The 24 Shapes - Part 1

"
The way I like it is the way it is
" - James Brown A 4-note cell such as A B C D has 24 permutations. Which means there are 24 ways to order and re-order
A B C D.4-note cells always have the same set of shapes regardless of pitches. For example, C E G B (thirds) and C D E F
(seconds) rise from start to finish. The only difference is C E G B because it's an arpeggio rises faster and higher than C D
E F. So the rising shape - the overall gesture - of C E G B and C D E F is the same. To name the 24 shapes, we can
borrow from Nicholas Slonimsky's Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns. John Coltrane is known to have practiced
from Slonimsky's Thesaurus. Coltrane also used(and practiced) 4-note groups as a fundamental aspect of his approach to
the saxophone .What happens when we uses Slonimsky's technique to describe Coltrane's style? The three techniques
Slonimsky used to create the scales in his book are: interpolation, infrapolation, and ultrapolation. Two concepts I've made
up to go along with Sloninsky's techniques are boundary intervals and intervening notes
.For example, the 1st and last notes of any group of notes form a boundary interval Meaning the boundary interval for C D
E G is a 5th.The notes in between the boundary interval are intervening pitches - in this example D and E.

Interpolation, as Slonimsky used it, describes scales made with intervening notes that fall below or in, or above the pitches
in a boundary interval. If C and G define a boundary interval and if D and E are intervening pitches then C D E G is an
interpolation. Infrapolation, in Slonimsky's world, describes intervening pitches beneath the range of a boundary interval. If
C and G are a boundary interval and A and B below C and G) are intervening pitches then C4 A3 B3 G4 is an infrapolation
.Ultrapolation as per Slonimsky's usage, describes intervening notes above a boundary interval. If C and G are a boundary
interval and A and B (above C and G) are intervening pitches then C4 B4 A4 G4 is an ultrapolation
.
The 24 Shapes - Part 2
In24 Shapes - Part 1 I introduced the 24 shapes common to any group of 4 notes and Idescribed the 3 techniques we need
to define shapes. This post focuses on just 2 of the24 shapes :
interpolation and infrapolation. To return to the notion of a shape: it's what we get if we draw lines through note heads.4
ascending notes are an interpolation.4 notes where the middle 2 are lower than both the first and last are an infrapolation
.Interpolation and infrapolation aren't part of anyone's standard musical terminology. They're not part of common musical
practice and Nicholas Slonimsky's Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns hasn't attained that status either.

But John Coltrane did practice scales from the Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns and he's known to have
practiced 4-note groups from early on in his career.------------Here are some 4-note interpolations, which mean intervening
pitches are within the range of a boundary interval (the outer 2 notes).C D E G (ascending interpolation)C E D G
(ascending interpolation w/middle 2 notes reversed in order)G E D C (descending interpolation)G D E C (descending
interpolation w/middle two notes reversed)Here are 4-note infrapolations where the middle pitches are lower than the notes
of the boundary interval.E C D G (ascending infrapolation)E D C G (ascending infrapolation w/middle 2 notes reversed in
order)G C D E (descending infrapolation)G E D E (descending infrapolation w/middle two notes reversed)So how exactly
do Slonimsky's concepts of interpolation, infrapolation, and ultrapolation describe the shapes we find in Coltrane's music or
elsewhere? In Coltrane's Countdown solo, interpolation and infrapolation are the only 2 shapes in the1st 4 measures.
Ex. 1 - 1st 4 measures of Coltrane's Countdown solo
If we switch from looking at concepts to applying them elsewhere we've got some thing to build on - if the concept survives
the external application, that is. The next example pours different pitches into Coltrane's Countdown shapes so the line can
fit onto a 12-bar blues. So shapes only are preserved from Countdown.

Ex. 2 - a line over a F maj blues w/the same sequence of shapes Coltrane used in Countdown
Play both examples. They sound like they're from the same general style.------------Shapes are a way to describe what's
common to phrases, lines and melodies across any style or genre of music. What's interesting is they don't rely on specific
pitches, harmonies, tunings, or really anything to make the comparison. They're just shapes. The idea is with shapes we
can compare anything in any genre or style as long as whatever is getting compared plausibly divides into 4-note groups.
There are only 24ways to order and re-order any group of 4 notes.24 Shapes - Part 3 will have more examples and ways to
build an ear for shapes as gestures