Nacci and Kettlewell:
The History of Multi-Dimensional Music
By Jase Tunney
The exciting and pioneering new genre known as Multi-Dimensional Music is breaking all the rules. What is it? What defines it? Can it be measured? Can it be composed by others?
It is the scope of this article to answer these questions and many more, if it is possible, as well as document the historical facts. Currently Multi-Dimensional Music is considered music that is irregularly irregular, comprised of multiple layers of sound tracks, and breaks most of the rules that once seemed so set in stone.
Did it really come from drawings? We will see that while parts of this music may remain forever elusive, it is well within the capability of the average person to grasp the basic concepts recorded here. I list the above questions as they are the ones I am most often asked since I agreed to write for Nacci/Kettlewell and chronicle their journey…..
This article began as a combination of two Facebook posts written by the author, with some expansion on the ideas they contain. At the time I wrote them, I did not know I would be asked to record this history. It is surprisingly deep and complex, even for music. I hope you enjoy the interviews and documented history presented here.
Its 3am…. Bob Dylan is rasping out “Ballad of a Thin Man” on my Bose desktop speaker. Somehow it seems a fitting song for the task at hand…. define the new genre of music called “Multi-Dimensional”. Yes, it is really that deep and unusual. It is colorful, and it is gray. It is everything and it is nothing. Music is life that continues long after we are dust.
In my opinion it truly is more like painting than not. I contemplate…is this the rabbit hole I choose to go down? Lewis Carroll would likely have laughed that I even ask, however the depth and limits are unknown ……. I light a cigarette, inhaling and exhaling deeply…. Hemingway would likely say, ” write it with no fear”, because through my research and interaction, I too, have lived a portion of these exciting events in music history. I walked the earth with these men in their own time, and that is a story worth telling.
I have compared this music to the art of Pablo Picasso, because the first time you hear it, you may not be certain what you heard, but once you know how to look, or in this case listen, you will find the beauty of these masterpieces.
I have many feelings and opinions as I write this, but opinions are not fact and they are not history. If I do, in point of fact, interject a personal opinion it will be clearly notated as such. So, we begin as all things do, at the beginning…
Andrea Antonello Nacci…the composer…who paints? I would like to share my impressions of this man and his music, the latter of which I could only describe as “fearless”, “innovative”, and “REAL”. When I dubbed him “the composer who paints”, I had no idea how accurate that statement was, as we will all see when all the facts and interviews are presented. I had compared him to Pablo Picasso (a bold statement), and yet there is more buried in the facts.
Nacci is a highly respected teacher and composer of music and an exquisite pianist, as well as a harmonica player and one of the only composers that feels the chromatic harmonica has a place in composition and playing in classically styled music. I have heard him play a piano that is not electronically manipulated, and his sound is unique and simply sublime. He plays a chromatic harmonica with ease.
He also has highly trained pianists who play for him, so he can just listen to his works unfold. We will meet one of his pianists later in this article, as well as discuss some of Nacci’s personal thoughts.
One cannot omit talented musician, author, classically trained vocalist, and composer in his own right, David Kettlewell, who is the consummate Harmonica Composer/ Improv Artist to what is currently being titled “Multi-Dimensional” Music. More talented than he truly knows, I believe we will see much more from David Kettlewell as he helps to shape the sound and composition of Multi-Dimensional Music, as well as other styles.
Kettlewell has forged new paths into the musical world. He is a staple of this music when playing a chromatic harmonica fitted with the Kettlewell Frictionless Mouthpiece, and has changed the idea of harmonica improvisation for many, with Nacci giving him equal credit for the genre of Multi-Dimensional Music. David Kettlewell and his chromatic harmonica are indeed a recognizable sight in music videos on YouTube, as well as the being the man behind the book “Love Of Chromatic Harmonica…Techniques and Advice From The World’s Best!”
It seems that fate has intertwined the skill and inventive nature of these two men. At some points in my research it has become difficult to distinguish where the thought of one man ends and the other begins. However, there are indeed other characters who appear on the set of this always moving musical production of history, and we will be taking a look at some of these individuals, too.
As we all know, like a Broadway production, “there are no small parts, only small actors.” The tools of the trade are a very important part of this music, and should not be discounted as an integral component of the sound. Also, those who have provided inspiration and support are no less important and will be discussed.
