Methods for Pitch Analysis in Contemporary Popular Music: Deviations From 12-Tone Equal Temperament in Vitalic’s Work
Emmanuel Deruty, Pascal Arbez-Nicolas, David B. Meredith · Journal of the Audio Engineering Society · 2025
Aims: Twelve-tone equal temperament (12-TET) is recognized as the modern standard tuning for music. However, contemporary popular music may exhibit significant deviations from this framework. This study investigates such deviations in the music of the electronic musician Vitalic and others. Methods: The study examines relations between signal features and perceived pitches. The artist’s involvement ensures that the analysis focuses on aspects relevant to the music. Results: Deviations from 12-TET can be observed as a result of 1) tuning of quasiharmonic tones outside of 12-TET, 2) audible mistuned partials within an otherwise quasiharmonic context, and 3) subsets of partials perceived as distinct pitches outside 12-TET. Examples from other artists suggest that the use of pitches outside 12-TET is not limited to Vitalic’s music. Conclusions: The deviations from 12-TET are deliberate and pervasive. They are often linked to the acoustic properties of the tones, suggesting 1) a continuum between timbre and pitch and 2) the concept of a “resulting pitch” analogous to the idea of “resulting harmony” in Renaissance polyphonic music. Such conclusions challenge the traditional view of musical pitch.