The Generative Theory of Tonal Music (GTTM) is a theory of music which is "a formal description of the musical intuitions of a listener who is experienced in a musical idiom"[1] that has been put forward in the 1983 book by Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff.[2]
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GTTM as a psychological theory edit
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Overall form of the theory edit
Restriction to "components of musical intuition that are hierarchical in nature" (8).
Four such components of hierarchical structure are proposed:
- Grouping structure: Segmentation of a piece into motives, phrases, and sections
- Metrical structure: Relations between musical events and alternating metrical emphasis
- Time-span reduction: Structural importance of pitches relative to their position in grouping and metrical structures
- Prolongational reduction: Hierarchical structure of harmonic and melodic tension, relaxation, continuity, and progression of pitches
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Grouping edit
Hierarchical vs. associational structure
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Relation to generative linguistic theory edit
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Literature edit
- Lerdahl, Fred/Jackendoff, Ray (1983): A Generative Theory of Tonal Music, Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
- Lerdahl, Fred (2009): "Genesis and Architecture of the GTTM Project". Music Perception 26(3), pp. 187–194.
- Jackendoff, Ray (2009): "Parallels and Nonparallels Between Language and Music". Music Perception 26(3), pp. 195–204.