Multi-dimensional music began as the creative brain child of Andrea Antonello Nacci after receiving a series of nine drawings that were sent to him by a longtime friend and student, Federica Peruzzo. Federica composes a very different kind of music on her own, and was happy to allow an interview to take place to further the cause of factual documentation of this creation. The original drawings were made using the “Zentangle” method of drawing, a method of hobby and relaxation as well as art.
Peruzzo had no idea what Nacci was going to do with her drawings, but it was more than either fully imagined at the time. Nacci accepted the gift of images graciously as large format RAW files. What he did next altered the course of his life, as well as that of his entire team.
To this day he refers to these drawings as “Peruzzo’s gift of marble. “None of this was planned by Peruzzo or Nacci, he merely gave the “marble” what it asked for. He knew what was inside the block, as a sculptor does, and merely removed the excess. He opened the files with first a mathematics program and then altered the numerical values to music.
He clipped away, but had her resend the files with a transparent background to eliminate white noise and made it into strands, which when properly sequenced, became music. He refers to his electronic composition as “Composed by man, analyzed by computer”.
These original drawings and mathematic files still exist and function ten years after his original idea. He states the process began with these drawings around 2006-2007. “Mathematics is the language of God.”, Pythagoras once boldly stated. In this case the author would have to draw the conclusion he was not incorrect.
Nacci firmly believes that mathematics is one of the purest of sciences. He certainly agrees it has a direct correlation to music, as is widely known and accepted by the musical community. He believes that music allows one to connect to creation, and that there is a need for those who accept the calling as composers to decode the music they hear so that other people may listen and enjoy.
Nacci also firmly states that if you remove one basic idea or component from music, it could not and would not exist. Musical Theory exists as a model so musicians can communicate with each other. However, he sternly warns in a paraphrase from a well-known Mathematician, Renato Caccioppoli from Naples, Italy (coincidentally Andrea Antonello Nacci’s hometown).
“Music is like a woman…you can do anything to get her attention, to get her to like you….but if she doesn’t like you, nothing you do will make a relationship possible.” Music chooses you, you do not choose music is his firm assertion. He states he was chosen by music, like many others before him and since him, to be her herald.
Peruzzo was asked during her interview if she would be making more drawings for Nacci, in order to give him “more marble”. At first, she was reluctant to say, being somewhat evasive, but after a little coaxing she did come out and admit that she very likely will soon draw again for her friend and teacher.
Once again, the author will pause for reflection. Nacci’s Story is far from over. I have spent many hours interviewing this man. He is kind, he is modest, and he is absolutely beyond the shadow of a doubt of genius caliber in several areas aside from music, in my opinion as well as the opinion of others I have not yet introduced you to. If documentation of this fact (his genius) exists, there is no doubt in my mind he would not confirm it out of sheer modesty. You must know this man to even scratch the surface of truly understanding him. Perhaps I will introduce you a bit more to Nacci the person, and see if you agree. Perhaps then, you will begin to understand Nacci, the composer.
History without knowledge of the people involved is very flat, very boring, and almost impossible to make appealing to read. These historical events all took place because of real people drawn together in odd and unexpected ways. This, too, is a story worth telling.
I asked Nacci what drives him to see the harmonica accepted not only in Multi-Dimensional Music, but even in classical music. He related a story of being a boy, perhaps three or four years of age. He attended a party of some sort, perhaps a birthday or Christmas. He did not recall the exact nature of the event. It was the type of party where the older men give boys gifts, and Nacci was given his very first diatonic harmonica. At that point in time, no one knew that young boy would become a highly respected man and composer of music.
The pendulum began to swing, and time passed quickly, as it usually does. Very shortly the boy, who was later to become world famous and invent his own genre of music, began to play songs on the “little toy” he was given. By the age of five he was playing many songs quite well by ear. His music had only begun.
In 1979, at age 13 it had become so evident to Nacci’s parents what the course of their son’s life would be they enrolled him in proper piano lessons, where he rapidly excelled. He had decided to become a composer. At age 17 he began formal vocal training. He states at that time, he subscribed to the opinion that singing was fundamental to composing music.
