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34.4: Twelve-Tone Matrix

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    One tool analysts create to analyze a twelve-tone composition is a twelve-tone matrix, which shows all 48 row forms in a 12-by-12 grid. Below is a matrix for the row we’ve been dealing with in this chapter.

    Table 34.4.1. Twelve-Tone Matrix
    I0↓ I1↓ I2↓ I7↓ I5↓ I2↓ I4↓ I3↓ I10↓ I9↓ I11↓ I8↓
    P0→ C D♭ G♭ G F D E E♭ B♭ A B G♯ ←R0
    P11→ B C F G♭ E D♭ E♭ D A A♭ B♭ G ←R11
    P6→ G♭ G C D♭ B A♭ B♭ A E E♭ F D ←R6
    P5→ F G♭ B C B♭ G A A♭ E♭ D E C♯ ←R5
    P7→ G A♭ D♭ D C A B B♭ F E G♭ E♭ ←R7
    P10→ B♭ B E♭ F E♭ C D D♭ A♭ G A F♯ ←R10
    P8→ A♭ A D E♭ D♭ B♭ C B F♯ F G E ←R8
    P9→ A B♭ E♭ E D B C♯ C G G♭ A♭ F ←R9
    P2→ D E♭ A♭ A G E F♯ F C B D♭ B♭ ←R2
    P3→ E♭ E A B♭ A♭ F G G♭ D♭ C D B ←R3
    P1→ D♭ D G A♭ G♭ E♭ F E B B♭ C A ←R1
    P4→ E F B♭ B A G♭ A♭ G D D♭ E♭ C ←R4
      ↑RI0 ↑RI1 ↑RI2 ↑RI7 ↑RI5 ↑RI2 ↑RI4 ↑RI3 ↑RI10 ↑RI9 ↑RI11 ↑RI8  

    To construct a matrix, write the prime form from left to right in the top row, then write the inverted form from top to bottom in the left column.

    Table 34.4.2.
    I0↓
    P0→ C D♭ G♭ G F D E E♭ B♭ A B G♯ ←R0
      B                        
      G♭                        
      F                        
      G                        
      B♭                        
      A♭                        
      A                        
      D                        
      E♭                        
    P1→ D♭                        
      E                        
      ↑RI0                        

    From there, you can write the transpositions of the prime form, given the starting notes in the left column. One would continue with each transposition of the prime form until the matrix is complete.


    This page titled 34.4: Twelve-Tone Matrix is shared under a GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Robert Hutchinson via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.