Root motion analysis of chord progressions of selected jazz compositions written between 1980 and 2000.

Authors

  • Peter Vandemoortele

Keywords:

Jazz, Chord Progression, Root Position

Abstract

As its analytical starting point, this study used root motion theory based on the writings of Arnold Schoenberg and applied them on a set of jazz compositions written between 1980 and 2000. Schoenberg classified root progressions in three categories: ascending, descending and super-strong root progressions. In this study, 1332 chord progressions extracted from tonal jazz compositions were analysed in terms of their root motion.The chord progressions were transcribed and analysed using Roman numeral symbols after which they were grouped according their root motion category. The data was compiled and then analysed revealing the most frequent root motions and common chord progression patterns. The results were also compared to root motion data done on music from other styles. This article discusses some of the results.

 

References

1. Carter, Paul S. “Retrogressive Harmonic Motion as Structural and Stylistic Characteristic of Pop-Rock Music.” Ph.D. Diss., University of Cincinnati, 2005.

2. Clercq, Trevor De and David Temperley. “A Corpus Analysis of Rock Music.” Journal of Popular Music 30, 1 (2011): 47-70.

3. Everett, Walter. “Making Sense of Rock’s Tonal Systems.” Music Theory Online 10, 4 (2004): 1-14.

4. __________. “Expression in Pop-Rock Music: Critical and Analytical Essays.” United Kingdom: Routledge, 2007.

5. Meeùs, Nicolas. “Toward a Post-Schoenbergian Grammar of Tonal and Pre-tonal Harmonic Progressions.” Music Theory Online 6, 1 (2000): 1-5.

6. Moore, Allan. “The So-Called “Flattened Seventh” in Rock.” Popular Music 14, 2 (1995): 185-201.

7. Schoenberg, Arnold. Structural Functions of Harmony, edited by S. Leonard. New York: W.W. Norton, 1954.

8. __________. Theory of harmony. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1978.

9. Stephenson, Ken. What to Listen for in Rock: A Stylistic Analysis. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2002.

10. Tagg, Philip. “Analysing Popular Music: Theory, Method and Practice.” Popular music 2 (1982): 37-67.

11. Tymoczko, Dmitri. “Root Motion, Function, Scale-degree.” Accessed July 11, 2017. http://dmitri.mycpanel.princeton.edu/files/publications/tonaltheories.pdf.

Downloads

Published

22.01.2020

How to Cite

Vandemoortele, Peter. 2020. “Root Motion Analysis of Chord Progressions of Selected Jazz Compositions Written Between 1980 and 2000”. Rangsit Music Journal 15 (1):165-77. https://so06.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/rmj/article/view/190513.

Issue

Section

บทความวิจัย | Research Article