Composition From a Different Angle
Hi everyone,
For awhile I lived in Los Angeles and was very fortunate to study with the likes of Jack Smalley, Allyn Ferguson and Dick Grove. Jack introduced me to a system of composition called “12-tone” in which all twelve pitches of the chromatic scale are available to create melodies and harmony (as opposed to the normal seven note scales). Although composer Arnold Schoenberg is credited with inventing this technique in the early 1920′s, Smalley investigated ways to use it in a much broader way. Below is a pdf file that illustrates the beginnings of this technique.
The first thing that needs to be created is a source (and order) of notes to work with. This is commonly called a “row.” The pdf above walks you through two different ways to achieve this. In subsequent weeks I will show you how we can make your row sound very diatonic. In the meantime, let me know what you think. Any feedback is welcome.
I found this technique useful and have used it on a recent composition – http://acidboxblues.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-name-is.html
thanks for the idea
Dylan,
This is a very nice, refreshing angle on the usage of the material I’ve laid out! Your music illustrates a huge point – the music doesn’t have to sound like “12-tone” (the often maligned word). Thank you for finding a creative “21st Century” (or at least late 20th Century!) way to use it.
If you have the basic melodic lines/fragments written down somewhere I’d love to see them (or just the row order you used).
Stay tuned, I am going to upload more material as to how we can use/explore these techniques further.
All the best,
Jerry
yes I based them on my name
so my row was
d#, c, b, c, c#, a, d#, c, a, g#, f#, e, f
the main sequence is
d#, c, b, c, c#, a, d#, c, a, g#, f#
whilst the pad and other synth sequence was
c#, b, e, c, f
I work with old analogue sequencers rather than midi and i found this a refreshing way to work
This is a nice introduction to the 12-tone concept – I’m going to work on this one! The answer to how many ways twelve pitches can be written out without repeating a note is 479,001,600 – nearly a half-billion!
(That is twelve factorial or 12! = 12x11x10x9x8x7x6x5x4x3x2x1=479,001,600… you could apply this to any combination as well, for example, 12x11x10=1,320 would be how many different ways you could write a series of 3 pitches from a scale of 12)
-Dreux
Dreux,
I’m glad you found it helpful – more coming soon…
Jerry
Hi Mr. Gates,
I was reading your post and studying it like always.
This is a very interesting and new way to compose(for me). I was looking for some music and info about 12 tone music. I was hearing Schoenberg, Berg, Webern. Sincerely I like Webern a little more, but this kind of music is a little distant for me. Are there any way to compose this way getting easy listening compositions.
HI Maurcio,
If you look at my most recent post dated March 10th (“Twelve Tone Doesn’t HAVE to Sound Like Its Stereotype”) it discusses this very question. That is, how to use 12 notes as a source and not sound so dissonant. Let me know if you are not seeing that post.
All the best,
Jerry
Wow is that ever cool! I’ve been wondering if I should get into school and this kind of pushes me over the edge. I’m really interested in composition. The film scoring course sounds awesome too.
stan
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