The general rhythmic harmonic pattern of 12 bars blues denoted by 12BB is the next
Let X1 X2 X3 be an harmonic triad of chords , in other words consecutive in the wheel by 4ths. They may be major or minor chords then the general 12 bars blues rhythmic-harmonic pattern is the next
| X2 | X2 | X2 | X2 |
| X3 | X3 | X2 | X2 |
| X1 | X1 | X2 | X2 |
If the Xi X1 X23 are major denoted by M or minors then we have 8 types of such general 12 bars blues rhythmic-harmonic patterns
MMM
MMm
mMM
MmM
mmm
mmM
MmM
mMm
A usual rhythm is 120 bpm and 4 beats per bar. This gives that one such 12BB has duration about 24 seconds thus about 6-8 repetitions of this 12BB pattern will give a song a little less or more than 3 minutes duration.
Now the general concept of composing sings based on the 12bB patterns is based on the next
a) We start with a 12BB as unit block and we modulate it or transpose it about 6 times
b) We alter the 12BB pattern substituting any of the instances of each of the Xi chords i=1,2,3 with relative minor or major chords.
The difference in easiness and familiarity when composing songs based on thsi method compared to no method, is as the difference of walking by feet compared to moving by a car (the car=12BB pattern)
In the guitar such an improvisation is mostly easy if the guitar is tuned in one of the open overtones tuning. E.g. Open D tuning.
Also at the meso (=medium) and micro layer, the main 4 factors are
1) Up, Down or flat vector-waving and is meaning (including which octave)
2) Density of notes per time unit (many notes theme, very few notes theme). This is relevant to if the melody is close to layer 1 , 2, or 3 of a melody .
3) Percentage of harmonic or melodic intervals (acceleration) to the chromatic intervals (deceleration).
4) The poetic micro-meter and poetic macro-meter in the melodic theme.
In order to create the melody we may proceed as follows.
1)We compose 2 or 3 simplicial sub-melodies one for each part of the song , with one note per chord and bar , over the cycle of chords preferably at a chromatic sequence ascending and descending . In this way we may have more than one note of the simplicial sub-melody per chord but only one per chord and bar.
If we use keyboards (and this may also be e.g. digital harp in the tablet as in ThumbJam) , the way to create the melody is the next. For each lines in the 16 Bar Blocks which is usually a pair of chords , we layout the chords in the keyboard to see their mutual topology and overlapping. Then we compose 5-6 versions of the melody, by one up or down wave within each chord, which are usually one vector-wave for half or full the chord (123 , or 1234565 or 543 for 3-notes chords or 7654321 for chords with 7nth etc in trochaic poetic meter) . We use balancing structure e.g. if the first is up the next is down and vice verse. But two ups or two downs are for emphasis too. We may split the vector-wave to arpeggio and tail or only arpeggio. We choose the version that we like best and expresses best the emotions we want. We use not one only octave necessarily but 2 or even 3. Starting from high, in high octaves and descending down 1 or 2 octaves is a bird-like melodic approach. If we use harmonica the themes waves for each chord or pair of chords are quite more free. If we use guitar , violin , flute, it is more or less as with the keyboard but again a little more free to follow the constraints and conveniences of the instrument.
2) We create moves or waves or cycles for each note of the simplicial sub-melody by sequencing during the chord with two types of notes a fast (usually outside the chord) and a slow of double duration on the notes of the chord again ascending or descending with smaller waves. I this way more than 50% of the time of the duration of the melody will be notes of the chord. .We may apply the pattern of 4 waves-cycles. Initial idea-variational continuation-contrasting mutation-closure. Or only3 phases Initial idea=position , Contrasting idea =opposition , and finally closure E.g. Down cycle-down cycle modulated-up cycle-wave shrinking and ending to middle note. Or vice versa Up cycle-Up cycle modulated-Down cycle-wave shrinking and ending to middle note. It is important to realize that such a wave or cycle need not be 100% over a chord but it can be over a pair of chords as chord-transition theme (x% over one chord y% over the next x%+y%=100%) and sometimes as themes over three chords. Thus each melodic theme of the 3 phases of it may correspond to 4 bars and the 3 melodic themes may rhythmically correspond to the 3 times the 4 bars (1 cycles of 12BB), Thus
| X2 | X2 | X2 | X2 |
| X3 | X3 | X2 | X2 |
| X1 | X1 | X2 | X2 |
3) We arrange a continuous sound instrument to play the simplicial sub-melody only and a discrete sound (guitar mandolin etc) to play the full waves melody.
