techniques – Modern Music Theory Improvisation and Application

Schoenberg’s chord of the 15th-Music Examples and Analysis

Posted on August 25, 2025August 25, 2025 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a look at the final chord of Arnold Schoenberg’s “Sechs Kleine Klavierstucke” 2nd movement. In thirds this reads as: C–E–G–B–D♯–F♯–A♯–Cx.

Schoenberg Chord in classic form:

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music

This extended chord of a 15th, can also be viewed and heard as a bi-tonal construction of C Major 7th with Eb minorMajor 7th superimposed on top

Schoenberg Chord Clarified:

This can also, be thought of [especially in terms of the guitar] as an arpeggio of CMaj7 and an Arpeggio of EbmMaj7.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_explained_15th_in_music

Due, to the nature of its sound and collection of notes, it can produce some interesting counterpoint. Especially, as the Eb to E natural resolution creates colour and drama. [view video at top of page].

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_guitar

Being, a Bi-Tonal chord it is useful as it gives us triad pairs.

Ascending Line:

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_chord_pairs_guitar

Now, we will take this a stage further by adding more chords/triads available.

D+ to C to EbmMaj7 to CmMaj7 to Em7 to Bmaj7

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_chord_pairs

CHORDS:

Let’s now, re voice the chord. Here we will make the chord of C a minMaj7 and add D Augmented [9th] on top.

In the video/audio [a quick demo I created] below, we can hear the dramatic sound of this voicing in the orchestra.

Next, we have two guitar voicing’s. Firstly we have a Bsus/C [or plain B/C] as a typical McLaughlin guitar voicing.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_mclaughlin_guitar

Secondly, we have the same voicing but with a changing bass.

Lastly, another guitar voicing that is useful for chordal picking:

From here, we will add a partial scale descending that is formed from the chord: This chord voicing has a flattened 5th and a sharpened 9th.

Lastly, we can create some interesting and colourful passages by exploiting the intervals inherent within this 15th chord.

EXAMPLE 1 Ascending:

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_intervals

EXAMPLE 2 Descending:

PDF DOWNLOAD:

schoenberg_chord Download

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20 Century Classical Music: Plectrum Guitar Concepts/Patterns

Posted on July 24, 2025September 7, 2025 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at picking intervals on the guitar in an atonal fashion and creating innovative composition/improvisation.

EXAMPLE :

Our example, exploits uneven/untidy intervals and creates a Stockhausen-esque [in terms of plectrum guitar] way of working and listening whilst placing these intervals.

Here, we will pick 5/4 and 3/8 Rhythmic units, and make the most of the guitars resonances from the bass to the treble.

This works really well, when the bass note is “Sustained” as the treble note is plucked. [The opposite can be applied also, as staccato]

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson, intervals, alternate, time, signatures, composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download — Stockhausen guitar composing improvising lesson concepts: Alternate Time Signatures

In the next bar, we will again make adventure with our “Atonal Intervals”. We will utilise our wide string skipping and move back to the 5/4 unit.

The rhythm in this next bar, now employs four “Three” note groupings in 12/8 [or as triplets in 4/4].

This changes the rhythmic effect, and makes the intervals less harsh and more even and interesting to the ear of the listener.

To offset this, we now have an irregular feel with 7/8 which will lead us back into a regular 4/4 set up with chords.

Like Boulez, this is all really a play on opposites.

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson, alternate, time, signatures composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download — Stockhausen composing improvising guitar lesson musical concepts

Finally, we have our chords: But, they too are slightly offset, so that nothing ever feels quite stable and hence, keeps the listener on their toes!

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson, composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download — Stockhausen composing improvising guitar lesson musical concepts

Full Guitar Notation and Tablature for Guitar Concepts:

Musical notation and tablature illustrating uneven intervals and rhythmic units on guitar for atonal composition. — Guitar notation and tablature illustrating atonal intervals and rhythmic complexities for innovative composition.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

Stockhausen Composing Improvising Guitar PDF 20c Concepts GUITAR pdf Download

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Enhance Your Compositions with Polytonality Techniques

Posted on July 1, 2025September 7, 2025 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Polytonality: For Concerto/OrchestralWriting lesson

Please watch the video above for detailed analysis:

Hi Guys,

This is the Re-Post that you requested.

[for All other Blogs- list here is the link https://jazzimproviser.com/pdf-downloads/]

PART 1:

What is Polytonality?

Polytonality is the use of two or more keys at the same time:

Example 1:

Db Major/C Major [Basic root position]

poly-tonality-orchestral-composing-chords-example

In this first example we have 4 bars of Polytonality with Eminor/DbMajor and EbMajor/CMajor

Sheet music showing a polytonal example with E minor/Db Major and Eb Major/C Major labels. — Musical notation illustrating polytonality with E minor/Db Major and Eb Major/C Major.

This then resolves itself with a “Tonal” diatonic cadence of B7/D# to Em:

This method is really useful because we can use the polytonal approach sparingly with it’s thicker and richer harmonic texture whilst then then playing its opposite it with the thinner aspect of diatonicism.

This way the Polytonal nature of the music compliments the diatonic cadences and visa versa.

Example 2:

Polytonality-Orchestral Example

This example explores “Implication”. In this case it is implying the melodic minor but avoiding the cliche by employing the richness of Polytonality:

Sheet music showing C# minor, Fm7, A minor, Ab Major, and Gm6/A chords with annotations as examples for polytonality. — Musical notation illustrating chord progressions in polytonality, featuring C# minor, Fm7, Aminor, Ab Major, and Gm6/A.

From here, we will again employ diatonic harmony for a cadence.

To complete this short orchestral example we will go back into Polytonality with another melodic minor implication by employing Dminor/DbMajor:

Sheet music showing the chord labels 'D minor' and 'Db Major' in red text to demonstrate polytonality. — Musical chart depicting D minor and Db Major for a polytonal music example.

Here is the chart:

poly-tonality-orchestral-composing-example

Example 3:

Polytonality-Orchestral Example

In this final example we will just “Reverse” the chords. This time it is DbMajor/Cmajor which is then played the other way around with CMajor/DbMajor.