#Edm music math theory driver

Like harmonic functions, sonic functions represent stages in tension and release cycles that drive a song's energy and musical drama. Sonic functions are the producer's equivalent of harmonic functions. I was quite amazed that I couldn’t find any reference to this term online and in academic journals.Īfter digging into a mass of pop songs, it became so obvious to me that sound production had assumed the same role that was once almost the exclusive domain of tonal functions, that it was very surprising to me that no one thought to slap this label on the phenomenon. I came up with the term “sonic functions” a few years ago as I was working on my Ph.D. So despite this song being tonal, in the sense that it uses a major key and diatonic triads as traditional tonal pieces, It's clear that the 'functionality' here is sonic, not tonal. This buildup has little to do with tonal gravity and a LOT to do with sonic gestures.Īlso, note that when the tension is released (3:00) it's not due to the chord change from ii to IV, but thanks to the return of the regular drum beat and the vocal hook, as well as the beefing up of the low end and other key portions of the frequency spectrum. The same chord loop continues, but the tension is generated by a sonic buildup: a combination of an intensifying drum pattern, a gradual brightening of the instrumental using a low-pass filter sweep, and the addition of more vocal lines and extension of their range. The lack of tonal gravity is probably clearest in the second half of the bridge (2:45-3:00). But, of course, this is unrelated to tonal functionality. In fact, if any chord in this loop generates more tension than the others it’s the ii chord, by virtue of being the last chord in the loop. If V was a true dominant chord, we would hear a tendency for it to resolve to I, and following it with a ii instead would, at best, feel like a ‘deceptive’ move.īut I doubt anyone hears that tendency. IV–vi–V–ii, or A–C#m–B–F#m in the key of E major.Ī chord loop generates some level of anticipation and tension just by being repetitive, but the V chord in this case doesn’t generate more tonal gravity than the other three chords. Let me give you an example: In Nicki Minaj’s “The Night is Still Young” there’s a four-chord loop that persists through the entire song: A V chord is automatically labeled as the dominant, which implies tension.īut what happens when these chords don’t perform the functions they are “supposed” to perform? If we see/hear a I chord we call it the tonic, which implies stability. This is so ingrained in us that we tend to immediately assign a function to every chord.

#Edm music math theory driver

And rightfully so-Nearly every widely-accepted analytical method treats the tonic–predominant–dominant–tonic cycle as the primary driver of musical drama in tonal music. Most musicians who engage in music theory view harmonic functions as the backbone of western tonal music. But the increasing role of technology in how we create and think about music has created a significant shift in our musical landscape and ushered in the era of sonic functions. Functionality in music is usually attributed to harmony and tonal pitch relationships.