
Publica
Hier finden Sie wissenschaftliche Publikationen aus den Fraunhofer-Instituten. Musical pitch quantization as an eigenvalue problem
: Graben, Peter beim; Mannone, Maria
| Journal of mathematics & music 14 (2020), No.3, pp.329-346 ISSN: 1745-9737 ISSN: 1745-9745 |
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| English |
| Journal Article |
| Fraunhofer IKTS () |
| circle of fifths; transposition symmetry; scales; quantum cognition; discrete; cyclic groups; continuum |
Abstract
How can discrete pitches and chords emerge from the continuum of sound? Using a quantum cognition model of tonal music, we prove that the associated Schrödinger equation in Fourier space is invariant under continuous pitch transpositions. However, this symmetry is broken in the case of transpositions of chords, entailing a discrete cyclic group as transposition symmetry. Our research relates quantum mechanics with music and is consistent with music theory and seminal insights by Hermann von Helmholtz.