452. THE MOST CONVENIENT MUSICAL INSRTUMENTS TO IMPROVISE OR COMPOSE THE 3 LAYERS OF A MELODY.

 As we have remarked (see posts 450 447) the melody has 3 layers

1) 1st layer The 1st simplicial submelody or chord progression

2) 2nd layer The 2nd simpicial submelody or arpeggio

3) 3rd layer The chromatic ripples.

A) The 3rd layer because it is mainly waves by intervals of 3rds is improvised best or composed on the fretboard of a string instrument (including violin) but also with the slide of a trombone. With digital instruments my favorite is the digital chromatic harp Thumbjam and of course the piano keyboard.. Harmonicas with cyclic tuning are also  convenient

B) The 2nd layer, is best improvised or composed with a string instrument which plays chords (ukulele, guitar etc) and especially if it is tuned with an overtones tuning system like on Dobro guitar. For digital such string instruments my favorite is the Geoshred. But if the melody is diatonic it can be with the 2-dimensional Musix Pro.

C) The 1st layer are the bridges of the chord transitions. The most convenient instruments are again the string instruments that play  chords (ukulele, guitar etc) bass instruments, but also the digital chromatic harp and of course the piano keyboard.

451. THE 4 BASIC DIATONIC CHORD TRANSITIONS AND THEIR ORDER OF BEAUTY.

 

1) As it known the most common and most often used due to its beauty is the harmonic chord transition 5M7->1M. It is a relaxing resolution. Ii is strictly diatonic transition.

2) The 2nd best in beauty chord transition and also widely used both in classical and fol music is the melodic chord transition to the major relative chord. Thus the 1M->6M7 (or 4M->2M7, or 5M->3M7).It is not directly a diatonic transition but in the general context of chromatic diatonic transitions. It is a tired resolution. 

3) The third best chord transition is  the melodic chord transition to the lower minor relative chord, e.g.

1M->6m (or 4M->2m or 5M->3m) . It is a easy slip  to sadness

It is  directly a diatonic transition.

4) The 4th best chord transition is the chromatic chord transition e.g. 1M->2m 

450. THE 2nd SIMPLICIAL SUB-MELODY AS ARPEGGIO AND THE 3-LAYERS FULL MELODY AS EXTENSION OF IT WITH WAVING BY INTERVALS OF 2NDS (CHROMATIC)

In previous posts we have defined an at least  2 layer structure of melodies. The 1st simplicial sub-melody where  for each chord there is one note of it/ The chord relation usually are translated to intervals among the notes of the 1st simplicial sub-melody. Nevertheless if the chord sounds for many measures (bars) as e.g. in 12 bars Blues, then we may have a 3 layer structure of the melody and a 2nd simplicial sub-melody with notes inside a chord which are essentially an arpeggio of the chord To  this we add the 3rd last layer of chromatic waving mainly with intervals of 2nds (tails) . This 3-layers structure of the melodies and the corresponding 3-speeds in a melody ( harmonic, melodic (arpeggios) , chromatic(tails)) is the key to understand but also to compose beautiful melodies 

 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.

2) Straight vectors ascending or descending usually of 4 or 5 notes so as to reach a new chord neighborhood.

3) 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.

4) The overtones tuning of string instruments and the way the  trombone and in general brass instruments functions are perfect matches for this general melodic -chromatic structure of the melodies in improvisations. Similarly for the melodic-chromatic 2-dimensional arrangement of notes in the Music Pro.

449. METHOD OF COMPOSITION OF SONGS BASED ON THE 16 BARS BLUES 16BB or 32 BARS BLUES 32BB RHYTHMIC-HARMONIC PATTERN

 The general  rhythmic harmonic pattern of 16 bars blues denoted by  16BB 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

X2

X2

X3

X3

X3	X1	X3	X1

X1

X1

X2

X2

Or if we have 2 beats per bar and we want to preset it per beat (or alternatively as 32 bars blues) then

This more detailed presentation gives us the opportunity to make subtle variations of the rhythmic pattern like the next 

Still another pattern of 16bars Blues that is often met in  New Orleans jazz songs by the group Tuba Skinny

is the next 

1M  1M  1M   1M

4M  4M 1M  1M

1M 1M   1M   1M

5M7  5M7  1M   1M

The melodic themes follow the pattern of the 4 lines of the block . That is the pattern A B A C.

