74. Monotone meditating Harmonic, Melodic and Rhythmic musical improvisational Flow (Mesmerizing or hypnotizing meditating music).

This post have not being completely  written written

THE KEY-WORD HERE IN THE 4TH GENERATION DIGITAL MUSIC FOR THE MUSICAL-THEORETIC IDEAS OF THIS   POST (AS FAR AS MORDEN SOFTWARE FOR MUSIC MAKING IS ) IS MELODY-SEQUENCERS .

It is also very much related with improvisation over a loops or cycles of chords, initially one only or 2 only or 3 only etc. 

THE TERM  SEQUENCER MEANS HERE A LOOP OR RHYTHMIC CYCLE OF   A  MELODIC THEME THAT IS VARIATED INTERACTIVELY BY THE USER  IN A MELODIC SEQUENCER.

THERE MANY GOOD SOFTWARE PROGRAMS FOR THIS COMPOSITION AND IMPROVISATION LIKE FUGUE MACHINE, YAMAHA MOBILE SEQUENCER, THUMPJAM ETC. ALAO ARPIO  AND ARPEGGIONOME FOR GENERAL ARPEGGIOS ALTERNATED WITH MELODIC IMPROVISATIONS

This is a technique of improvisation best expressed with the hang instrument (see e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hang_(instrument)  or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp5dgy8UDKs )  . But in older decades such monotone improvisation had been also composed and conducted by Keith Jarrett on piano. Also Estas Tonne composes and imprivises such music with the guitar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBiVq2MsCbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk3BvNLeNgw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=747hJQNJpeg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gphiFVVtUI

Other guitarts too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQLlDdsG-RE

And the remarkable Alexey Arkhiphsky with his balalaika

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwOm325P9wE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7qd0LP6ALY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WACPdHhZTUo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WACPdHhZTUo

We will discuss below its morphological, harmonic, and emotional properties.

The key ideas are

1)  Harmonic structure =minimal (e.g. a triad Bm-Em-Am but varied with 7th and 6ths)
2) Rhythm, fast but chord duration=maximal
3) Soloing=minimal
4) Chord Harping=maximal
5) Octaves variation across the fretboard=maximal (like improvising one note on many octaves)
6) Volume variations=maximal
7) Pitch ascension, descending by octaves=maximal
8) Ocean feeling=maximal

In such a music the temporarily monotone rhythm plays the most important  important role. But the rhythmic patterns change inside the song, which we may call rhythmic modulations, as the modulation of scales exist  in other kinds of music. The rhythm and melody blend strongly. We might call it melodic/harmonic percussion flow  The melodic themes structure of the melody exists also in such a music but the strongest elements here is the basic monotone melodic-rhythmic-harping. The harmony is minimal in such music. Usually two chords alternating, and any one of them may be substituted by a relative etc. Melodic structure is of intermediate complexity. So the recipe here is maximal rhythm, minimal harmony and intermediate to minimal melodic structure.

The chords behind such improvisations of the hang instrument are usually, a repetitive alternation of two chords, rarely more. 
Thus improvisations with one or two notes bass and internal melodic bridges of a chord with their 1-string melodic sub-themes , as in post 72, become important as a single chord may last for quite of a time duration. This improvisation may be called BASS-AND-INTERNAL BRIDGES OF A SINGLE CHORD.
A most lovely technique is that the bridges and 1-string sub-themes have diatonic density or speed (made from intervals of 2nd) and waving up or down in the way that Stephan Grappelli has shown how to do it, without knowing what you are doing.....!!!

SINGLE CHORD IMPROVISATION: We may as well alternate the root chord of a scale as power chord (only an  interval of 5th) with melodic themes (of 3 or 4 notes and inside  a three-chord or tetrachord ) based on each of the  the 3 notes of the root 3-notes or 4 notes chord and translated or inverted melodically by intevals of 3rd across the 3 or 4 notes of the roor chord. 

E.g. in  the Dorian mode of the C diatonic sacle and with an harp,  here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NomPFFmycDo&ab_channel=rharp111

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BD1y0TOk3o&t=774s&ab_channel=Buddha%27sLounge

IN HARP THE CORRESPONDING EXAMPLE IS EDGAR  CASTANEDA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SNhAKyXtC8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D07aTglESlE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi2K7qU85wI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkPmrn97rE8&t=34s


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ofc9hdMHNM


There is a similar type of music with flute or /and vocals.

e.g. Shastro music here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7YsFn22F1g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi2WtNfmfJI&list=PLV1q2ZPK3-lCbyLxCrLC3v8HmBB3B8s8o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjLZujyt-Dw&t=542s
etc

The characteristics of this type of improvisation are:

1) The monotone continuous background sounding of the root of a single diatonic scale

2) Rather slow (like whales or dolphin whistles).



