FOR THE CONCEPT OF CHROMATIC TONALITY SEE POST 263
As chords of the full chromatic tonality we will use the
1M 2m (and 2M) 3m (amd 3M7) 4M 5M (and 5m) 6m (and (6M7) 7d (and 7M7)
We may conseive them also as a connected arc in the wheel by 4ths
7M-3M-6m-2m-5M-1M-4M where some of them are turned from minor to major and vice versa
Full chromatic tonality means that we intent to utilize in the melody initially the 7 notes of the diatonic scale (tonality) but thenalso all the 12 notes (plus 5 additional blue or chromatic notes)
We assume that the song will have a sad part and session which is denoted by
A and called couple because it will repeat before the refrain, and a
session part B called the refrain which is the happy part. So in a minimal way it is A A B A A B.
The sad couple part will have chords from the triad of minors 3m , 6m, 2m and the happy refrain part will have chords from the triad of majors 1M 4M 5M.
We may also use
poetic lyrics that correspond to the simple 2-parts structure AA B AA B. (in exceptional cases we may have a 3 parts structure AA B C C B or A A B A A C)
For the arrangment we will utilize
1) A beat by a percusrion organ (usially by a digital instrument) Usually a multiple of
60 bpm which is the tempo of calm heart,
2) The chord progression, where we must determine how many beats is each chord Usually
2 beats per chord if we have many chords or or
4 beats per chord if we use few only chords (e.g. played by the guitar or ukulele, or the digital instruments in the ipad
toucscaper ,
chordion etc)
3) A bass playing a simplicial submelody (e.g. by an acoustic bass, or a ukulele bass or a midi controller like Artiphone, or Sylphyo, or warbl, or DM48 connected to the sounds of the application thumpjam in the ipad)
4) The melody (played by a wind istrument , or by a Celtic harp, or by a midi controller as above connected to the sounds of the
Thumpjam in ipad)
5) Possibly a loop playing an arpeggiation from an arpeggiator (e.g. by the applications
arpeggionome , or
Reason)
6) We record channel by channel the sessions in an appropriate recording software e.g. the simple
audacity. The digital created sounds go directly to the recording application without using speakers and microphones, But the sound of the analogue instruments and especially the voice is recorded with a
good quality microphone which is plagged in to a
mixer (like
focurite) before it enters the computer as a microphone signal. Inthe mixer goes also the signal of an electric guitar if we use one.
After the recording of each channel we make some corrections in volume, timing , pitch, or apply filters high pass or low pass etc and we put effects like echo etc Finally we export the song in mp3 and wav sound file format.
Chromatic tonality can be very well conducted and played not only with chromatic string instruments like guitar, mandolin, ukulele, bouzouki but also with
diatonic Celtic
harps with levers which are used in real time as we play to create the 5 blue or chromatic notes in the chords or in the melody. This is a common practice in latib=n amrica diatobic harps too (colombia, bolivia, Peru etc)
So a simple method to compose a song is the next
0) We compose simulteneously the chord progression and the melodic themes. We use mainly melodic themes for pairs of chords or chord transitions. (rarely simple melodic themes within one only chord).
1) The chord progression as polyphonic counter melody.
We must notice that the chord progression within the chromatic tonality need not be the simplest possible chord progression that accomoanies the melody .Thus the chord progression simpler than the melody. It may be that the melody is much simpler than the chord progression. The chord progression is an independent counterpoint polyphonic counter-melody that fits with the solo melody and not just accompanioe the solo melody. An example is the famous song of Louis Armstrong "What a wonderful world" which has very simple melody but rather complicatd chord progression , with chords that change over a constant solo note which does not change. The melody of this song is very simple around the melodic centers 1-(2-3) and (5-6) of the 7 notes of the diatonic scale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBs82KnJllg
We must also notice that the concept of full chromatic tonality , in other words utilizing all 12 notes c of the chromatic scale, may occur in the chord progression not in the melody, while the melody is so simple that it may have even less notes than the default 7-notes diatonic scale.