In the general scheme we might allow for any arrangement of X1 ,X2 X3 on he above squares

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 16BB has duration about 30 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 16BB patterns is based on the next

a) We start with a 16BB as unit block and we modulate it or transpose it about 6 times

b) We alter the 16BB 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. 

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 (strictly speaking the 1st simplicial submelody with one note per chord and the second simplicial submelody which is also an arpeggio, with one note per bar inside teh chord) , 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.  This involves that we compose the orientation  of the melody inside the chord, up, or down or waving. 

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. This means that we apply a "poetic meter" in the melody, here the trochaic which is also the swing and vals. 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.   

3) We may apply the pattern of 4 waves-cycles. Initial idea-variational continuation-contrasting mutation-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. Usually this structure copies the the rhythmic structure of the 8, 12 ,16 or 32 bars Blues  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 4 phases of it may correspond to 4 bars and the 4 melodic themes may rhythmically correspond to the 4 times the 4 bars (1 cycles of 16BB). Therefore this involves that we compose the bridging transition to the next chord. 

Thus  

X2 X2 X2 X2 =INITIAL POSITION MELODIC THEME X2 X2 X3 X3 =OPPOSITION MELODIC THEME X3 X1 X3 X1 =CONTINUATION OF 1ST MELODIC THEME X1 X1 X2 X2 =CLOSURE MELODIC THEME

4) 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) . When creating melodic themes over the same poetic meter, to remain in the same poetic meter we may repeat a note or we may jump by a melodic or harmonic interval (3rds or 5ths and their inverses). 

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. 

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)

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.

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.

When making the substititutions it is good to keep the rule of the previous article, that is

 60% harmonic chord transitions, 30% melodic transitions, 10% superchromatic transitions. 

As alternative methods we have that the chord progression of the 12 bars blues can be shifted to all the 7 modes ofthe diatonic scale, so that it can produce different tonal or chrmatic tonal 12-bars blues 

Here are all the 7 modes of the chord progression for the 12 bars blues

IONIAN                  1M 4M 1M 5M 1M 

DORIAN                 2m 5M 2m 6m 2m

FRYFIAN                3m 6m 3m 7d 3m

LYDIAN                  4M 7bM 4M 1M 4M  (chromatic tonality because of the 7b)

MIXOLYDIAN        5M 1M 5M 2m 5M

AEOLIAN                6m 2m 6m 3m 6m

LOCRIAN                7d 3m 7d 4#M 7d  (chromatic tonality because of the 4#)

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

Mixolydian Lydian 

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 

Myxolydian

Ionian

And for hexatonic harmonicas with a chromatic pair of chords  it would be the chords

(3m 4M)= Lydian

(3m 4M)=Lydian

(4M, 5M)=Myxolydian 

(7d 1M)=Ionian 

We may as well utilize 32 bars blues. There are two patterns that I have used for this.

The 1st is the next pattern (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N95yzhLyCcg&ab_channel=DrKCostas ) of one only part 32BB.

1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M 5M7 2m 2m 2m 2m 2m 2m 5M7 2m 2m 2m 5M7 5M7 5M7 5M7 1M 1M 1M 1M 1M

The 2nd pattern  is simpler and more symmetric but of two parts of 16BB.

A part

1M  1M  1M   1M

1M  1M 5M7  5M7

5M7 5M7 5M7 5M7

5M7 5M7 1M   1M

and B part

1M  1M  1M   1M

1M  1M   4M  4M                  

4M 4M   4M   4M

4M  4M  1M   1M  or

1M  1M  1M   1M

1M  1M   4M  4M

4M 4M   4M   4M

5M7  5M7  1M   1M

Thus here we have two parts 16BB which make 32BB. 

