Tag: writing

Josef Matthias Hauer: Compositional Tropes Techniques: Zwölftonspiel

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please Watch Video Above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a look this great but lesser known Austrian composer:

ATONAL BEGINNINGS:

Many people associate the abandonment of traditional tonality, wether 12 tone/serialism or some other form with the second Viennese school of composers, especially that of Arnold Schoenberg.

But, there was another thinker, composing at the same period of time [some say before] creating in his own unique atonal form…..

His name was Josef Matthias Hauer.

TROPES:

Hauer took a different approach by exploiting atonality and employing “Tropes”.

These consist of an “unordered pair” of complementing “Hexatonic” six note sets/groupings that employ all 12 notes of the chromatic scale. [The key being to play the first 6 notes before moving onto the next 6 notes].

EXAMPLE 1:

image showing Hauer tropes in 2 hexatonic sets

Guitar Version:[Sextuplets]

Image demonstrating an example of Joseph Mattius Hauer tropes for music composition.

EXAMPLE 2: [Exploiting Both Whole Tone Scales]

Although, they are hexachords these tropes can also work well divided into three 4 note groupings of “Tetrachords”

HAUER’S 44 TROPES: [479 million permutations into 44]

Example of Hauer’s personal writing’s:

EXPLORING A TROPE:

We, will take this as our “Trope”

image depicting Hauer's trope sets

Now, let’s extend this to two octaves:

Image showing an example of Josef Mattias Hauer tropes for music composition.

From here, we will play the same trope in an intervallic manner: [Strict-each note in order ]

Image showing Josef Mattias Hauer tropes in intervallic form for music composition and improvisation

This time, let’s play each trope with the notes in a different order: [Not strict]

Josef Mattias Hauer's intervallic music tropes fro composition and improvisation

Here, we have “Trope”-in an Arpeggio Form;

Example.1

image of Josef Mattias Hauer arpeggio tropes for music composition

Example. 2

demonstration that shows JJosef Mattias Hauer tropes as arpeggios for music composition technique.

Example. 3

Demonstration image of Josef Mattias Hauer tropes as arpeggios for music composition technique.

Finally, the trope as a lick:

image for Josef Mattias Hauer improvised line

Video Examples:

Josef Matthias Hauer Guitar Examples of Trope manipulation

TRI-CHORDS:

From, our tropes we can create chords.

These can be,

Dyads–2note chords,

Tri-chords–3 note chords,

Quartal–4 note chords,

Penta–5 note chords

Hexatonic–6 note chords.

For this short blog we will exploit 2 note voicing’s.

Here, is an example of our two hexatonic’s as “Dyads”

image demonstrating an example of Josef Mattias Hauer dyad ic2 note chordal tropes for music composition. Music theory lesson guitar tablature and music notation.

We could also superimpose the retrograde of our trope on top of our trope:

image example of Joseph Mattius Hauer superimposing music tropes

From this, we can exploit some more harmony with dyads:

image demonstrating an example of Josef Mattias Hauer superimposition dyads

COMPOSITION:

Here, is an example displaying some harmonic movement and chordal development that I quickly manipulated form our trope. [See-Chords in video chapter above]

image of Josef Mattias Hauer musical tri -chords
Hauer Compositon Tropes Example

IN CONCLUSION:

This was just a very brief look at Hauer’s tropes. It’s an amazing concept because original harmonic content and original ideas develop naturally as the material reveals itself.

These simple tropes give birth to a wealth of creative content that can lead one into directions that may not have ever been taken or otherwise thought of or even considered.

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Easy Ways to Harmonise the Diminished Scale

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application
How to Easily Harmonise the Diminished Scale Lesson

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at an easy way to harmonise the diminished scale.

PART 1: The Diminished 7th Chord

To begin our study, let’s take the diminished scale and play it on the 1st [E] string of the guitar.

Notice, the half steps and whole steps of the scale.

This scale can now be harmonised with diminished seventh chords.

What’s equally amazing is that with this form we have a separate diminished scale starting on each note of the chord itself.

This in turn gives us four part harmony.

Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass. or S.A.T.B

image displaying how to easily harmonise the diminished scale with 4 part harmony like composer Bach.

The other interesting point, is that the first two chords of the scale incorporate all 8 notes of the scale:

image of music notation and guitar tab displaying how to easily harmonise the diminished scale with diminished 7th chords.

