Post-Tonal

Theory

Integer Notation Pitch Class

One of the biggest changes in discussing post-tonal versus tonal or common practice
music is the switch from pitch names to integers. There are twelve distinct chromatic
pitches, and we number them 0 to 11. Although it might seem cumbersome now, learning
to map these pitches on a clockface will make your like much easier down the road. The
pictures below show two synonymous clockfaces: one has the pitch names as we know
them, the other has integers. Youll see that C is, by default, labeled 0. Every ascending
chromatic pitch goes up by one integer D-flat/C-sharp is 1, D is 2, etc. Everything is
enharmonically equivalent. That means that D, C-double-sharp, and E-double-flat are all
considered integer 2. Register is also ignored; all Cs everywhere are 0.

0 = B-sharp, C, D-double flat
1 = B-double-sharp, C-sharp, D-flat
2 = C-double-sharp, D, E-double-flat
3 = D-sharp, E-flat, F-double-flat
4 = D-double-sharp, E, F-flat
5 = E-sharp, F, G-double-flat
6 = E-double-sharp, F-sharp, G-flat
7 = F-double-sharp, G, A-double-flat
8 = G-sharp, A-flat
9 = G-double-sharp, A, B-double-flat
10 = A-sharp, B-flat, C-double-flat
11 = A-double-sharp, B, C-flat

Since 10 and 11 can easily be mistaken for side-by-side 1s and 0s, generally we use T and E
for those integers to avoid confusion. (You also may sometimes see A and B.)

Integer Notation Interval Class

Just as pitches are identified by integers 0 through 11, interval classes (ics) are also
identified by integers in this case, 1 through 6. Because of octave equivalence remember
that C2 and C6 are both given the integer 0, even though they are four octaves apart the
labeling of interval classes is reduced. The largest interval class we use is ic6, the tritone.
Anything larger than a tritone that is, wider than 6 half-steps is reduced down to its
smallest equivalent. In other words:

immediately reduces to . However, this is not the

smallest possible iteration of these two pitches, F and C. You can tell this because it spans a
P5, or seven half-steps, which is wider than the largest allowable interval class of ic6, the
tritone.

Invert the interval to find the solution: . This new interval still using
the same pitches, just in a different order now spans just five half-steps, or in post-tonal
terms, is ic5.


Interval Class Vector (ICV)

Interval class vectors are a way to show an inventory of all of the interval classes contained
in a collection of pitches. Given the following set of pitches, to find the ICV you would take
these steps:

Step 1: Put all of the pitches in ascending order, within an octave. (Remembering
that in post-tonal music, there is octave equivalence, so you may displace pitches by
as many octaves as you need in order to make them all fit within an octave.) Omit
repeated pitches, any pitches doubled at the octave, and any enharmonically
equivalent pitches (you only need one, doesnt matter which).

Step 2: Build a table to help you keep track of the interval classes as you go. Since
were working from notation, I use traditional common practice terms on my table
to minimize mistakes.

ic1 ic2 ic3 ic4 ic5 ic6
m2/M7 M2/m7 m3/M6 M3/m6 P4/P5 A4/d5


Step 3: Starting from the first pitch of your set, tally up the intervals from it to each
successive pitch.

ic1 ic2 ic3 ic4 ic5 ic6
m2/M7 M2/m7 m3/M6 M3/m6 P4/P5 A4/d5
| | | | |

Step 4: Repeat Step 3 beginning from each successive pitch, only counting the
pitches above (otherwise youll repeat intervals), and add to your tally.

ic1 ic2 ic3 ic4 ic5 ic6
m2/M7 M2/m7 m3/M6 M3/m6 P4/P5 A4/d5
|| | || || ||

ic1 ic2 ic3 ic4 ic5 ic6
m2/M7 M2/m7 m3/M6 M3/m6 P4/P5 A4/d5
|| | ||| ||| | ||

*Notice that you will probably have to do a little maneuvering at some point as far as
naming the intervals. E-flat to F-sharp is an augmented second, which isnt on your
table but its three half-steps which is the same as a minor third.


ic1 ic2 ic3 ic4 ic5 ic6
m2/M7 M2/m7 m3/M6 M3/m6 P4/P5 A4/d5
|| || ||| ||| | ||

ic1 ic2 ic3 ic4 ic5 ic6
m2/M7 M2/m7 m3/M6 M3/m6 P4/P5 A4/d5
|| || |||| ||| | ||


Step 5: Take the completed table and list the Arabic numbers in order, in brackets. If
a cell of your table is empty, put a zero there all ICVs have six numbers! So the ICV
for this set is <224312>.