Nacci related to me early in the second interview that he feels if you can sing what you composed in raw composition, it is probably good, or at least workable. If you cannot sing it, something is very wrong. Such was and is the theory of “The Man Who Paints with Music,” from a young man to a now seasoned composer, this assertion has not changed. Singing should be fundamental for each musician, in his opinion.
In Italy, when he came of age, service to his country was compulsory. Andrea Antonello Nacci joined the navy to serve his allotted time. While on shore with his friends, he passed a music shop that contained a curious looking harmonica in the window. He felt an urge, a need to buy this strange looking harmonica with a button and slide on the side. He had indeed purchased his first chromatic harmonica. He has been in love with chromatics ever since, but it was always something different, something aside from his other music. That was then. Things change with each sunrise and each sunset. He always played the harmonica by ear…it was always there, and yet…something aside from his main music.
Nacci had his RAW files from Peruzzo and had begun his compositions as mentioned earlier. He was teaching students of his own, but felt something was missing. One particularly gifted student is Antonio Capogrosso, the “Billy the Kid” of the keyboard. I have heard him play straight tracks, prior to the Multi-Dimensional processing. Billy the Kid, indeed. Lightning fast and deadly accurate on both piano and keyboard, Capogrosso is the youngest member of this history, but what he lacks in age he more than makes up for in talent.
I have spoken with Antonio, who is surprisingly mature for just turning 23 years of age. Fame does not phase this man one bit. Modest, quiet and unassuming unless you let him near a keyboard, one can only guess what truly lies beneath the cool exterior, although one thing is certain: Music kissed him on both cheeks. He began playing guitar at 11 years of age and piano at 12, but Capogrosso had been called by music even before that.
He has been studying under and playing next to Andrea Antonello Nacci for approximately one year. He states in their latest work, that has not yet been released, he will play next to Nacci, with both improvising and electronics and two other musicians involved. He feels it will be a great experience and is looking forward to it immensely. He loves to learn, but as of now does not change the music from what Nacci has written unless he asks permission from the Maestro first. The future is bright indeed for “young Billy”, and Capogrosso looks forward to every challenge that can be sent his way.
With the piano thoroughly covered by both himself and Antonio Capogrosso, Nacci wanted a harmonica player to work with. A world class improvisational harmonica player, to be exact. He scoured the net for a sound he liked. Neither man remembers the exact sequence of events, but it is generally accepted by both that Nacci heard Kettlewell improving on another piece of music and like what he heard. He then sent Kettlewell a demo track to play on, “All Things You Are”, and asked him to play on it.
Kettlewell states that he is often sent music, and he likes it, or he does not. Nacci’s track, however, got his full attention. The two became fast friends, and beginning with a joint electronically manipulated piece now known as “Bizzaro”, Multi-Dimensional Music now began to take on more form, more life, and have a pulse all its own. Kettlewell asserts on “Bizzaro” he used a Tascam unit but not direct use of a computer when he layered his playing over Nacci’s music. He also used a pitch altering feature on the Tascam to change the key of the piece and timbre several times.
LINK TO BIZARRO…..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nayUaZNN60&t=5s
The results were better than good, in point of fact, they changed how many think of improv and certainly what most people think about “laws” in music. We will be looking at the results of Bizzaro as well as the rough construction to finished product of at least one Multi-Dimensional track. These tracks as well as other material will be attached to this article as it is place on MastersofHarmonica.com and other websites, making this a functional multi-dimensional article within itself.
http://mastersofharmonica.com/
David Kettlewell is an accomplished Gold and Silver medal winning figure skater at U.S. Adult Figure Skating championships, an author of 13 books, one of which plays a very important part here “Love of Chromatic Harmonica..Techniques and Advice From the World’s Best!” because the ideas contained within it are directly applied to Kettlewell’s improvisational music and composing, which is key to Multi-Dimensional Music. He is also a former classically trained vocalist. He weaves his portion of the musical fiber while the tracks are playing, without the safety… of a net.
