The use of asymmetric formations in music

Tonal or atonal structure is used in musical compositions. After giving examples of using the two together in the same composition, I named this usage format asymmetric formation.

When using atonality and tonality together, it can be used as superimposed sounds or between parts of the same composition.For example, while an instrument plays the notes in the abstract formation; another instrument may play notes of a tonal structure. The detail to note here is that the notation in the tonal structure uses the key sound of the atonal structure. It doesn't matter if it is minor, aeolian, major, chromatic, pentatonic, phrygian, mixolydian, etc. What is important is that the notation in the tonal structure uses a sound or key sound of the atonal (abstract) structure as the main key in order to ensure a consistent harmony. The rest of the arrangement belongs to the composer.

Sometimes the use of rhythm helps the "asymmetric formation" internal transitions.

The aim here is to familiarize the listeners who have been used to listening to tonal music for centuries to abstract music. While the development of music evolves from the tonal structure to the atonal structure, it also tends towards abstract expressions. The fact that the large audience is stuck in the tonal structure dating back centuries causes them not to keep up with the development of music. There is a correlation between the listened music and the spoken language. The brain activities of those who listen to music in tonal structure are weak, and their comprehension and language abilities cannot be developed sufficiently. The way to overcome this problem socially depends on the use of asymmetric formation in the language of music. Otherwise, the language of music will become more and more simpler, and human language and comprehension skills may become primitive in the reverse evolution process along with it. It is a serious concern that today's rap, hip-hop, pop, baroque and classical music listeners' declining language and thinking abilities tend towards simpler music in the future. The current situation is just like the fact that this huge mass, who cannot comprehend modern art, cannot understand abstract art at all. Their evolutionary situation is an indication of being stuck centuries ago.

Abstract expressions and tonal expressions with electronics and acoustics.

I share the most competent works in abstract expression. There are no more competent, more professional compositions, but there are studies at a similar level.  Beyond this level is not available.  Abstract language is stuck at this point.  Although there are composers trying to overcome this blockage with different instruments, they realize that this is not technically possible after long efforts in composition or they do not realize it;  they keep the same. 

At this point, you can notice how the "Paleontological Stochastic" language I developed brought new expansions and possibilities. Before developing this language of expression, I wrote compositions for various instruments and small orchestras.  Unfortunately, I have reached the limit where abstract language is stuck.  Then I started using natural sounds. Of course, there can be no limit to the compositions written and prepared with natural sounds. I have used these natural sounds from a wide variety of areas, from cactus inner sounds, wind, river, planet, deep space, subway station, city sounds, etc.  The challenge comes from writing essays on natural sounds.  I do not think that the music, the language of expression is at this level yet.  Perhaps at the next stage, the harmony of natural sounds and expression can be achieved.  For this reason, I do not want to emphasize compositions in which I use natural sounds.

If I would express the subject technically through musical language;  classical western music has the most primitive sound structure.  Full sounds and half sounds.  There is 1 semitone between two full notes and it is completely static. It tries to overcome this problem with melody.  The melody is artificial. However, semitone is more in abstract music. It reaches up to 24 semitones between the two notes, which is interesting;  24 semitones are used in old Turkish music.  But it is still static. However, there is no limit to the semitone in the sounds of nature and it is not static.  In the Paleontological Stochastic narrative language, I first dynamically changed the static structure.  Then I used electronic tools that would allow to go above 24 semitones.  Thus, I got over the limit of 24 semitones and obtained a dynamic language of expression.  Again, I must say that we are not yet ready for musical expression with natural sounds.  In order to write a composition on a dynamic language with infinite semitones, it is necessary to reach that level.

I published Solo Violin's compositions. I think the difference in the language of expression has been observed among all other abstract contemporary works. This language of narrative exemplifies exactly what I want to express.

Unlike the paleontological language I used in the previous work, Violin Sonata, I tried using these tools and paleontological Stochastic language simultaneously in this study. In other words, I had the opportunity to hear the result of the work I performed in a closed environment while playing.