Normal Form

Normal form is the most compact way of writing a set of pitches classes, or pitch-class set.
There are two ways to find the normal form: a step-by-step procedure using notation on
the staff, and an approach using your clockface. Well start with the step-by-step process,
using the opening sonority from Schoenbergs Op. 16, no. 3 as a model. The opening looks
like the following:

Although the texture is a bit busy, we can boil this entire passage down to just five pitch
classes: C, E, G-sharp, A, and B. Were going to but this pitch class set in normal order.

Step 1: Excluding any doublings (including at the octave!) and enharmonic
equivalents, write all of the pitches in ascending order within an octave:

Step 2: Rotate your ordering. That is, move the first pitch up an octave for the
second ordering; move the new lowest pitch up for the third ordering; etc.. You
will have as many orderings as there are pitches in the set:

Step 3: Choose the ordering that spans the smallest interval. If there is a tie, then
pick the one whose next interval is smallest in this case, (3):

Step 4: Write the normal form in square brackets using integer notation:
[8, 9, e, 0, 4]


Using a clockface is just as effective and probably faster as long as you make sure youre
starting at the correct place. To start, take the pitch classes in your set and circle them:

Then you find the path around the clockface that (1) is clockwise, (2) is the shortest, and
(3) hits the most pitches the fastest. For example, starting at 4 and starting at 8 and moving
clockwise would both be the shortest path, but starting at 8 you collect the rest of the
pitches much sooner than starting at 4. Thus your normal form is [8, 9, e, 0, 4] the same
answer we came to with the other method.


Transposition (Tn) and Inversion (TnI)

The two main functions we can perform with a set of pitches are transposition and
inversion, abbreviated Tn and TnI.

Transposition

Transposition as an operation is equivalent to mathematical addition. For example,
say you have a collection of pitches: (0,2,8,E). You are asked to do a T3 operation to
them; that is, you are asked to transpose the entire set up three semitones. So:

0 2 8 E
+ 3 3 3 3
3 5 E 2 giving you the answer (3,5,E,2)

Remember that our highest integer is 11 (E). Thus when you transpose you do so
mod-12 within the twelve-unit system of 0 through 11. So 11+3 = 14, and then
you subtract 12 to get the mod-12 answer of 2. (If this is confusing, relate it to a
regular clock. If you have a three-hour class that begins at 11am, you would say its
over at 2pm, not 14am.)

Inversion

Inversion of a set relies on the mod-12 system. Every pitch class has a single
inversion it is the other pitch class that adds up to 12. To find a pitch class
inversion, then, just subtract it from 12. Thus the inversion of 3 is 12 3, or 9. The
inversions of 0 and 6 are themselves: 12 0 = 12 and 12 6 = 6.

The inversion function is abbreviated TnI because it truly is two functions; a plain
inversion is still transposing too, but its transposing by nothing. However, its very
common to see functions such as T4I, where you have to both invert and transpose.
Just like in algebra, work from the inside out that is, invert first, then transpose!

So, if youre asked to perform a T7I on the pitch set class [1, 3, 4, 7]:

Step 1: Invert each pitch first: [(12 1), (12 3), (12 4), (12 7)], giving you
(e, 9, 8, 5).


 Step 2: Transpose your answer to Step 1: T7(e, 9, 8, 5)


11 9 8 5 (Add 7 to every value, and then
+7 7 7 7 subtract 12 from any that are 12 and
18 16 15 12 up to make it mod-12 appropriate!
-12 12 12 12
6 4 3 0

Step 3: Reverse your set to put it in normal order. (If your original set is in
normal order and you invert it, the reverse order will automatically be
normal). So your result is: [0, 3, 4, 6]


Prime Form

There are two ways to find prime form: a long way and a short way. In the interest of time
and confusion, Im going to defer straight to the short way, which uses the clockface.

Say youre given the pitch class set [0, 3, 4]. This set is already in normal form; youre asked
to put it in prime form.

Step 1: Circle your pitches on the clockface.

 Step 2: Since this is already in normal form, you know that the path from 0 to 4 is
the shortest clockwise way to capture all three pitches (the clockface also makes
that pretty obvious). But for prime form youre also allowed to move
counterclockwise. Find the path in either direction that comes to the second
pitch the fastest.

Going clockwise, it takes three stops 0
to three to get to the second pitch. But
if you start at the opposite end (the 4)
and go counterclockwise, you hit the
second pitch immediately. So starting at
4 and moving counterclockwise is our
winner!

Step 3: Set your starting point equal to zero and count upward as you traverse your
clockface, making note of each time you have a circled pitch. Your prime form is the
result, written in regular parenthesis with no commas:

So the prime form of this

trichord is (014).