He refers to improvisation as swimming in the river of sound- and to music as liquid emotion, “because the true nature of improv never truly changes- it is always created in the moment.” He states firmly that in improv, whether it is great or not, once it is gone you will never get that exact moment back. He also asserts he feels improv is difficult for many because it seems to be counterintuitive. Many people believe you play the music and that’s it. Kettlewell makes it very clear that is not his opinion. He stated he played over the same tracks many times, not because the results weren’t good, (although he admits at times some were not pleasing to him) but because he wanted to show the unlimited potential each piece presents the improvisational artist.
David has been featured on TV multiple times as well as appearing in articles, and is the inventor of the Kettlewell Frictionless Mouthpiece. This mouthpiece allows a conventional chromatic harmonica to be played without the lips sliding on a metal mouthpiece lubricated by saliva, adding tremendous speed to play, and 1/8” overall to the sound chamber of each hole. The first workable design was created by Brian Decelle of MTD Consulting in Valencia California.
The author, as well as several others who have heard pieces played with and without the mouthpiece, believe the mouthpiece changes the traditional chromatic harmonica to something “a bit more”. According to Italian composer Andrea Antonello Nacci, it takes the chromatic harmonica to the level of top professional orchestral instruments. It lends texture to Kettlewell’s already beautiful and fascinating playing and tone. At the time of this article I do not have a set of electronic footprints to compare playing done with and without the Kettlewell Frictionless Mouthpiece, however it is generally accepted by those involved in creating this new genre that there is, indeed, a difference. I will be writing a separate article on the History of the Kettlewell Frictionless Mouthpiece, as I believe it is warranted.
While writing the history recorded here, I was contacted unexpectedly by a listener, a fan of this new but growing genre. I asked if I could interview him quickly, and this interview was done without a recorder. I read my notes back to him, and he fully agreed this is his testimony to musical history. The man’s name is Paul McHam, Lieutenant, U.S. Army National Guard, retired. The interview was as follows:
Paul explained to me that he was a long-time music lover, but that he felt a lot of music really has no feeling, no true meaning to him. This was not improving with most music found today, in his opinion, and he feels lucky when it does. He stated that he does know David Kettlewell because he had known him a bit prior and contacted Mr. Kettlewell to help him with a book he (McHam) is currently authoring about mold abatement. He went to Kettlewell’s house for a meeting but arrived early, while Kettlewell was still rehearsing. He states that while he was listening, he found the music mesmerizing.
Kettlewell noticed that he was genuinely interested and offered to play a bit more, an offer which McHam gladly accepted. I asked McHam what it was like for him, to sit there while a brand-new genre of music was being played (and likely recorded). McHam again stated he was transfixed…that the music was more than music. He gave a clear account of having the true feeling that he was traveling somewhere and that it was so relaxing but very emotional, as well as visuals in the mind’s eye.
I asked McHam to describe in further detail what he liked about the Multi-Dimensional music, and he returned to descriptions of actual sensation, far beyond auditory, and again mention stimulations he felt he could feel, such as gooseflesh and again described pictures in the mind’s eye.
He was very articulate and able to communicate his exact experiences. He firmly asserts he has never heard or felt music like he hears and feels this music. I asked him if that was true of all genres that he listens to regularly and he stated that without doubt he found Multi-Dimensional Music to be the most pleasant to the senses and the “deepest” music he has encountered to date, which I found to be an impressive statement as he served much of his military career during the Vietnam era. That is a lot of listening experience if you love music.
McHam then asked if he could talk a bit about Kettlewell. I replied in the affirmative, quite curious as to what would follow.
“Well you know, he’s (Kettlewell) just a great guy. He will help anybody he can. I was really interested in his harmonica…I never had one or played one before. Now, thanks to David I have a chromatic harmonica to play (a custom instrument of David’s) and practice on, because, you know, I was so interested he felt that I should try it out. He plays sure, he plays as good or better than anyone I have personally heard when it comes to his music, that style, you know. But Kettlewell can do things to a harmonica. He makes them sound better than they originally did. He customizes them or alters them somehow. But because of him I am playing and I am very thankful for that.”
That concluded the impromptu interview that was very welcome in this documentation, and gave the author an idea that will become a part of this history, at least in this account of these events…..
If Paul McHam loved music all his life and his experience with this music was this powerful, what would happen if someone with almost no musical proclivities was exposed to several kinds of music, but especially Multi-Dimensional. Would that individual feel how Paul felt? Would they feel nothing? Would they feel more because they have had little exposure to music? Deeper down the rabbit hole I go….. The more I listen, the more I learn, the more I want, and it whets the need for me to tell you of these events…
For those readers who wish to read of the Subject Zero testing, the complete results will follow the science portion at the end of this article.
