A Generative Theory of Tonal Music

A Generative Theory of Tonal Music suggests that listeners and composers understand music through internal mental models that predict and generate musical structures. These models are built from learned patterns of harmony, melody, and rhythm, allowing us to anticipate how music will develop. The theory explains why certain progressions evoke feelings of expectation or surprise, as the mind continuously predicts what comes next based on familiar rules. Essentially, it views music comprehension as an active process of mental generation, where our ears and brain work together to create meaningful, coherent musical experiences rooted in learned tonal conventions.