2) We start with melodic themes within one chord or a pair of chords which are not in the major triad of the default diatonic scale 1M 4M 5M , e.g. 2m or 3m or 3M or 6m or 7M or pairs (1M-2m) (1M-6m), (3M-6m) , (4M-7d) , (3m-4M) , (5M-6m) etc
Notice that an intense oppositions song would start in the chords 2m, 3m ,3M 6m , 7d etc and end in the triad of majors (1M, 4M, 5M) while a more soft song would start with pairs (X1,X2) with X1 in (2m, 3m, 3M, 6m ,7d) and X2 in (1M, 4M, 5M )
3) And then in the happy part of the song shift to the triad of majors (1M, 4M, 5M).
4) In the melody we translate the melodic themes of one or pair of chords to the next or we invert them. More rarely we mutate them or rotate them (meaning that we entirely change their rhythmic and pitch order structure which is termed in this book as Dolphin word structure) we may utilize the application Dot melody and Fugue machine.
As alternative and even simpler method we start
1) With start with melodies in one chord or pair of chords in the triad of majors 1M 4M 5M and we substitute one only chord each time with its corresponding lower relative minor or even the same root major hord converted to minor (e.g. instaed of 5M the 5m etc) Notice that this stanrd corespondence of majors to minor preserves the chord-transition relations of being chromatic, or harmonic. Therefore inside the parts-sessions A and B we deal mainly with chord transitions in chromatic and harmonic relations which means short (2nds) steps in the melody or large (4ths and 5ths) while moving from part=session a to B and vice versa mainly with chord-relations transitions of the melodic relation (intervals of 3rds). Thus at first and within a single part-session A or B for the melody we only have to decide where we will have shorts steps (intervals of 2nds) and where long steps (intervals of 4ths-5ths) and the rest will follow from the prediceded structure of the songs , and transition from part-session A to B and vice-versa
From the emotional point o view:
1) chromatic transition=short step in melody (2nds) =just a necessary change in emotion in higher or lower pitch
2)Harmonic transition: large step in the melody (4ths-5ths)= a resolution of tension
3)Melodic transition: middle step in melody (3rds)= Shift from minor(sad) to major(joy) or vice veesa
2) and also we modify the melodic theme. This is the couple (sad) A part,
3) Then we return to the happy refrain B part in the (1M, 4M, 5M) or in the ( 3M, 6M, 2M) or in the (7M, 3M, 6M).
Here we use of course the idea of
harmony based on a connected arc of 6 , 7 or even 8 chords in the cycle of 5ths, with mutations from
major to minor on it and the involved multi tonality and chromatic tonality .
The concept of
chromatic tonality is to enhance the melodiy from the 7 notes of a diatonic scale to the 12 notes of the chromatic.
The concept of
multi tonality can do the same but it is done usally here by shifting from the initial diatonic scale e.g. C major here to the A major and E major (notice that the
relative chords in melodic relation of the root C major chord is the Am and Em) . All these
three major scales are included as triads of major chords in an a connected arc of 7 or 8 chords in the cycle of 5ths (or 4ths). And in particular they are the triads 3M-6M-2M (6 major) and 7M-3M-6M (3 major).
E.g. A characteristoc example is a well known tarditional song Brazilian song in G major with the arc of chords F#7-B7-Em-Am-D7-G7-C , or in the G major diatonic 7M7-3M7-6m-2m-5M7-1M7-4M where in the refrain from the more sad to more happy part of the song, the Em (6m) becomes E7 (6M7) and the Am (2m) becomes A (2M) . When from the sad part of the song (3M7-6m-2m) it goes to the happy part with triad of majors 1M7-4M-5M7 , the song it falls the 4M to 4m (to do so the common pair of relative chords 2m-4M is inverted to 2M-4m) which also gives it the chance to translate to 3m (which so far it was 3M7) and thus all 12 chords 7M7-3m7-6m-2m-5M7-1M7-4M and 7M7-3M7-6M-2M-5M7-1M7-4m occur in the song which also gives all 12 notes in the melody when starting with only the 7 notes.
We must also notice that in such a connected arc of chords not only the
harmonic relation of chords occurs (chords a 5th or 4th apart) but also the
melodic and chromatic relation of chords occurs.
The corresponding psychological feelings are
1)
Harmonic relation of chords=
resolution and nice shift of the melodic theme by a 4th or 5th
2)
Melodic relation of chords=ususlly a transition of a major chord to same root minor or upper or lower relative minor , thus a
mutation of a happy feeling to a sad and vice versa
3)
Chromatic relation of chords=
translation of the same feeling a semitone or tone higher or lower
All the above techniques are very common in harmonies and melodies of Gypsy Jazz , Latin Jazz, traditional Brazilian music etc.
