source file: m1391.txt
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 10:58:39 -0400

Subject: Hendrix chord

From: monz@juno.com (Joseph L Monzo)

> Also, Foxy Lady...<snip>... This may be a guitar
> player's chord, but an interpretation from the
> harmonic series is irrelevant.
 
A result of the debate between Paul Erlich and I (and
others on the Tuning List) over this chord is that
I've written a piece based on it.

It explores lots of different rational interpretations
of this chord, guided by the concept that conceivably
(although with much difficulty) a guitarist could
play the chord in 12-eq as:

2^0 : 2^(16/12) : 2^(22/12) : 2^(27/12)

then apply bending to the strings independently
to arrive at one of the various just-intonation
interpretations.

I've sequenced it on my computer to acheive
accurate intonation, and if it _can_ be played
on guitar, I suppose it would qualify as a 
virtuosic exercise in finger independence
and ear training.

Anyway, the version of the chord with the
proportions 6 : 15 : 21 : 28 (ratios of
1/1 : 5/2 : 7/2 : 7/3 -- the analysis which
Erlich argued would be more appropriate,
if it _had_ to be analyzed as ratios) sounds
much more like what Hendrix actually
played on the album, for the reason stated
by Erlich that the 12-eq perfect 4th between
the top two notes is very close to the strong
ratio 4/3.

However, the interpretation as 4: 10 : 14 : 19
(which I originally stated, and which started the
debate) is still the one I like most, especially
with the bending.  It has a bluesy, funky sound
that I think is beautiful.

So, as Erlich insisted, what Hendrix played
in this chord was really basically 12-eq (although
Hendrix  _did_  use a lot of microtonal pitches in
his solos), but exploring rational interpretations
of ordinary 12-eq chords is, to me, like
roaming around in a vast new sonic
playground, and any rational interpretation
can be fitted to some segment of the harmonic
series.  What makes a harmonic-segment
analysis relevant to me is that the proportions
all relate to each other thru a numerary nexus,
thus showing a different kind of relationship
that that which can be perceived by using
absolute ratio measurements.

   Joseph L. Monzo
    monz@juno.com
  

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