTASTIC
sisterenrodentia 4 years ago
THIS IS FANTASTIC
sisterenrodentia 4 years ago
is that la monte young front row? anywho, gorgeous tuning, splendid composition, touching performance. whats pure intonation, hows it work?
MColivejuice 4 years ago
"pure intonation" doesn't describe one tuning system. i think he means this tuning is based on a form of just intonation. this means that intervals are based on simple ratios and are therefore more consonant (in tune) than equal temperament (the ubiquitous modern tuning). a just tuning allows for maximum consonance at the expense of having little or no possibility of modulation (changing keys). equal temperament sacrifices acoustically accurate intervals for the sake of maximum versatility.
emptyflagpole 3 years ago
thanks for the clarification ( :
MColivejuice 3 years ago