3)  Melodic themes, of this single diatonic scale that are mainly independent and integrate their meaning by themselves and not by the plot and combination of them.

4) The beauty of the total melody is its statistics of its "Dolphin words" (order-topological shapes of melodic themes) 

5) If one wants to add more clear harmony inside the scale, he could "walk" all the sequence of chords by 4ths"  iii7->iv7->ii7->V7->I7->IV7->iii7 etc


Here are  also similar examples of such music by the remarkable  Alexei Arkhipovskiy and his prima Balalaika tuned in E4 E4 A4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIaL-mrWOWA&t=1803s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIaL-mrWOWA&t=1803s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBz7qIG-eP4&t=155s




An relatively easy and safe way to produce such  mesmerizing  monotone but beautiful flows of improvisation , is to use scale of chords as in post 148. And in particular a very familiar  scale of chords that are the chords of diatonic scale:

I , ii, ii, IV, V vi, vii, I'

and in addition to an instrument tuned by the harmonic tuning (see post 90) so that there is a densest possible opportunity of major or minor chords per number of frets.

Some of the variation techniques to walk this scale of chords are

1) Walk in the chromatic order up and down (all then only odds then only even) 

2) Walk in the relative chords order up and down

3) Walk in the resolution or harmonic order by 4ths or 5th order up and down

4) Walk only the minor chords first descending and then the major chords ascending 

5) Walk in the 4-notes chords (major 7nth extension of the chords) up and down, all then only even then only odd

6) Walk in a half scale (in the chromatic order) up down then other half  up and down.


7) Walk in a random way either 3-note chords or 4 notes chords

Of course instead of the chords of  a scale of notes as above  we could as well in general take a scale of chords (as in post 148) and use the same method as above.


See also post 150, for appropriate minimal 3-notes chord-shapes for improvisation "in the flow"

ASCENDING OR DESCENDING AT WILL THE MELODIC BRIDGES IN CHORD CHANGES.

The alternative positions of the D, A, E shape chords in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th neighborhood of the fret-board (see post 13 ) has a utility by far more than just varying the sound and voicing of the chords! Its main utility is in creating melodic bridges among chords in chord transitions so that the bridge will be ascending or descending from one octave to a higher or lower, without altering its start and end chords! If we had to play these melodic bridges while playing at the same time only open chords we would have to alter ascending such bridges by re-entrance to a lower octave to descending and vice versa. But with the chords distributed among the 3 neighborhoods, we may do as we like with the ascending or descending character of the melodic bridges!

Also songs from the population of the Republic of Cabo Verde are very close to this type of music, as they have a very stable rhythmic pattern and  simple harmonic repetition mainly of two only chords (in relation of resolution or complementary chords but it could be also relative chords see post 20 ) with few and rare only intermediate variations instead of peak or refrain (variations mainly by relative chords  or parallel resolution progressions, see post 29, or other chords that are resolving to or from the repeating chord  ) and close with perpetual repetition of falling volume.

E.g.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t5nI91ZQ8o&list=PL48IoyMTLatRzcbLU0iF1AjyurICD2sjo&index=1

In general, we may compose such music by repeating not only two chords, with variations, but a chord progression with variations (see post 17) and there are 3 basic types of chord progressions

THEN 3-BASIC  TYPES OF CHORD PROGRESSIONS ARE 

1) RELATIVES CHORD PROGRESSIONS (usually good for melodies of chromatic or diatonic density or speed see post 68)

2) SUCCESSIVE RESOLUTIONS CHORD PROGRESSIONS (usually good for melodies of  diatonic or low harmonic density or speed , see post 68)

3) COMPLEMENTARY CHORDS PROGRESSION (usually good for melodies of   low or high harmonic density or speed , see post 68)

IN A SONG A PROGRESSION MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED STATIC. IT IS RECOGNIZED BY THE FACT THE IT REPEATS. BUT EACH TIME IT REPEATS IT MAY ALSO VARY SLIGHTLY, MAINLY BY SUBSTITUTING ONE OF ITS ELEMENT CHORD ,WITH ANOTHER CHORD IN THE OTHER TWO RELATIONS THAT THE PROGRESSIONS IS NOT MAINLY MADE OF (E.g. A PROGRESSION OF SUCCESSIVE RESOLUTIONS AS IT REPEATS MAY VARY SO THAT AN ELEMENT OF IT, IS SUBSTITUTED WITH A RELATIVE CHORD OF THE ELEMENTS SEE E.G. A11 BELOW) 

See also post 17.

