Because no matter in what way or order you play your intervals, they are always integer powers of 2 (1./12), meaning that there's always a finite number of notes you can either play or not play. Now, most synthesizers and such use "equal temperament", meaning you get exactly 12 semitones per octave (like a piano has) and that is actually the only system in which the "complement" of a melody actually makes logical sense. The other option is "equal temperament" tuning, that has a constant frequency ratio between every semitone of 2 (1./12) = 1.059463:1, so that if you stack 12 of them, you get 2:1, the octave. Then comes the question of tuning, I see two options: The "just intonation" uses exact integer ratios of frequencies, so that the harmonics that should theoretically line up indeed do line up exactly. Other musical intervals are based other ratios, creating other patterns of shared harmonics.īut then, if you play most of an octave at once, minus three notes or so, you're going to get really complex patterns. But when played a fifth (3:2 = 1.5x frequency) apart, the high note shares the 3rd, 6th, 9th etc harmonics with the lower note, but also has new frequencies in between that are not present in the lower note. Two notes played together an octave (2:1 = 2x frequency) apart, the high note is basically a subset, made of exclusively the 2nd, 4th, 6th, etc harmonics of the lower note. Regular harmonies of notes line up the harmonics of the sound in interesting patterns. But maybe, just maybe, the effect is enough to make out some structure.Īnother thing that becomes real important here would be the exact tuning and timing of the notes. Like some of the other comments point out, I expect it to sound between either cacophony, and "a subtle dampening" of the notes not played. I propose calling it the "complement" of a musical piece, since "inversion" already has a very different meaning in music theory, and what you suggest is kind of like the complement of a set, anyway. Music is very complex, you need to master harmony to make many notes sound as a whole and interconnected piece. He compared the amount of compressibility of random noise to a wide range of music including classical, techno, rock, and pop, and found that, while random noise could only be compressed to 86% of its original file size, and techno, rock, and pop to about 60%, the apparently complex Beethoven's 3rd Symphony compressed to 40%. Dr Nicholas Hudson used 'lossless' music compression programs to mimic the brain's ability to condense audio information. There is a long held theory that the subconscious mind can recognise patterns within complex data and that we are hardwired to find simple patterns pleasurable. It has been proved that the subconscious finds more pleasurable musical simplicity or pieces that despite having many notes can be reduced to simple patterns: Right now it is HOW many can we play and still sound musical from the samples I saw. Want can we do with a piano if we had more than ten notes to play at a time. This certainly is an interesting area to explorer musically. SALIERI: Yes! yes! er, on the whole, yes, Majesty. I think I'm right in saying that, aren't I, Court Composer? Neither more nor less.ĮMPEROR: My dear fellow, there are in fact only so many notes the ear can hear in the course of an evening. There are just as many notes, Majesty, as are required.
ORSINI-ROSENBERG: Too many notes, Your Majesty?ĮMPEROR: Exactly. Of course now and then - just now and then - it gets a touch elaborate.ĮMPEROR: Well, I mean occasionally it seems to have, how shall one say? How shall one say, Director?
I immediately thought of a quote from the movie Amadaus (About Mozart)ĮMPEROR: Of course I do.