This work is yet one of the first examples of paleontological stochastic language. I am sure that other composers who have listened to this work will produce much more creative works using this method.

Structurally, although the abstract electro-acoustics that I created is included in the classical language, I recorded electronic devices and acoustic instruments separately in my early works. In the paleontological stochastic language, on the other hand, abstract electro-acoustics language is a unified order as it means a word. This layout is sometimes in the form of overlapping records; Sometimes it can be used as a compound.

Paleontology is the study of the history of life on Earth as based on fossils. Fossils are the remains of plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and single-celled living things that have been replaced by rock material or impressions of organisms preserved in rock. 

Traces of life can also be explored in the origin of sounds.  As the evolutionary process of sound can be examined, it carries traces of the beginning or formation.  

Understanding these traces also contributes to understanding the whole flow.  For this reason, I gave this name, thinking that the name of paleontological abstract approaches would be appropriate for spectral and frequency-based studies on the origin of sound.

Stochastic means, randomly determined; having a random probability distribution or pattern that may be analyzed statistically but may not be predicted precisely.

In summary, the next breadth and possibilities of the abstract classical language that is stuck on the same ground and reached its limit is the Paleontological Stochastic language. As short PST.

"Each composer has made some progress in the history of music. This process continues until it reaches the expression of natural sounds."

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I received a criticism from someone who read my article that I did not listen to Karlheinz Stockhausen works. Of course I know Karlheinz's work. Moreover, his work constitutes the reason for my electroacoustic studies. Every composer tries to make a way. It strives to expand its narrative expression. The place we all want to reach is more or less similar. We strive to reach the expression competence of nature. And we all leave steps taken in this direction. The others take these steps a little further.

There are similarities as well as differences between Karlheinz Stockhausen perspective and my point of view, which are quite natural. There is a fusion of tonal and atonal structures as well as a stochastic calculation in the narration with the asymmetric and paleontological Stochastic language. It is not static. In a way, it offers an uncertain dynamism. It is like the results of probability calculations in quantum physics. However, I haven't found a way to note this technique before played. It is possible to score the result. In that case, it creates a paradox when notated that our notation language is unfortunately static.

Stockhausen studies are also static. There is a difference between static works and dynamic expression that I am working on. In a way, my work is the next step of Stockhausen studies.

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What do I mean when I say static? Once a work is composed and notated; produces the same result in each repetition. This situation presents a static, static expression that does not change. In dynamic study, it produces results with variable probabilities in repeating even if the same static notes.

Of course, I did not come up with this point of view myself. Every artist has sources of inspiration. I learned that Indian musicians whom I met and listened to in the 1980s, did not play the same composition over and over again in their own culture. In their culture, performing the same work the same way over and over was the same as death.

Notation and Musical Symbols

I have been writing concertos, chamber orchestra and for solo instruments with no musical symbols (musical traffic symbols). The strange thing is free jazz, I have become the focus of criticism even for those who make abstract music and compose using graphic notation. I think they are not aware of what they are producing with free jazz or abstract music. You will both produce this type of music and restrict the free expression you produce with medieval musical symbols! This is a pointless approach. 

The root of the problem is to perpetuate the usual without thinking about it and being aware of what it is doing. 

For example, what is wanted to be done with abstract music? Expressing a topic, emotion or thought using sounds without being dependent on free expression and notes. Standard playing techniques and articulations are not used for this. For example, playing by hitting the strings of the piano, hitting the strings with the arshet of the violin, or hitting the board with the bow. Quickly pulling the strings; Many non-standard new techniques are used, such as blowing into it.

There is another purpose of producing music with this method. That is to contribute to the free expression ability of musicians. In spite of this, while defending that musicians contribute to the development of their power of free expression and express the issue freely; On the other hand, what is it, if not absurd, to use musical symbols that express the strict medieval conception of notation?