A type of variation of this  involving the 2m instead of 4M is the next

A part

1M  1M  1M   1M

1M  1M 5M7  5M7

5M7 5M7 5M7 5M7

5M7 5M7 1M   1M

and B part

1M  1M  1M   1M

1M  1M   2m   2m

2m  2m    2m   2m

2m  2m  1M   1M

or 

1M  1M  1M   1M

1M  1M   2m   2m

2m  2m    2m   2m

5M7  5M7  1M   1M

Still another pattern of 16bars Blues that si often met in  New Orleans songs by the group Tuba Skiny

is the next 

1M  1M  1M   1M

4M  4M 1M  1M

1M 1M   1M   1M

5M7  5M7  1M   1M

and in harmonic minor (eolian mode)

6m  6m 6m 6m

2m  2m  6m 6m 

6m  6m 6m 6m

3M7  3M7  6m 6m

also in Phrygian mode

3m  3m 3m 3m

6m  6m  3m 3m 

3m  3m 3m 3m

7M7  7M7  3m 3m

The melodic themes follow the pattern of the 4 lines of the block . That is the pattern A B A C.

The next video is a well known experiment with many interpretations.

In our case of musical composition we interpret it that the big balls or rocks are the simple but macroscopic factors of a musical piece that should come first . Here are

1) The rhythm and parts of the song (8, or 12 or 16 or 32 bars blocks)

then the

2) the chords

3) simplistic sub-melody or bass

4) The melody etc.

448. WHAT THE LISTENER NOTICES MAINLY WHEN LISTENING TO MUSIC

  WHAT THE LISTENER NOTICES MAINLY WHEN LISTENING TO MUSIC

A listener notices mainly the next factors with the following order due to simplicity of perception

1) The rhythm if it is slow or fast

2) The timbre of the instrument or voice that sounds the melody

3) The emotional meaning of  the melody (sad, happy, resolving to serenity or escalating to tension etc)

4) The structure of the arrangement (few or many instruments etc)

5) The emotional meaning of the harmony behind the melody

447. THE 6 BASIC FACTORS IN THE PERCEPTION AND COMPOSITION OF MELODIC SENTENCE (THEME)

THE 6 BASIC FACTORS IN THE PERCEPTION AND COMPOSITION OF MELODIC SENTENCE (THEME) 

The 6 basic factors are

1) The macroscopic parts morphology of the melody (macro layer) .

E.g.

A1= 1ST IDEA MELODIC THEME OR SENTENCE (INNOVATION) , SYLLABLES 1-4

A2=1ST IDEA AGAIN REPEAT OR VARIATE -ESCALATE (MIMIC), SYLLABLES 4-8

A3=MUTATION-CONTINUATION (ASSIMILATION 2ND INOVATION) SYLLABLES 9-12

A4 =CLOSURE WITH ASCENZA OR CADENZA 

(COMPLETION  INTEGRATION ) SYLLABLES 13-15

We may permute the 4 parts to 

A1= 1ST IDEA MELODIC THEME OR SENTENCE (INNOVATION) , SYLLABLES 1-4

A3=MUTATION-CONTINUATION -CONTRAST IDEA (ASSIMILATION 2ND INOVATION) SYLLABLES 4-8

A2=1ST IDEA AGAIN REPEAT OR VARIATE (MIMIC), SYLLABLES 9-12

A4 =CLOSURE WITH ASCENZA OR CADENZA  (COMPLETION  INTEGRATION ) SYLLABLES 13-15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucNWbawSiZM&ab_channel=RyanLeach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8uYdzU_ZR8&ab_channel=RyanLeach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-c9DPNHZp8&ab_channel=JustWriteMusic

2) The Quality: Chromatic, melodic , harmonic character of the melodic theme (micro layer) . Analogy of intervals of 2nds (chromatic) 3rds or 6th (melodic) and 4th or 5th (harmonic ) It is the arpeggio-tail aspect of the melodic theme

3) Chord harmony of the melodic theme (micro layer). Order of appearance of intervals of 3rds minor  or major and where, which is essentially the harmony of the underlying chord(s). The 3 notes of the chord symbolize also the 3 types of waves up-ending wave, middle-ending wave , down-ending wave. 

