Methods for pitch analysis in contemporary popular music: Vitalic's use of tones that do not operate on the principle of acoustic resonance

Abstract: Vitalic is an electronic music producer who has been active since 2001. Vitalic's 2005 track "No Fun" features a main synthesiser part built from a sequence of single inharmonic tones that evoke two simultaneous melodies. This part serves as a starting point for examining Vitalic's use of tones that do not operate on the principle of acoustic resonance. The study considers tones that evoke two or more simultaneous pitches and examines various inharmonic partial layouts. Examples outside Vitalic's music are also provided to suggest that similar tone properties can be found elsewhere in contemporary popular music.