During the course of the interviews, Kettlewell was asked a number of questions, mainly relating to his exceptional improvisational skills. He was very forthcoming and helpful, genuinely eager to share the knowledge he has gleaned from experience. When he was asked what his general criteria was for selecting pieces to improv on, he simply related that although he likes many types of music, he prefers to play what sounds pretty to him.
He also spoke of a period lasting approximately one year in his life when he checked out ten to twenty cds from his local library each week, without really looking at what they were so he would have a broader experience in each genre of music.
I asked Kettlewell why he feels there are not more improvisational artists. He related that improvisation is counter intuitive (again) to a trained musician, and he feels most would have to spend approximately a year to get really decent results. He feels the only way to learn improv is to do it…over and over again, sometimes on the same piece of music, sometimes on other pieces.
In other words, improvisation is a unique skill which is only developed by improvising…it is the only path .
Kettlewell also makes an important point here…He states that while true counterpoint is often removed from Multi-Dimensional Music, it MUST be replaced with something to fulfill the listener or they are left with empty atonal noise. He states this can be the trickiest part, as both an improvisational artist and a composer. When asked what is that “something else”, he states “that changes with the piece in question”.
There is no bias in genre within this man, that becomes extremely clear early on. The music (in his opinion) is either good, or it is not, with style or genre making no discernable difference in his observations. He listens without prejudice until he does or doesn’t like the music. When he doesn’t, he switches it off. The man knows what he likes, and popular opinion is of little consequence to David Kettlewell. Kind, patient, intelligent and generous, he will still sleep well at night even if people disagree with him. I intend to write much more of David Kettlewell in the upcoming “History of the Kettlewell Frictionless Mouthpiece.”
The Great Grandfather of Multidimensional Music: The Fugue
The Fugue was brought into musical fashion sometime during the Baroque Period (1600-1750, years vary by source). The Master of the Fugue was Johann Sebastian Bach, who became so good at playing them, he could compose and play a fugue as a type of improv, right then and there as he sat down to play.
A fugue is defined as having polyphonic texture, and this polyphony builds the more complex the fugue is. It relies heavily on counterpoint. The fugue is mainly comprised of one main melody that often repeats called the “subject”. The second time the subject is heard, it will likely be in a different key and is now called the “answer”. Vocal registers are used to describe the lines of a fugue, such as soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone.
As the number of melodic lines builds, one may likely hear soprano, alto, tenor, etc. all playing at the same time, creating layers or repetition at different pitch. The melodic lines can be followed independently but together form harmonic structures.
The fugue is a very complex style of composition, so much so that it would take another history article entirely to fully explain this form. The above is not meant to be a musical exposition on the fugue, it is listed because it is an ancestor directly tied to modern Multi-Dimensional Music, and is likely the single largest influence on this new style if one had to choose from musical forms as a direct influence. It should be noted there are many strict rules for the fugue which is not true of Multi-Dimensional Music, yet one cannot deny the polyphonic ties.
Assembling a Multi-Dimensional Music Track- How To
An excerpt from Kettlewell’s Masters of Harmonica Website
-
You could run the piece from back to front (in reverse) and lay it right over the normal track, that would be 2 dimensional music.
-
You could raise the pitch of the NORMAL track by a Major 3rd and overlay it over the NORMAL track.
-
You could run two different pieces of music as NORMAL track, one over the other, and that would be Multi-Dimensional music.
-
You could run the NORMAL track, and overlay that with a track of the same piece raised by a Major 3rd, then another raised by a Perfect 5th.
-
End excerpt.
The truth is no one has found the limits yet, and perhaps they do not exist. The author has played with the above ideas belonging to Kettlewell/Nacci as well as a few others that will not be listed at this point.
When Andrea Antonello Nacci was asked in his interview if he saw an end to perfecting the form in sight, his simple reply was “My dear friend, how could I see an end when I have only begun to see the edge of the beginning?”
