Tonal hierarchies in the music of North India.

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Abstract
Used the probe tone method to quantify the perceived hierarchy of tones of North Indian music. Indian music is tonal and has many features in common with Western music. However, the primary means of expressing tonality in Indian music is through melody, whereas in Western music it is through harmony (the use of chords). Probe tone ratings were given by Indian and Western listeners in the context of 10 North Indian rāgs (a standard set of melodic forms). These ratings confirmed the predicted hierarchical ordering. Both groups of listeners gave the highest ratings to the tonic and the 5th degree of the scale. The ratings of both groups of listeners generally reflected the pattern of tone durations in the musical contexts. This result suggests that the distribution of tones in music is a psychologically effective means of conveying the tonal hierarchy to listeners whether they are familiar with the musical tradition. Only the Indian listeners were sensitive to the scales (thāts) underlying the rāgs. There was little evidence that Western listeners assimilated the pitch materials to the major and minor diatonic system of Western music. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

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