A Taxonomy of Orchestral Grouping Effects Derived from Principles of Auditory Perception. McAdams, S., Goodchild, M., & Soden, K. Music Theory Online, 28(3):55, 2022.
abstract   bibtex   
The study of timbre and orchestration in symphonic music research is underexplored, and few theories attempt to explain strategies for combining and contrasting instruments and the resulting perception of orchestral structures and textures. An analysis of orchestration treatises and musical scores reveals an implicit understanding of auditory grouping principles by which many orchestration techniques give rise to predictable perceptual effects. We present a novel theory formalized in a taxonomy of devices related to auditory grouping principles that appear frequently in Western orchestration practices from a range of historical epochs. We develop three classes of orchestration analysis categories: concurrent grouping cues result in blended combinations of instruments; sequential grouping cues result in melodic lines, the integration of surface textures, and the segregation of melodies or stratified (foreground and background) layers based on acoustic (dis)similarities; segmental grouping cues contrast sequentially presented blocks of materials and contribute to the creation of perceptual boundaries. The theory predicts orchestration-based perceptual structuring in music and may be applied to music of any style, culture, or genre.
@Article{          mcadams.ea2022-taxonomy,
    author       = {McAdams, Stephen and Goodchild, Meghan and Soden, Kit},
    year         = {2022},
    title        = {A {Taxonomy} of {Orchestral} {Grouping} {Effects}
                   {Derived} from {Principles} of {Auditory} {Perception}},
    volume       = {28},
    abstract     = {The study of timbre and orchestration in symphonic music
                   research is underexplored, and few theories attempt to
                   explain strategies for combining and contrasting
                   instruments and the resulting perception of orchestral
                   structures and textures. An analysis of orchestration
                   treatises and musical scores reveals an implicit
                   understanding of auditory grouping principles by which
                   many orchestration techniques give rise to predictable
                   perceptual effects. We present a novel theory formalized
                   in a taxonomy of devices related to auditory grouping
                   principles that appear frequently in Western orchestration
                   practices from a range of historical epochs. We develop
                   three classes of orchestration analysis categories:
                   concurrent grouping cues result in blended combinations of
                   instruments; sequential grouping cues result in melodic
                   lines, the integration of surface textures, and the
                   segregation of melodies or stratified (foreground and
                   background) layers based on acoustic (dis)similarities;
                   segmental grouping cues contrast sequentially presented
                   blocks of materials and contribute to the creation of
                   perceptual boundaries. The theory predicts
                   orchestration-based perceptual structuring in music and
                   may be applied to music of any style, culture, or genre.},
    language     = {en},
    number       = {3},
    journal      = {Music Theory Online},
    pages        = {55}
}

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