Loading...
 

Ramsay - Duality in the Genesis of Music's Scales

of the major being upward, and the genesis of the minor being downward. The ascending genesis, beginning with the root of the subdominant major F, produces in the ascent a scale of notes at varying distances, and of increasing levities; the middle note, D27, being carried a little above the center of the system. The descending genesis, beginning with the top of the dominant minor B, produces in the descent a scale of notes with identical variety of distances, but with increasing gravities; the middle note, D26 2/3, being pressed a little below the center of the system, thus giving rise to these two D's - one whose genetic number is 27, the major D, and one whose genetic number is 27 2/3, the minor D - the duality of D is thus residing in itself.1
     The vitality of the notes depends on their specific gravities and levities. As the tempered system does not in any way alter the position of the notes of the mathematical system, and as it is their specific gravities and levities which give the notes their vitality, when the one is not changed neither is the other. The gravities and levities of the notes change when the notes change their position in the system. They may indeed have the same names, but they are no longer the same notes.
     The specific levity of notes increases in proportion to the number of times the ratios are multiplied in order to produce them, going upward by sharps; and their specific gravity increase in proportion to the number of times the ratios are divided in order to produce them, going downward by flats. The knowledge of this is attained when everything is in its perfect order. It is the discovery of the Law of Duality in music which shows the method of applying the ascending and the descending ratios so as to exhibit that perfect order of Nature.
     Through the whole system, in the progression of major scales with sharps and minor scales with flats, the new sharp is applied to the middle of the major dominants, and the new flat to the middle of the minor subdominants. In the progression of major scales with flats and minor scales with sharps, the new flat is applied to the root of the major subdominant, and the new sharp to the top of the minor dominant.2 [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 43]


1 See Plate II. 2 See Plate XII.

page 43

Created by Dale Pond. Last Modification: Friday October 16, 2020 05:29:37 MDT by Dale Pond.