theory question

ball ox

At the minute in college we are looking at LIP's in a given pice of music, anyone know what LIP stands for? I understand the concept alright just dont know what it actually means.......

dolce

Hi ball ox (great name!).

LIP stands for Linear Intervallic Pattern.

Here's a definition from Forte & Gilbert's book Introduction to Schenkerian Analysis: p.83

"A linear intervallic pattern is a voice-leading design made up of successive recurrent pairs of intervals formed between the descant and bass (outer voices)"

What that means in easier language (!!!) is that it's basically a sequence, but it's the inverval created between the outer voices that's repeated.

The book goes on to describe all the basic types of most common LIP's (using terminology like imperfect and perfect consonances - are you clear on those?)

Basically, examples using numbers to show intervals include:

10-10 (two imperfect consonances - IC for short)
8-5 (two perfect consonances - PC for short)
6-5 (IC & PC)
7-10 (Dissonance & IC)

So instead of having a little musical motif which is then treated sequentially (i.e. like in Bach's keyboard music), the interesting thing is the main intervals formed by the outer voices.

However, most motivic sequences will also create LIP's . If you understand that, then you're now clearer on the subject!

I hope that this has helped a bit; if not, send me a note. By the way, what college are you in? I'm UCD

ball ox

thanx a million mate,
I was writing an essay and although I could speil on about the LIP of a piece I couldnt actually write what L.I.P. stood for which looked a bit amature on my part but meh.... serves me right for writing it 3 hours before the deadline. Thanks again for your help, much appreciated

HusseinSarhan

Well, if they didn't know then.....