4) Cycles dynamics of the melodic theme (middle layer). Wave-up, Wave-down dynamics or topology of the melody (structure of "Dolphin words" as termed elsewhere in this book). This includes cadenzas and ascents.   Besides the trinity wave-up, wave-down and wave horizontal, we have also mainly a trinity again of further waving. Thus a wave up is very often through 3 sub-waves a) long wave up, b) short wave down, c) long wave up. While a  wave down is very often through 3 sub-waves a) long wave down, b) short wave up, c) long wave down. And a flat horizontal wave is most often through 3 sub-waves a) short wave up or down , b) short wave down or up c) short wave up or down. 

5) Power of 2 micro-rhythmic expansion of the melodic theme  (nano layer, quantitative poetic micro-meter and syllabic poetic macro-meter) . The use of orders of rhythmic speed as powers of 2 (whole, notes, half, quarters, eighths etc). The poetic macro-meter is the constant number of syllables in the lines of a poem (e.g. 15-syllables poetry). This is usually translated in the melody that the melodic-themes bridges of pairs of chords are always of the same duration or number of notes as in the poetry

Usually we may impose a poetic measure or meter (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S13Tg3RAUW4&ab_channel=OSUSchoolofWriting%2CLiteratureandFilm) as combination or pattern of long-short notes where the long has double duration compared to the short

E.g. alternation of long-short, is the trochaic poetic measure. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBTKb5a1gSA&ab_channel=LocalGemsPoetryPress)The long note is in the chord, the short may be outside the chord. In this way we know that the melody fits the underlying chord. The trochaic poetic meter is identical with the swing rhythm of dancing. The word also trochaic in ancient Greek has the same root with the 

wheel= trochos and it means "of the type of wheel". Other poetic measure can be applied as long as they are divided in to two parts of long-shorts, so that one part has longer duration and must be from notes mainly inside the underlying chord, while the shorter part possibly from notes mainly outside the chord. 

6) Instrument's or voice's timbre (super nano layer) . The timbre and nature of the playing instrument (continue sound, string or wind etc) 

When improvising or composing the most important are the nano, micro middle layer and finally the macro layer)

IF WE WANT TO SIMPLIFY IT TO 3 ONLE FACTORS THEN THESE ARE

A) 1) The macroscopic parts morphology of the melody (macro layer)

B) 4) Cycles dynamics of the melodic theme (middle layer). Wave-up, Wave-down dynamics or topology of the melody (structure of "Dolphin words" as termed elsewhere in this book). This includes cadenzas and ascents.  This may include the nano-rhythms in the theme (notes duration divided by powers of 2 or nano-layer)  

C) 3) Chord harmony of the melodic theme (micro layer). Order of appearance of intervals of 3rds minor  or major and where, which is essentially the harmony of the underlying chord(s). This may include percentage of intervals of 3rds or higher (arpeggio parts) and intervals of 2nd (tail parts). 

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)

3) Percentage of harmonic or melodic intervals (acceleration) to the chromatic intervals (deceleration).

4) The poetic micro-meter and macro-metter  in the melodic theme.

WHAT THE LISTENER NOTICES MAINLY WHEN LISTENING TO MUSIC

A listener notices mainly the next factors with the following order due to simplicity of perception

1) The rhythm if it is slow or fast

2) The timbre of the instrument or voice that sounds the melody (is continuous like violin or flute , or discrete like mandolin or guitar etc)

3) The emotional meaning of  the melody (sad, happy, resolving to serenity or escalating to tension etc)

4) The structure of the arrangement (few or many instruments etc)

5) The emotional meaning of the harmony behind the melody

446. TIPS FOR PLAYING THE DIATONIC HARMONICA BY THE INCREDIBLE SAM HINTON

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcSLudnKFPA&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P93ctZNRSl8&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=2&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWCVMH2g5Nc&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=3&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ynL9G7HW8&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=4&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ5_det9jjs&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=5&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syaQ5jTK1so&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=6&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elXoTkKzHQ8&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=7&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7_RhezLYJ8&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=8&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYM9DCBvgvw&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=9&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzaBWgRqb30&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=10&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNpCRUvkSBw&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=11&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSgIyjdDRZ8&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=12&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysewhGEybnI&list=PLDD865B862A06C1BD&index=13&ab_channel=DancingCatProduction