We may summarize in short
1) We compose the simplicial sub-melody per bar and chord, which defines the orientation of the waves within a chord.
2) We compose the poetic measure of the melodic themes (long short notes combinations)
3) We compose the bridging transition to the next chord
4) We arrange for continuous sound (simplicial sub-melody and bass) and discrete sound instruments.
For example for Aegean islands (Greece) improvisational folk melodies (mandinades) condylies) with violin or Lyra, the next factors prevail.
1) "Poetic meters" over the same note sometimes notes up to 8 notes. The density of the notes is high. E.g. with 4 notes per measure-bar and a beat of 80-100 bars per minute gives a tempo of 320-400 beats-notes per minute.
3) Straight vectors ascending or descending usually of 4 or 5 notes so as to reach a new chord neighborhood.
2) Mainly waves by intervals of 2nds (chromatic) inside intervals of 3rds (melodic, either standing or ascending descending, and usually inside a chord so as to reach the neighborhood of a new chord. The simplistic sub-melody of such a waving melody is essentially an arpeggio of the underlying chord.
An example of such a way of composition is the song of Edith Piaf , la vie en rose.
CHROMATIC TONALITY AND ALL 7 MODES MODULATIONS OVER THE RHYTMIC AND HARMONIC PATTERN OF 12-BARS BLUES.
In the blues (that may be somehow considered a type of rapsody concept collective composition and improvisation) the rhythm is also standardized to e.g. 12-bars blues, which corelated the rhyrhmic measures with the sequence and duration of the 3 chords 1M, 4M 5M or 1M 2m 5M.
|
| 1M | 1M | 1M | 1M |
| 2m | 2M | 6M | 6M |
| 3M | 5M | 1M | 1M |
If we are capturing the diatonic mode with a pair of chords in chromatic relation (in harmonicas it would be an hexatonic harmonica) then the 12BB pattern will give if we have a theme for a single type of chord.
Ionian-Ionian
Lydian-Ionian
Myxolydian-Ionian
If we want a diatonic model per pair of chords then X2 X3 is a Lydian mode and X1 X2 is an Ionian mode, thus
Ionian
Lydian
Ionian
Or
Lydian
Lydian
Ionian
And for hexatonic harmonicas with a chromatic pair of chords it would be the chords
(3m 4M)= Lydian
(3m 4M)=Lydian
(7d 1M)=Ionian
A JOY-BASED PATTERN TO COMPOSE SONGS INSPIRED FROM THE EARLY NEW ORLEANS BLUES JAZZ SONGS.
See also post 430, 322, 426, 216. 215, 205
We remind also that the simplest and most effective way to compose songs (the music without the words) is starting from the simplest and proceeding with the more complicated. Thus the order is
A) First the rhythm and morphological parts of the song
B) Then the harmony with the chord progression
C) Last the simplicial melody and the full melodic themes for each chord or chord transition of the chord progression (possibly with tail and arpeggio parts).
The idea for this structure in composing soengs is from the new Orleans jazz songs.
The joy of the composition of such songs is not only on he next below
a) system of joyful harmony and chord progression creation but also
b) on the joy of the rhythm rhythm which is at least 180 bpm . Furthermore we may use fast notes double the main tempo for reasons of joy.
c) joy from the melodic waving so that if we label + and up-move in a waving and by - an equal time and interval down move of the waving the total waving score of the melody is plus. In simpler terms we may have melodic themes as waves that are by 2nds and start and end a 3rd lower or higher (higher is more joyful) thus withing a chord. Furthermore we may use fast notes double the main tempo for reasons of joy. Then chord changes are modulations of the melodic theme.
Joy from the harmony:
A1) The center of the songs is a joyful triplet of major chords in harmonic relation, in other words the
classical 5M, 1M , 4M. It is set in a sequence that corresponds to a rhythmic pattern. E.g.
(1M, 4M, 1M 5M7) with equal duration per chord. Thus a 4-fold rhythm.
Usually, because the triplet of major chords has two harmonic relations (5M-1M) and (1M-4M) the rhythmic pattern is divided in 2 , each part corresponding to one of the two harmonic relations.