I do not use musical symbols in my own notations and musical vocalizations, and I continue to not use musical symbols in order not to restrict the free expression skills of the musicians who are or will perform my works.

Understood or not understood by those who consider themselves the directors of the music world; I do not care. My goal is clear and understandable. Still, there is one thing that upsets me. It is because musicians who have been trained for years have difficulty understanding my purpose and demand that I add musical symbols to my compositions. I compare it to slaves, who have been given democratic freedom of expression, to protest and shout that we want a monarchy.

I guess if they had criticized painters like Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Franz Kline and Salvador Dali for not obeying similar traffic signs of classical painting; presumably they would curse critics.

The composer is not a holy person or a saint.  The works of a composer are not scriptures. It should be freely interpreted by musicians. -Avni Erbey

* I would like to leave a funny example. I like the music of Penderecki however I think he has no idea what he did about his notation. The graphic notation already explains the play he thinks. Why musical traffic symbols are there? Let the orchestra and/or maestro discuss and decide how they want to express!

Thinking about art & music

What is the role of art?

Aesthetics, entertainment are not art. Art is dissident, opposition to the corrupt. It is an invitation to enlightenment. There is no such concept as non-dissident art. Although many of my friends have written, drawn and narrated with me many times, it is strange that what is still art and what is not art is confused. It is strange that although not only contemporary artists but also many ancient artists within the historical line have described the role of art, it is still not understood. In our age, we still shouldn't be defining art and describing its role. These accounts are not an emphasis on the meaninglessness of other studies. For example, there are people who need the use of pleasant colors, stylish designs, and the composition of entertaining or relaxing music. Of course, peace is also a human need. However, the subject that all of us have been emphasizing over the years is clear. Art does not entertain people, does not give peace, you may not like it, its purpose is to disturb you, to force you to think and question.

Art is no more valuable than any other popular works. Rather, only the purpose of existence is different. The value of art does not emerge over time. This is meaningless. Because it is against the problems of the time it is already in. All artistic works become the subject of art history only when the period, age, time period changes.

Wherever you go in the world, you will come across politicians and politics. Mass murder of mink, killing of bears and deer for fun. Factories pollute rivers, seas with plastic, fossil gases make the atmostphere unbreathable, melting glaciers, melting permaforst and emitting methane into the atmosphere, increasing forest fires as a result of warming the climate, etc. The enrichment of a handful, the impoverishment of the world population, the never-ending wars. At this point, the role of art is to show people its own ugliness and deformation; thus trying to achieve an enlightenment.

In 20 years, nothing will be better. Poverty and hunger will increase. Pollution, climate collapse, anomalies, extinction will have skyrocketed. You'll be paying for air you don't have to pay to breathe today. We will be left without water with the water crisis. You will be sacrificing your life for a drop of clean water. There will be migrations because of the dry land. There will be people who die in those migrations. We will fight each other for a few square meters in the northern regions. You know that neoliberalism is responsible for all of this. Don't you know that you support this system that works for a few thousand super-rich? Some don't know. Some know but don't mind. Some of them benefit from them. Some people think the political leaders will save them. Yet those leaders are working for neoliberalism. Why do people come together and change the system? Because dreams of individual wealth attract them even in poverty. Because they don't know what kind of system to set up. Because they are too selfish to come together. Because art does not shout to them sufficiently that they can solve it if they come together! Because art does not mean that the world is huge and that everything can be possible and more beautiful when shared equally. Because art cannot explain the virtue of being a united nation to them. However, one nation is the human nation.

What does a music or sound set convey to society? Have fun, dance, never mind? Love is beautiful, do you fall in love? Nature is beautiful. Do you hop, jump, wander the fields and enjoy?

Or is it the romance in the sunsets? Should it describe the major social problems that people experience but are unaware of, and which they cannot make a voice even if they are aware of it?

Unfortunately, even some modern composers are afraid to use ideas that will bring enlightenment to the society, although they can compose with abstract sounds. Their reluctance to take part in the arts is due to fear of loss of income or political fears. Thus, they call out towards the void with sound clusters decorated with abstract sounds that do not contain meaning or messages.

