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Guidelines for composing
Pitch and harmonic considerations
In choosing the harmonic setting for the piece, try to be adventurous rather than rely on the standard major/minor tonal system. Consider the range of other scales or modes. Each offers its own particular intervallic content and defines a unique harmonic language. This can be quite liberating because it allows the possibility of freely exploring their characteristics without having to follow a rigid set of rules regarding voice leading, harmonic progressions, cadences and so on. In this way the emphasis can shift to exploring particular intervals, to wide and close spaced chordal constructions, or to chords made up of different intervallic combinations such as perfect 4ths and 5ths.
The modes below have been transposed onto a common fundamental pitch of C to highlight their unique intervallic content. They may be transposed onto any of the twelve chromatic pitches.
The following church modes evolved from those used extensively in Medieval music.
The pentatonic or five note mode occurs in some western folk music and in much music from Asia.
Other forms of pentatonic mode are the Hirajoshi from Japan and the Pelog from Indonesia:
The whole tone scale, made up entirely of whole tones (no semitones) has two forms:
The octatonic scale is made up of a succession of tone, semitone, tone, semitone…
The 'blues' scale has the following formation:
Each mode or scale above may be explored to generate unique melodic and harmonic constructions.
Also see HSC Online Tutorial 'Composing with fixed scales' by Dr Diana Blom.
When composing with modal formations it can be helpful to limit the exploration to a discrete region within the mode, subsequently introducing pitches from the remaining region of the mode as with the following example which subdivides the Phrygian mode into upper and lower regions:
Example 1. Phrygian mode with upper and lower regions
In this case the composition might work with the lower region in the opening phrases accentuating the minor 2nd to establish the mode. Subsequent phrases might then expand into the upper range for contrasting interest. A similar process is shown in example 2 using the hirajoshi mode
Example 2. Hirajoshi mode with upper and lower regions.
Task 1
Choose an instrument to play through as many of these modes as you can, to get a feel for them. Listen to their unique sound qualities.
Task 2
Choose two contrasting modes from those presented and carefully study their intervallic formation. With an instrument of your own choice, use each of these modes to improvise a solo melodic line taking into account different regions within the mode, and any unique intervallic component of interest. Aim for a contrasting mood in each improvisation. Use these ideas to write down a melodic passage of 8 to 10 bars length.
Task 3
Using the two modes you have chosen, study their harmonic possibilities and create an array of chords made up of the following:
- Create a sequence of six differing triadic chords (chords made up of superimposed major or minor thirds). Consider using higher order chordal units such as 7ths, 9ths, 11ths or 13ths.
- Create a sequence of six differing chords using superimposed intervals other than major or minor 3rds such as 4ths, 5ths, octaves or 9ths.
- Using the harmonies derived in a) and b) above, create a sequence of 6 chords using added notes to vary chordal density and colour. Try adding for example, a major 2nd or a 4th or a 6th to the chord and listen to how it changes the nature of the chord.
Task 4
Harmonise the melodic ideas from Task 2 with chords chosen from the array created in Task 3. Use eithera piano/keyboard, a piano and one other instrument or a small mixed ensemble (maximum or four players).
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