Ambiguity

Karpinski, Gary S.

doi:10.30535/mto.18.3.9

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 20 publications

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“…For more discussions on the ambiguities in language, see Chao (1959) and . For musical ambiguities, see Bernstein (1976), Karpinski (2012), andTemperley (2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The musical language of Yuen Ren Chao: A cultural and empirical study of the modernization of Chinese music

Zou¹,

Wang²

2022

Journal of Chinese Linguistics

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In the Chinese art song repertoire, "How can I help but think of you" has long enjoyed enormous prestige since its publication in the 1920s. The song is memorable not only because of its innovative use of language by Liu Bannong in the lyrics but also because of the ingenious arrangement of tonalities, forms, and melodies by Chao Yuen Ren in the music. This essay will be devoted to a cultural and empirical analysis of the song, with the aim of understanding the efforts made by eminent scholars at the early stage of modernization of Chinese music and language. To this end, we will first explore how the lyrics are structured phonetically and syntactically. Tonal complexity and ambiguity in the music will then be analyzed, followed by the discussion of qǐ-chéng-zhuǎn-hé in the musical form. The pentatonicism embedded in the song and its relationship with what generally makes music "sound Chinese" will also be examined. In the

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“…For more discussions on the ambiguities in language, see Chao (1959) and . For musical ambiguities, see Bernstein (1976), Karpinski (2012), andTemperley (2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The musical language of Yuen Ren Chao: A cultural and empirical study of the modernization of Chinese music

Zou¹,

Wang²

2022

Journal of Chinese Linguistics

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Dissociation of connectivity for syntactic irregularity and perceptual ambiguity in musical chord stimuli

Kim

Jin

Kim

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Previously syntactic irregularity has been most studied with chord sequences. However, the same chord may be interpreted as having different harmonic functions, implying perceptual ambiguity. Hence, syntactic irregularity and perceptual ambiguity may be processed simultaneously. We devised 3 different 5-chord sequences in which the ending chord differed with the tonic (T), submediant (SM), and supertonic (ST). In terms of syntactic regularity, T is most regular, ST is most irregular. However, in terms of perceptual ambiguity, the most irregular ST had the salient highest voice. Therefore, the SM was the most ambiguous condition.We investigated how the human brain separates syntactic irregularity and perceptual ambiguity in terms of effective connectivity in bilateral inferior frontal gyri (IFGs) and superior temporal gyri (STGs) with magnetoencephalography in 19 subjects. Correct rate was lower for the most ambiguous chord (SM) (P = 0.020) as expected. Connectivity from the right to the left IFG was enhanced for the most irregular chord (ST) (P = 0.024, false discovery rate (FDR) corrected), whereas connectivity from the right to the left STG was enhanced for the most ambiguous chord (SM) (P < 0.001, FDR corrected). The correct rate was negatively correlated with connectivity in the STG, further reflecting perceptual ambiguity (P = 0.026). We found that syntactic irregularity and perceptual ambiguity in music are dissociated in connectivity between bilateral IFGs and STGs, respectively.We provide the first neurophysiological evidence of the processing of perceptual ambiguity, other than syntactic irregularity, implied in musical chords. We found that the notion of "perceptually ambiguity" is applicable to musical chord stimuli different in syntactic irregularity, and that perceptual ambiguity is separate from syntactic irregularity. Our data demonstrate that the brain interprets the three conditions of musical chords as both "from regular to irregular" and "from ambiguous to unambiguous" conditions simultaneously. This study is the first to unveil dissociation of connectivity by syntactic irregularity and perceptual ambiguity involved in musical chord stimuli.

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Fuzzy Family Ties

Wallentinsen¹

2022

Journal of Music Theory

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Melodic contour is one of a melody's defining characteristics. Music theorists such as Michael Friedmann, Robert Morris, Elizabeth West Marvin and Paul Laprade, and Ian Quinn have developed models for evaluating similarities between contours, but only a few compare similarities between pairs of contours with different lengths, and fewer still can measure shared characteristics among an entire family of contours. This article introduces a new method for evaluating familial similarities between related contours, even if the contours have different cardinalities. The model extends theories of contour transformation by using fuzzy set theory and probability, measuring a contour's degree of familial membership by examining the contour's transformational pathway and calculating the probability that each move in the pathway is shared by other family members. Through the potential of differing alignments along these pathways, the model allows for the possibility that pathways may be omitted or inserted within a contour that exhibits familial resemblance, despite its different cardinality. The analytical utility of the model is then demonstrated through an analysis of melodic possibility in phased portions of Steve Reich's The Desert Music. Integrating variable cardinality into contour similarity relations in this way more adequately accounts for familial relationships between contours and can provide new and valuable insights into one of music's most fundamental elements.

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Ambiguity

Cited by 6 publications

References 20 publications

The musical language of Yuen Ren Chao: A cultural and empirical study of the modernization of Chinese music

The musical language of Yuen Ren Chao: A cultural and empirical study of the modernization of Chinese music

Dissociation of connectivity for syntactic irregularity and perceptual ambiguity in musical chord stimuli

Fuzzy Family Ties

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