Political problems and what has made the world? When they catch people from Africa, put them in chains and take them to their countries as slaves; How could these people articulate themselves and this serious problem? With books? With articles? With music? Isn't that opposition, the pain, the passion for freedom not in the blues and jazz? What did they do then? They immediately bought them and turned them into dance music! That resistance, passion for freedom, opposition first turned into jazz balls, rock and roll, and the entertainment of pop culture. The music of a hollow, meaningless culture - became clusters of sounds.

Didn't the same cycle happen in classical music? Hasn't it turned into a special service to the entertainment and pleasure of kings and nobles? What does this or that composer whom you love and praise tell about? Are they not hollow, meaningless sets of sounds? Then didn't they invent a ridiculous concept for art called art?

If a set of sounds does not contain a philosophy, a political view, questioning, criticism, or thought; What is it transmitting? What is it saying?

Are the drawings on the cave walls art? Of course not. The manuscript of that period was those drawings. Isn't it clear what they draw to document? Were the ancient Greek and Roman period sculptures, pottery, pottery works of art? Of course no. It was documented work done with fine workmanship. Many of them were statues of the wealthy, important soldiers or politicians of the period. The pottery is already for use. Were Michelangelo sculptures artwork? Of course no. All were document works, all examples of fine craftsmanship. Were the works depicting nature, city and human scenes as works of art? Of course not!

Some think that good workmanship, very good description, is art. The producing test says it reflects very well what it describes. The flower, leaf and nature motifs on the furniture in my house are made with very fine craftsmanship. The person who did it expressed it as very successful. I love my furniture. They fit my living room and work well for me. However, they are not art. I think this is very clear.

Any work that does not have a philosophy, resistance, opposition, and a message for enlightenment of society is not art.

John Cage, Schönberg, Rzewski, Penderecki, Bartok etc. which I think similarly. So the reason we remain out of touch with young, middle-aged composers is more a matter of understanding. Therefore, it makes no sense to talk about art any further. They grouped together, listen and like each other. It is reminiscent of the grouping of peers in sociology. It is out of the question for me to enter the world of toxic "like" and "adapt". I'll leave a little bit of Bartok.

"Competitions are for horses, not artists"

Finally, let me complete my sentences with Arnold Schönberg's words.

"People have found 'comfort' and preferred comfort. The aim of modern man is to live an effortless life. That is, a life that is less mobile, less wearing. Therefore, man has become superficial. "Comfort" is synonymous with mental laziness. This is also true for music. Traditional music is static. As soon as it goes out of the tonal system, it wanders. Although Romantic composers have pushed the limits of order (tone) with interlacing sounds and chords, this is not enough. There is no complete rupture. Just as we struggle against corrupt and conservative moral values ​​in society, we must also fight and break the established rules of music. are symbols of its rules.

The artist's antennae detect the thinnest characters like a seismograph. Things that are too light and hidden (stuck) that are too light to hear attract me, make me wonder. Every great artist reacts to the most vague inspiration. Thus, the new explains itself indirectly. With this phenomenon of discovery, the most inaudible can be found, one should only be able to look within and listen to himself. "

Vortex Music Theory

While expressing this theory, the point I take as basis is against tonality, chromatic structures, dominant voices and chords; it was not to flatter the atonal understanding. On the contrary, my point is; It was to emphasize that music is not different from spoken language or sounds we hear in nature, deep space sounds, or inner voices of planets and stars. When I tried to express this, the first step in Vortex Music Theory, regardless of the main pattern, was to enrich the effect of expressing it together with its retrograde both in terms of polyphony and at the same time to reflect the expression "a timelessness" to the language of music as in nature and the universe.

