Andrew Moe

Andrea Gullickson
Nature of Music
Week 8 Response
1. As listeners, we are more accurate at predicting correct tones when the tone falls in correctly with the
rhythm that has been presented.
Hurons reference to meter and tone on p. 179, discussing that the strength of a metric position is
correlated with the likelihood of a tone onset
Figure 10.1 on p. 177 demonstrating the accuracy of the listeners prediction in relation to the
rhythmic onset
Rhythmic patterns also exhibit higher-order conditional probabilities. (p. 181)
Larger implication: We are subconsciously attached to rhythms even when we are not acutely aware
of them. (p.177, final paragraph)
1. Downbeats sound nice because of our hypermetric familiarity due to repetitive periods.
Emotions are attached to syncopation, hemiolas, and missing downbeats due to our inclination
towards prediction (p. 185, third paragraph)
Simple, binary meters are easier for western listeners to perceive (p. 195, final paragraph)
We are more likely to predict that something is going to happen vs what specifically that
something will be (p. 196, third paragraph)
Larger Implication: We experience more pleasure from downbeats because they are easily predicted,
strong, precise rhythms. (p. 192, figure 10.13)
2. When a set of expectations form a pattern, a scheme becomes our primary fixation.
When learning a new activity, we pick up on more than just the basic cues that it involves and
develop habits that arent inherently necessary to complete these tasks (p. 206, second paragraph)
Western cultures insert major/minor schema into almost all their genres (p. 211, third paragraph)
Fans of different genres are more likely to differentiate the sub genres from their preferred genre
while making broad categorizations for genres with which they are less familiar (p. 214, final
paragraph)
Larger Implication: The exposure effect plays into not only specific songs we like or dislike, but
into entire genres due to the schemes they present. (p. 215, first paragraph)
3. Our biological purpose for memory is not for recall but for preparation.
The different biological names for our different forms of recall (p. 220, multiple paragraphs)
Dynamic expectations that are easy to pick up but are also lost quickly (p. 227, third and fourth
paragraphs)
Recall of multiple melodies due to how they fit into each other because of shared melodies (p. 233,
figure 12.2)
Larger Implication: We are able to retain music because inherent relationship to all of our regular
human activities and our want to build off past failures. (p. 234-235, multiple paragraphs)
4. We create surprise in music through schematic, dynamic, vertical, and conscious surprise.
Stravinksy used schematic surprise in the beginning of The Rite of Spring by writing the bassoon
part outside of its usual orchestral range (p. 270, fourth paragraph)
When words are combined in a way that breaks their usual patterns, it creates a garden path
surprise (p. 279-280, final paragraph and first phrase, respectively)
Prokofiev uses wrong notes to force listeners to pay more attention to their prediction, often
repeating phrases with a wrong note in order to assure his intention (p. 291, second paragraph)
Larger Implication: Listeners must combine their predictive nature with their ability to analyze
surprise by expecting the unexpected. (p. 294, second paragraph)