Why and How Multi-Dimensional Music Works
A surprising fact that even many music professionals do not know is that music does not exist outside the human brain. Until the brain processes this audio input (which is remarkably similar to the way it processes visual input), it exists only as molecules vibrating to a pitch. The brain must intercede in order for us to perceive the sweet sound we all know and (hopefully) love.
The generally accepted definition of music: A (typically) organized sound that must contain the following components: pitch, timbre, key, harmony, amplitude (volume), rhythm, tempo and meter. It cannot exist without a counterpoint, at least as we knew it. Multidimensional Music Breaks many traditional Western music rules at times, and at other times it adheres somewhat. The best definition the author can give to this new genre is that it is “irregularly irregular”. The degree and quality of counterpoint or structure replacing counterpoint vary, as with all aspects of music. Multi-dimensional Music is multiple layers of sound, not simply melody and harmony.
MRI imaging in medical science has given neuroscientists a much more intimate look and allows advancement in studies of exactly how the brain converts sound waves to music. There is an overwhelming body of evidence beyond the scope of this article that suggests music can impact the brain so powerfully that it can trigger physiological changes in the brain far beyond the cognitive.
A professional musician or composer typically has a noticeably more symmetrical brain than someone who does not “live” music. They also tend to have a thicker than average corpus callosum, which is a thick bundle of nerve fibers that divides the cerebral cortex lobes into left and right hemispheres and is responsible for transferring motor, sensory, and cognitive information between these two hemispheres.
Here is the rough pathway of music through your brain. (There are exceptions, that should be noted, because many hearing impaired people do experience music in a way that is a bit different. Many accept vibrations from the floor in lieu of aural input, but again this is not the scope of this article, merely a fact which is noteworthy. It involves a very small percentage of people, but they matter as human beings and potential listeners. I include it because I know hearing impaired persons may want to experience Multi-Dimensional music.)
Traditionally Accepted “Music Physiology”, as taken from sources generally considered to be reliable and an interview with one psychiatrist and one neurologist who did not wish to be named because this article is “not a medical study”, state the following: Music enters through the ear as sound waves. From the outer ear the waves continue to deep within the inner ear to small bones that vibrate known to science as the malleus, incus, and stapes. These bones amplify the signals and send them to yet another very small structure called the cochlea, where tiny hairs vibrate to the sound waves according to pitch and transform these waves into signals that the brain can interact with.
It is interesting to note, however, that sound waves don’t merely hit these hairs and disappear as brain signals, they also vibrate within the skull, which follows a simple scientific law that states that nearly every object in the world prefers to vibrate at what is known as its “natural frequency”, and the natural frequency of the skull varies slightly due to the size, shape, and bone density of the given skull, according to a recent meeting held by the Acoustical Society of America. The human skull tends to prefer vibrations of 35 to 65 times per second, with the female head typically vibrating faster than that of a male. (Smithsonian Magazine)
Once signals the brain can process are produced, the pairs bi-lateral auditory nerves (also known as the eighth cranial, acoustic and vestibulocochlear nerves) transport the signals to the primitive areas of the brain, more specifically the cerebellum, where they begin to be broken down into the main components we know as music. (Pitch, timbre, tempo, etc.) From the primitive brain we know as the cerebellum the signals go to the thalamus, which begins analyzing sounds for any type of perceived danger (sounds associated with danger or bodily harm, such as gunfire or screeching tires, etc. this varies by personal experiences in life.)
The thalamus communicates with the hippocampus, the brain’s memory bank to obtain any possible associations from prior experiences with the given sounds. The thalamus also links to the amygdala to work out an emotional response, or how you actually feel about the given signals if they may seem dangerous. Think of it as a sentry post in the brain that controls much of the fight or flight reflex so well known in anatomy and physiology. The parietal lobe of the brain is generally considered to be the area that deals with processing all music signals that have been cleared, however portions lower portions of the frontal lobe play a role as well. These higher areas of the brain determine your final perception and experience with what you are hearing.
Because no branch of science completely understands all brain structures and functions, new breakthroughs and discoveries can be fairly frequent using the technology of the day, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging, EEG testing and even PET scans while a subject is listening to music to see if all the pieces of the puzzle can fully be assembled.