Examples of such monotone chord progressions are the 

1) Pair of relative chords. Resolutions to two relative chords one minor one major. E.g. Here the two relative chords are the G, and Em, and the resolutions are  B7->Em, and D7->G, So in total the repeating progressions is (B7->Em) n times then -> (D7->G) n-times or 

(B7->Em-> D7->G) n-times 

or starting from a different chord E7->A->Db->F#m

2) Pair of complementary chords. Resolutions to two complementary chords one minor one major. E.g. Here the two complementary  chords are the G, and Am, and the resolutions are D7->G, and E7->Am, so in total the repeating progressions is (E7->Am) n times then -> (D7->G) n-times or 

(E7(Bdim7)->Am-> D7->G) n-times 

Or staring from a different chord it could be e.g.

(B7->E-> Db7(Bdim7)->F#m) n-times  

or  E7->A->F#7->Bm
etc

We may also combine 1) and 2) E.g. first complementary pair E7->A->F#7->Bm and then pair of relatives  E7->A->Db->F#m, so in total we may chave the progression

E7->A->F#7(Gdim7)->Bm->E7->A->Db->F#m->B7->E repeating as cycle of chords The latter can be conceived also as two pairs of complementary chords the A-Bm and E-F#m so we may group its as follows

(E7->A->F#7(Gdim7)->Bm->E7->A)->(Db->F#m->B7->E) n-times

Or starting from G it would be

(G7->C->A7(Gdim7)->Dm->G7->C)->(E->Am->D7->G) n-times

We notice that the pairs of complementary chords  C-Dm and G-Am are in successive resolutional relation, that is why the total progressions is so well fitting.

And this progression may be endowed with repeating melodic pattern which occupies the transitions of the chords E7->A, F#7->Bm, Db->F#m,B7->E, different pairs of chords still the same pitch dynamics patterns which shifts of course to fit the chords. 

Starting from D it would be

(D7->G->E7(Bdim7)->Am->D7->G)->(B7->Em->A7->D) n-times

An example of such a song is the next Capullito De Alheli

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0haDFhsAW0

3) Pair of successive resolution chords. Resolutions to two successive resolution chords one minor one major. E.g. Here the two successive resolution  chords are the E7, and Am, and the resolutions are B7->E, and E7->Am, so in total the repeating progressions is (B7->E) n times then -> (E7->Am) n-times or 

(B7->E-> E7->Am) n-times 

4) Pair of successive resolution chords substituted with relatives. Resolutions to two successive resolution chords . E.g. Here the two successive resolution  chords are the G7, and C, and the substitutions are G7->Em, and C->Am, so in total the repeating progressions is (G7->Em) n times then -> (C->Am) n-times or 

(G7->Em-> C->Am) n-times 


ETC (more such examples and cases of repeating pairs of chords can be listed)

The 3 elementary melodic themes, as we mentioned earlier (e.g. in posts  66 and 69 ) , are  the ascending melodic interval of two notes, the isokratic melodic interval of two equal notes and the descending melodic interval of two notes.

The 3 basic transformations of them are

1) the translation (either with intervals of 2nd , (or diatonic density) or intervals of 3rd (or middle harmonic density) or  of intervals of 4th or 5th (or high harmonic density))

2) The inversion where the ascending move becomes descending.

3) Rhythm transformation (which may vary)

The 5 basic melodic moves (see e.g. post 69)  , being more complicated have more types of transformations, as derived by the writing in a pentagram :

1) Translation (modulation, or transposition)

2) Inversion relative to a point

3) Reflection relative to an horizontal line

4) Reflection relative to a vertical line.

5) Rhythm transformation

to the above five we may add the

6) Acceleration (e.g. from the diatonic speed or density to the middle harmonic speed or density) or Deceleration (vice-versa).

Bach has often used the above 6 transformations in his fugue.

More complicated  ways to transform a theme are at least the next 5 and combinations of them (see also post 41)

1) Translate it in different pitches (within a scale or not changing possibly the pitch distances )

2) Translate in time (repeat it)

3) Invert it in time or change its rhythm (if at the begging is slower and at the end faster it will be now the reverse etc)

4) Invert it or distort it in pitch (Create 1st 2nd 3rd or 4th voice versions, utilizing the chord progression as rules of transformation of the theme, or if it is ascending now it will be descending etc)

5) Change it as morphology  (from a non-waving ascending it may become waving ascending or isocratic). We prefer spikes and scaling as the main morphological types, while the waving and isocratic as intermediate bridges. 

Often melodic bridges from a chord to the next, may start with harmonic speed or density covering the first chord A and then decelerate to diatonic speed or density when reaching to the next chord B