If I will explain the main idea a little more; nature and the universe are not concerned with tonality or atonality. It expresses its own feature and structure in a timeless process. For example, when you listen to a river, you hear that the sounds do not differ as forward or backward. Or, when you listen to the inner sounds of the sun from Nasa recordings, you find a similar sound structure. However, what happens is that voices in every situation describe their inner structure, themselves, and what is happening in them. For this, by making long and detailed studies; It is understood that the sounds caused by the molecular activity tell what they say. In short, they tell their stories in a timeless process. The listener hears a hum and strangely enjoys it. When you listen to the sounds of the forest, you will hear full polyphony. It is an average hum. This hum, while describing the forest itself; we enjoy it again. In Vortex Music Theory, sound waves overlapping each other create a similar sub-humming sound. But they also hear opposing melodies in a dual "process of timelessness".

Language is unidirectional phenomenon. Points only a time in the past OR Now OR a time in the future. Art and music use the same philosophy. What if we can talk past, now and future in the same sentence? Vortex Music Theory solves that phenomenon.

Where did man reach in the language of art from multi gods religious days to modern days?

Vortex Music Theory indicates multidimensional polyphony. Polyphony is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, homophony. Vortex Music Theory carries polyphony to advanced polyphonic level which means simultaneous multidimensional "timeless note at a point in universe".

For example, musical language of universe and earth itself has timeless texture. If we get musical language of deep space or sun or a river, wind on earth than we hear multidimensional sound. However human musical language is unidirectional which shows monodimensional understanding. 12 tones, atonal and even abstract textures can not solve that main issue in musical language.

The abstract art language is a combination of primitive, plain language and psychedelic expression made in the early ages.
He copied what he saw first. Then he conveyed his sense of what he saw. Then he expressed both together. Then he expressed it again with the color spree. Then he removed the object; color left. And finally reached the painting technique of the caveman.
He took the hippies out of the LSD effect and expressed them together. That's all the history of art. So he decided to go back to where he first started. The musical language was no different from this line. Because to go beyond what art philosophy can offer, to go outside could not be different for composers. There was no other way he could see...

However the reality is different. The pattern has all details in the moment. From universe to solar system; from earth life to individual. Earth life contains all species and inanimate particules such as air, water, earth, wind. Because we know no species can live without them which means all is one!

Where can we reach? A timeless moment all in one!

In addition; If you have the most super computer but you know fortran computer language. what can you program? A calculator. But if you know an object oriented language than you can program VR Box scenes which cause to question the reality.

What does it mean?
Computer is same but language is different!
Vortex Music Theory contains 2 different direction sounds.

1. Normal play. From the first note to end which means from the beginning to end. Main possible series.

2. Backward playing (Retrograde). I have re-organized the notes of the partition from end to beginning which means the last note in normal play became the first note in backward play.

2i. Corresponding wavelengths. Forward & Backward playing causes corresponding wavelength. 

a - first piano sound

b - second piano sound (Retrograde)

When a and b overlap they form the "c" sound pattern. Those in the same direction strengthen each other. Those in the opposite direction cause damping. hence the "d" sound model emerges. That is where I express sound "hum". However, since "d" is not dominant, it is not heard in the foreground. Our ears hear and our brains notice, of course, it can only be "a" or "b" with a focused "c" state at the conscious level or selective hearing.

3. If you would like to use Vortex techique than the problematic part is synchronization of the notes and timing of playing the instrument.

This technique gives us vortex language or bidirectional in language without time! If you hear the beginning and the end at the same time (in a moment) than time is meaningless. If you can talk (today in musical language) bidirectional than you can express both ways in a moment now & future OR past and future. Future is becoming past and past is becoming future.

Vortex Play
Example ii:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yracPeNUi0U

Example 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWJlsUPxMoQ

One of the examples I used while trying to explain Vortex Music Theory. Here the expression is bilateral and voiced simultaneously. The hum you hear in the background is a sampled form of overlapping sound waves. Since I do not have devices to separate these sound waves, I have expressed them as an example.

Example 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDbd3iMzCb8
Example 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHp69Iewv_Q

Vortex Music Theory effect on scores with complex sentences.