Humans are generally accepted as being able to perceive only two stereo channels at one time (there are rare exceptions), however this does not mean that at least some of the “extra” soundwaves are not still converted to one degree or another to signals your brain understands, it merely means you do not actively “hear” them.
This phenomenon creates an overload effect that goes far beyond the cognitive and is capable of evoking deep emotion and feeling, even reports of sensations, for the music. Multi-Dimensional is created in multiple layers of sound that act very much in this way. You do “feel” the music as well as hear it, but it is a different sensation that is almost impossible to truly translate to the written word, as the experience is a bit different due to variances in human beings and how trained your brain is to music.
Music is predominantly considered a “Right Brain” concept by conventional thinkers, as we know the “Right Brain” is creative and intuitive. While this is a documented fact, it should be noted that rhythm is a “Left Brain” process, and many other parts of music such as pitch and tempo engage numerous areas within the brain and do not always exclude the Left Hemisphere. it is believed by some that speech and music have very little connection, and yet we sing. There are more studies to be done on how the left and right brain multitask on concepts such as music and writing.
Because current science is unclear or even contradicts itself in some of these areas, it is impossible for the author to comment further, except to say there are exceptions to nearly everything, and several noted musicians and composers have suffered devastating strokes to the right side of the brain and still been able to compose or even play quality material.
At this time the piano used to produce the majority of Multi-Dimensional tracks is tuned to A=432hz, the Schumann frequency otherwise known as the “organic frequency”, over which there has been much debate. This frequency is based on the frequency of the earth as it rotates, which is about 8hz. As you work your way up chromatically it is also found in “C” in thunderstorms.
Debate over the validity of this tuning still rages at the time of this writing, with evidence existing on both sides. A few points worth mentioning is the in the middle ages, battles were fought, and people wished to return to peace immediately after. A common tuning then was A=415hz. In 1859 France passed the law of “Diapason Normal”, stating that concert pitch MUST be A=435hz.
In modern times, when certain regimes wished to press their armies into a more frenzied state, pitch was greatly increased, even as high as A= 450hz. United States Official Military “High Pitch” was A=457hz at one point. This is considered by some to be evidence of mood altering through musical pitch, encouraging aggression. It is a little know provision of the Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919 immediately after WW1, made the A=440 pitch standard for all nations who agreed to sign.
It is also generally agreed upon that a tempo of approximately 120 beats per minute is for dancing, showing tempo also has a role to play as well. Studies have shown that tempo in music can affect how fast you drink a soda or a beer, and much more. Each component of music can be isolated in this way, with special feelings and signals it contributes to the brain, but for the purposes of this history, let it to suffice to say we can absorb more than we can perceive at one time.
It is not the intention of the author to rewrite what has already been written on these topics, physiological or musical, but merely to provide a clear understanding of what is possible when components of music are manipulated, as this is certainly key in the understanding of Multi-Dimensional Music.
Below is the condensed version of the Subject Zero testing, a non-music lover who agreed to provide some contrast and feedback. I feel this interview is of great value to the piece but chose to place it at the end so the points she makes are a little more powerful when read.
Subject Zero is a 45-year-old female subject with normal baseline vital signs and no known health conditions. She states that she has never received musical training of any kind and is not a music lover. Her agreement to participate in the following test was contingent upon her identity remaining a number. The author does not submit this as legitimate scientific data, merely food for thought on the power of this music.
She has no favorite artists or genre and has only experienced music through television, movies, and riding with friends in a car. She states that she finds all music very boring and very flat, but has agreed to participate in a test where conventional music and Multi-Dimensional Music are randomly played to her while she is blindfolded through a set of studio headphones so that all exterior stimuli is eliminated as much as possible.
Since this was a live test, the results will be written in a slightly different format than the rest of the history. Conversation will be edited for length only. “MD” designates a Multi-Dimensional Music track
Tunney: So you say you do not like music of any kind, is that correct?
Subject Zero: I just never have. I mean some songs are catchy put I have never purchased an album or even my own radio. If I have it turned on in my car it is for the news or noise, because that’s all most music is to me….noise.
Tunney: Ok well fair enough, we all have a right to our opinion and thank you for agreeing to do this. I will be taking baseline vitals on you and the blindfold is simply to eliminate as much external stimuli as I can so all you get is music though the studio headphones. I will not tell you what tracks I am going to play and I will not comment at all after each track I will only ask you some questions. Is that alright with you? The test will stop at any time you decide, simply tell me.