So, now let’s harmonise the scale fully with the diminished 7th chord shape ascending:

image of music notation and guitar tab displaying how to easily harmonise the diminished scale with 4 part harmony.

The key from here, is to accentuate an inner or outer voice.

In this case we will accentuate the Soprano [or top line] scale ascending:

image of music notation and guitar tab displaying how to easily harmonise the diminished scale with 4 part harmony all playing the scale

To continue our investigation, we will now accentuate the scale in the Bass.

image of music notation and guitar tab displaying how to easily harmonise the diminished scale

Now, as we look at the chord and scale within the S. A. T. B. we can see the full realm at our fingertips.

The ascending scale of each voice is in full view:

image of music notation and guitar tab displaying how to easily harmonise the diminished scale with 4 part harmony all playing the scale

PART 2: SLASH CHORDS

Another useful device for harmonising the diminished scale is to employ the use of slash chords:

These, will be moving in minor 3rds with the scale on the top.

Below, we have a triad of F Major played over a Gb bass. This is then followed by a D Major triad played over an Eb Bass.

These chords, are now sequenced: Moving up in minor thirds whilst carrying the scale on top.

Music notation and guitar tablature showing how to harmonise the diminished scale with slash chords easily.

In the next example, we will use another diminished favourite:

The minor7b5: Or Half diminished:

We, will follow this with our B/C slash chord form our lesson a little while back:

Now, let’s view the full chord scale:

Be amazed!…..Yes, this works out in all 4 parts once again:

Music notation and guitar tab showing how to harmonise the diminished scale with slash chords

PART: minor 3rd Chord Movement

To complete this, here are the two most common chord movements in minor 3rds for our scale.

This is NOT harmonised, but still essential to look at as it really displays the minor 3rd movement in both major and minor tonality within this scale.

Minor 7ths moving in minor 3rds:

Dominant 7ths with sharpened 9ths moving up in minor 3rds:

CONCLUSION:

This was just a quick look at how to harmonise the diminished scale.

These concepts are quite basic in many regards but contain a wealth of power for both on the spot Re-harmonisation and 4 part voicing for composition.

Traditional harmony and as we can see in this blog/lesson contemporary harmony both work well for the task.

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Dim HarmonyDownload

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Mastering Slash Chords: The B/C Explained

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application
B/C GUITAR SLASH CHORDS GUITAR LESSON AND EXAMPLES

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi guys,

Today, a quick look at the idea of employing slash chords.

To do this we will focus on one specific chord that of B/C.

CHORD VOICING:

In the notation/tablature below, notice the use of a B Major triad over a C bass:

John McLaughlin guitar Slash Chord B/C Example in TAB and music notation

Here, are a few more voicing’s:

1]

2]

3]

4]

SOLO LINE EXAMPLES:

This chord works well with the diminished scale. But, in order to come up with something unique we are going to take a different approach.

Because, we have the B Major chord we can exploit Pat Martino’s minor conversion technique.

In this case, we will employ the minor a Major 3rd up. This will be D#/Eb as the minor key:

IDEA 1:

Here, we will employ the simple Eb minor arpeggio:

IDEA 2:

This time, we will employ scale movement inside of the Eb minor arpeggio shape in a horizontal form.

diagram depicting guitarist John McLaughlin improvisation over Slash Chord B/C Example in music notation and guitar tablature

IDEA 3:

Let’s do the same, but, play with the notation and give it a diminished flavour:

IDEA 4:

Now, let’s take a B Major arpeggio and ascend it by making sure our C bass note is within it.

NOTE: There are also two open string notes of D natural [minor 3rd] and the open E. I used these as they make the arpeggio flow easily when alternate picking.

How to play a John McLaughlin guitar arpeggio example for altered slash chord of B/C

IDEA 5:

We can also add some chromaticism for smooth movement.

COMPOSITION- APPLICATION IN CADENCE

Finally, let’s see how composition can be exploited with our slash chord.

To do this, we will create a ii V7 I cadence:

diagram depicting guitarist John McLaughlin cadence and jazz composition

NOTICE: In the example above, we can see that the minor becomes diminished and the Dominant becomes 13b9 and the I chord becomes our slash chord that resolves yet hangs in the air.

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