The connected arc of chords in the wheel of 4th or 5yh as we said contains pairs of chirds chromatically or melodically related.
We dicsuss also 2 simple methods of how at the melody in a diatonic scale we may enhance it from the 7 notes of the diatonic scale to the 12 notes of the chromatic scale (This is called full chromatic tonality see post 263) which is a usual nice feeling of completness.
A) The first method is to conceive the full pentatonic scale of the chromatic or blue notes 5b 6b 7b 2b 3b and utilize its two main chords 5b major (=5b-7b-2b) and 5bsus2 (=5b-6b-2b)as chromatic transition 4M 5bM 5M and 4M 5bsus2 5M then the 3b minor (=3b-5b-7b) as chromatic transition 2m 2bm 3m . This will give all the 5 blue or chromatic notes of the 7-notes of the diatonic scale
B) The 2nd method is to involve the transition ofthe involved natural minor to harmonic minor and double harmonic minor and thus convert the chords 2m 3m , 6m , 7d to 2M, 3M7, 6M7 and 7M7 which again will give all the 5 blue notes 5b 6b 7b 2b 3b
E.g. A characteristoc example is a well known tarditional song Brazilian song in G major with the arc of chords F#7-B7-Em-Am-D7-G7-C , or in the G major diatonic 7M7-3M7-6m-2m-5M7-1M7-4M where in the refrain from the more sad to more happy part of the song, the Em (6m) becomes E7 (6M7) and the Am (2m) becomes A (2M) . When from the sad part of the song (3M7-6m-2m) it goes to the happy part with triad of majors 1M7-4M-5M7 , the song it falls the 4M to 4m (to do so the common pair of relative chords 2m-4M is inverted to 2M-4m) which also gives it the chance to translate to 3m (which so far it was 3M7) and thus all 12 chords 7M7-3m7-6m-2m-5M7-1M7-4M and 7M7-3M7-6M-2M-5M7-1M7-4m occur in the song which also gives all 12 notes in the melody when starting with only the 7 notes.
All the above techniques are very common in harmonies and melodies of Gypsy Jazz , Latin Jazz, traditional Brazilian music etc.
As we mentioned in the full chromatic tonality the major chords 1M 4M 5M may turn to minor chords
1m, 4m, 5m and good ways to do it are the next 1) we may turn the 4M to 4m as invesions of the resulotion 1M->4M, thus 1M-4M->4m->1M (see also post 29) . Similarly the 1M to 1m atthe inversion of the resolution 5M->1M->1m->5M. Finally the 5M is turned to 5m in agood way if we temporarily shift to the 7b major diatonic scale which will turn the 5M to 5m (as 6m in 7b major) and also turn the 1M to 1m (as 2m in 7b major).
Examples of chord progressions in chromatic tonality in Portugues guitar folk music (E.g. Jorge Fontes )
1)
triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
cycle of chords with minors=1M-4m-7bm
2)
triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
cycle of chords with minors=6M-2m-(5M)
3)
triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
cycle of chords with minors=5M-1M-4m
4)
triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
cycle of chords with minors=5M-1m-4m
5)
triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
cycle of chords with minors=2M-5m
6)
triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
cycle of chords with minors=3M-6m-2m
7) The 5) and 6) together
1st triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
1st cycle of chords with minors=7M7-3M-6m-2m (double harmonic minor)
2nd triad of majors 7M7-3M7-6M (shifts in the upper relative major scale)
2nd cycle of chords with minors=4#M7-7m (as if harmonic minor in in 2 major scale)
8)
triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
cycle of chords with minors=6m-2m-5M
9)
1st triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
1st cycle of chords with minors=3M-6m-2m
2nd triad of major chords=7M7 3M7 6M (upper relative major scale)
2nd cycle of chords with minors=4#m-7m-3M-6M
10)
1st triad of major chords=5M 1M 4M
1st cycle of chords with minors=1M-4m-7bm
2nd cycle of chords with minors=2M-5m
In order to create the melody ove sucha cycle of chords 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, over the cycle of chords preferably at a chromatic sequence ascending and descending .
2) We create moves or waves 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
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.
