Transformation (music)

Transposition example from Koch^[1]  Play top   Play bottom . The melody on the first line is in the key of D, while the melody on the second line is identical except that it is major third lower, in the key of B♭.

In music, a transformation consists of any operation or process that may apply to a musical variable (usually a set or tone row in twelve tone music, or a melody or chord progression in tonal music) in composition, performance, or analysis. Transformations include multiplication, rotation, permutation (i.e. transposition, inversion, and retrograde), and combinations thereof.

Transformations may also be applied to simpler or more complex variables such as interval and spectrum or timbre.

See also

• Identity (music)
• Operation (music)
• Permutation (music)
• Transformational theory

Sources

1. ↑ Schuijer, Michiel (2008). Analyzing Atonal Music, p.52-54. ISBN 978-1-58046-270-9.

Musical set theory All-interval tetrachord Complement Forte number Identity Interval class Interval vector Multiplication Permutation Pitch class Pitch interval Pitch-interval class Set List Similarity relation Transformation Z-relation Diatonic set theory Bisector Cardinality equals variety Common tone Diatonic scale Deep scale property Generated collection Generic interval Maximal evenness Myhill's property Rothenberg propriety Specific interval Structure implies multiplicity