Example 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMny0fyVD08

Example 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdDm5k3-hWU&t=7s

Question : Can we use only 1 instrument while following vortex theory?

Answer : You can use any number of instrument for vortex music theory. However you  have two partitions for each instrument so there should be two different recording OR if it is live performance than there should be two similar instrument on the stage. One plays forward and the other plays backward. 

if you want to play both partitions at the same instrument at the same time than you need to transpose one of those partitions.

Example : I have transposed the backward partition and played together at the same piano at the same time.

Result : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtOYGTe00Hc

If you would like to use vortex music theory for smyphonic orhestra than there are two possibilities.

#1 Make double the orchestra
#2 Divide instruments for forward and backward partitions.

In both cases perfect unison is a must.

Example 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0HTeptyAIU
Example 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dswFCoTIP8
(Some pencil touches may be required in the symphonic orchestra. I didn't touch any note but used Vortex Theory directly to the composition.)
* Orchestra is not playing Vortex at the same time in this example. I have recorded both plays and merged the records. A deep concentration is required for live performance and perhaps two maestro.

For rock bands the technique may create a mass, a full noise. I don't think hard rock bands can use vortex music theory if it is not a ballad song. On the other hand rock, pop etc bands have a singer. If they want to use vortex tech than there will be 2 singers; one sing the lyrics from beginning to end and the other from end to beginning. Again this may create a full noise. May be they can try...

Notation and Instruments

We have traditional local instruments and classical instruments to make music. However instruments create the limits of our musical language. Further more any physical object can be musical instrument such as table, chain. Beyond that all species have musical language such as birds, trees, cactus, wind, sea, planets, stars etc.

All those describe to us that music is much wider than we understand. 7 notes or 12 tones are not enough to write down the musical language and transfer to others. We can not write down the notation of stones or cactus or walking or rain or wind etc. How can we write down all sounds into notation and transfer to others. Graphical notation is not enough also. 

Because in physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. It has frequency, pitch, duration, impedance, loudness, tibre, pressure, velocity. We need to use correct definitions of each sound which is numbers. All those numbers easily can be calculated and used as notation. If we can not find the correct object to use than we have electronic equipments "synthesizers" to create the same sound with formulated numbers "freq+pitch+velocity+duration+impedance+pressure......." for example "20+12+50+1sec+....." or a symbol + required numbers. Notation technique should be discussed and come to a consensus point.

The only requirement is to accept those numbers and use altogether. 

The reference book will not be problem to create once all of us accepted as new notation! 

Maybe I can give the example of the large hadron collider at CERN for a better understanding of Vortex Music Theory or technique. Two particles collide and the resulting decays are examined at those experiments. These studies allow us to better understand and analyze the internal structure of nature. In Vortex Music Theory, the same sounds (composition) come from different directions and collide & decay. It is just like two protons coming from different directions and colliding & decaying. While CERN experiments open the doors of the quantum world to us, the vortex music theory opens the door to the world of quantum music.

Conclusion

We have all assumed only particles have spin direction in quantum mechanics and we can not use that principle in our daily lives. However I think we can use it in music then perhaps in our daily language in the future. "Vortex Music Theory" is a kind of chemical bond technique like Pauli principle on chemical bonding. Each electron has a different direction spinning to able to bond;  otherwise impossible. New chemical bonds gives us different possibilities so I called Vortex Music Theory because this technique gives us more colorful and rich possibilities rather than static music theories. I have also added some philosophy on it and re-interpretten into time understanding. Because we all believe (but no scieintific evidence rather than swiss made clock) time flows in one direction. Now we can hear definitely time flows in two direction; from past to future and from future to past which causes "time" meaningless, useless, nonsense while listening more colorful & full rich music. Vortex Music Theory allows to reinterpret all the musical works ever made.

As a last word : enjoy :)

"nobody has said avant-garde is easy but different and colorful" Avni Erbey