Simplistic counter-melody soloing could be on the 7-1-2 triad notes around the 1st semitone of the diatonic scale (1-2-1-7-1) or on the 2-3-4 triad notes around the 2nd semitone of the diatonic scale (3-4-3-2-3)
Or alternatively a 3-fold rhythm as follows (1M, 4M, 1M, 5M7 , 1M) where the first 2 chords and the last chord have double duration the time compared to the 3rd and 4th. So in rhythmic units it is (2, 2 1,1,2).
This initial harmonic and rhythmic center of the songs is repeated two times (at least) and corresponds to a joyful refrain, from which nevertheless the songs starts returns and ends.
Each time that we return to the central chord progression, it is not necessary to return with the same melodic theme. It can be different.
A2) Then after each (1M, 4M, 1M, 5M7 , 1M) repeated twice we interpolate a less joyful rhythmically isomorphic pattern, derived with one of the 5 systems of substitutions of the major chords of the central part. (X1, X2, X3, X4 , X5) This may be called the couples of the song and have duration at least half of the duration of the central part, so as to guarantee that the joyful part has more duration than the possibly sad part.
The system of substitutions are the next 5, which preserve the harmonic relations of the initial central chord progression. The substitutions are based on melodic (relative chords ,2 common notes) relations of the chords. That is why the 2m can also be substituted with 7bM and the 7d with the 2m, while the 7M7 with the 2#m and 5#m.
Primary a, b substitutions
5M 1M 4M
substituted with 3m 6m 2m (which 2m can again be substituted with 7bM)
or with 3M7 6M7 2M7
Primary c, d substitutions
5M 1M 4M
substituted with 7d 3m 6m
or with 7M7 3M7 6M7
Secondary a, substitutions
5M 1M 4M
substituted with 5m 1m 1m
A most intersecting is the double substitution e.g. 1M with (3M7 6m) with teh same duration
or 5M with (7M7, 3m) or 4M with (6M7, 2m) .
And also the transformation of the harmonic relation to chromatic with the substitution
of 5M7 resolving to 1M with 7m shifting to 1M or 1m
Of 1M resolving to 4M with 3m shifting to 4M or 2m.
We may extend the major harmonic triplet to a major harmonic 5 cycle as follows
in the 5M7 1M7 4M , if the 1M->4M is substituted by 6M7 -> 2M7 we resutlt in a 5 harmonic cycle 6M7-2M7 5M7 1M 4M
In general we have a Universal adequacy of the substitutions in the sense that if we have a melodic theme within a chord and we want to have a
a) harmonic (by 4ths or 5ths) modulation of it
b) melodic (by 3rds) modulation of it
c) Chromatic (by 2nds) modulation of it
it is always possible with the above melodic substitutions of the chords.
These substitutions introduce, blue notes outside the diatonic scale, that are included in the chords, and may define harmonic minor scales, double harmonic minor scales, blues scale etc.
The preference order o introducing blue notes is the next
Diatonic scales in harmonic relation with the focus diatonic scale
1. 7b (5m)
2. 4# (7M7, 2M7)
harmonic or double harmonic minors
3. 5# (3M7, 4m)
4. 1# (6M7)
Neapolitan , double harmonic minor)
5. 2# (7m7, 1m)
So the chord progression of the whole song is a sequence of pairs of pieces as follows
(1M, 4M, 1M, 5M7 , 1M)
(X1, X2, X3, X4 , X5)
The first corresponds to joy and lasts twice as the second which corresponds to degrees of sadness.
The joy of the composition of such songs is not only on he previous
a) system of harmony and chord progression creation but also b) on the rhythm which is at least 180 bpm and
c) melodic waving so that if we label + and up-move in a waving and by - an equal time and interval down move of the waving the total waving score of the melody is plus
We add here a simple technique to improvise over such 8BB chords patterns too with the tenor trombone which emphasizes the glissando ability of the trombone..
We must notice that from any note we are in the diatonic scale during a chord there is always a note of the chord at most an interval of 3rd away!
1) So the method is tho start with an arbitrary note and correct it with the slide by at moist an interval of 3rd to a note that fits the chord
2) When we want to a much higher or lower note during the chord or because the chord changed we just blow harder or softer for a higher or lower overtone (partia) at the same position and then we correct it if necessary with the slide!
3) The whole process becomes easier if we are on the 3rd octave of overtones where the overtones form the major tonal chord (with a 7nth) . And for thsi the best idea is to utilize a french-horn mouthpiece for the tenor trombone!