SZ: Sounds good to me. I’m not worried or anything I think your idea is kind of cool.
Tunney: Ok then we will prepare and begin.
At this point a mixed genre of tracks are played for Subject Zero, with the results as listed below.
Track One: “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” Artist: Buddy Holly Genre: Rock and Roll
Tunney: That concludes the first track. Can you tell me your thoughts?
SZ: “Well, I didn’t hate it. I love that guys voice for sure. It made me want to tap my toes and move my feet.” (No knowledge at all this was the legendary Buddy Holly singing and playing guitar)
Track Two: “Symphony of Destruction” Genre: Metal Artist: Mega Death
Tunney: And what can you tell me about track two?
SZ: Nothing. It was all noise I felt absolutely nothing. I would never listen to it on purpose, or even by accident again. I didn’t like one thing or feel one thing except bored.
Track Three: 4 Farewell Rhapsody 6×5 MD Artist: Andrea Antonello Nacci, Antonio Capogrosso Genre: MD
Tunney: And this piece? Feelings?
SZ: It was scary a little…I never heard a song like that. I felt things. I saw thing in my head. It was very strange.
Tunney: Will you tell me a little more? What did you see?
SZ: Its weird I know I didn’t see it I know it was in my head you know? But I still saw it. It was like an old house on a hilltop and it was creaky. Is that weird?
Tunney: Not at all, continue, please.
SZ: So, I felt that feeling you know, when you are scared but at the same time I didn’t want to turn it off. It was windy and rainy. I felt like I was moving like the music was carrying me. But I liked it in a strange way I can’t describe.
Tunney: Were you ever scared by an old house like that as a child?
SZ: Yes. There was a house almost like that near me when I was a little girl and we…I mean all of us kids were scared of the place. You could hear the Church organ near it at late Masses and it was spooky.
Tunney: Interesting, thank you.
Track Four: “Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement” Artist: Beethoven Genre: Classical
Tunney: How about this piece?
SZ: Well that wasn’t bad at all. I felt very relaxed. I did see a boy and a girl for just a moment holding hands but it left right away. I don’t know who wrote it…It was pretty and it made me kind of sleepy. I didn’t have the same level of feelings as the last piece but I did enjoy it.
Track Five: “Old Red” Artist: Blake Shelton Genre: Country
Tunney: And this song?
SZ: I did like it ok…it made me smile. Besides that, I really didn’t feel one way or another about it. It was just music. At least it wasn’t really boring and the song told a story.
Track Six: “Gabriel’s Oboe MD” Performing Artist: David Kettlewell Genre: Classical
Tunney: How about this one?
SZ: I liked this one…it was very pretty but it also made me feel sad…the good kind of sad but parts in the beginning made me feel happy. Its very different from anything I’ve heard, you know? A lot of these songs are.
Track Seven: “Sleep 25 Maj/Min” Artist: Andrea Antonello Nacci Genre: MD
Tunney: How about this one?
SZ: I really like this one. I saw images of a fun house that felt like it was moving and I felt like I was looking in different mirrors. This is really good…you know….these composers should take thing like this to the Circus du Soleil (Cirque). You know the one that comes on tv with the really cool lights and acts? This would be perfect for them and a lot better for the audience.
Tunney: That’s a very interesting idea…you see this as being valid in performing arts?
SZ: Well I don’t know but I know what I like and I’d like to see a show like that with the lights too and music you can really feel, you know? Valid I can’t tell you that, but if my opinion is valid then yes, no doubt. Thinking about that makes me smile.
Track Eight: “Sleep 1-3-5 MD” Artists: Kettlewell/Nacci Genre: MD
Tunney: What were your thoughts on this final piece?
SZ: Actually, its my favorite one. I got goose pimples on my arms and really had the feeling of happiness and contentment with this song. I was sorry when it was over. I felt there was rain involved somehow again, but it was a happy rain with a rainbow. If more of the music was like this one id be happy to listen to more.
Tunney: Well I do appreciate the offer and may ask your input again at a later date. I think you really contributed to the article and want to thank you for your time and input.
