RESEARCH

My research into Music’s ‘gravitation’ aims to be world-leading in its value to practitioners, analysts, and educators from many musical backgrounds. Underpinned by jazz theory, it comprehensively models a fundamental property of melody and harmony that has previously only been intuitively understood. In doing so, it will gift a powerful tool to practitioners, invigorate new pathways for music analysis, and potentially stake its claim at all levels of music education.

Monograph

Shufflebotham, J., 2025. Towards a Model of Gravitonicity: Distance in Harmony. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Shufflebotham, J. and Spasov, M., TBC. ‘Upper Tensions’. (article under review).

Conference Papers

Shufflebotham, J., 2022. ‘Gravitonicity: deriving "distance" from spectral analysis and Chord Scale Theory’, 58th Annual Conference of the RMA, Durham University, 09/09/2022.

Shufflebotham, J., 2022. ‘Gravitonicity: Functionality and Modularity’, Liverpool-Georgia Music Theory Colloquia, Liverpool University, 11/05/2022.

Shufflebotham, J., 2022. ‘Gravitonicity’, Liverpool-Georgia Music Theory Colloquia, Liverpool University, 16/02/2022.

Shufflebotham, J., 2021. ‘Gravitonicity: towards a model of the "Gravitation" in Music’, British Forum for Ethnomusicology and Royal Musical Association Research Students' Conference, University of Cambridge (online), 14/01/2021.

Shufflebotham, J., 2020. ‘Gravitonicity: towards a model of the "Gravitation" in Music’, Keele Music Forum, Keele University, 16/12/2020.

Workshops

Shufflebotham, J., 2026. ‘Towards a Model of Gravitonicity: Distance in Harmony’, Workshop delivered at Keele University, 12/05/2026.

Shufflebotham, J., 2025. ‘Towards a Model of Gravitonicity: Distance in Harmony’, Workshop delivered at Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, 14/11/2025.

Other Scholarly Contributions

Pejovski, I. Jazz Theory and Reharmonization. 2026. Acknowledged contributor (terminology consultation, organisational input, proofreading).