# How did you work on your freedom of harmony?



## impressions (May 29, 2015)

what i know that improves that-
1. take out chord changes that you like.
2. take out chord changes that you like.
3. take out chord changes that you like.
4. experiment on your new chops
5. take out chord changes that you like.
and so on..

you have guys like this:



or this guy-


and of course the regular amazing classical composers.

how free do you feel with your harmony when composing, does it limit you being so free(too many ways to go) or so not free(lack of logical progressions)?
did you have good experience with improving that? how?


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## cmillar (Jun 3, 2015)

Congratulations on your question, and for having an inquiring mind!!!!

I say "Congratulations on your question!", because most people that inhabit these forums ...(and I say this with all due respect because I'm guilty of it as well for some things)... that most people I observe posting questions on the forums really only come to the forum in order to know 'how to sound like somebody else' or wanting to know what sample library allows them to 'sound like somebody else.'

As many do, we come to this part of the V.I. site regularly because of questions like yours.

If we're not trying to change things, what's our use, right?

As a starting point, it sounds like Jacob Collier is definitely channeling some of the harmonies from the old "Singers Unlimited".... if you don't know what they did, and you like Collier, check out what that studio group from Chicago did 'back in the day.' Maybe he was inspired by them in order to start exploring different harmonies.

Listening to as much other music that you can is always a great starting place to get your own mind going. Music from all over the world.

And, learn the 'rules' of western music harmony (cycle of 5ths, scales, chords, blues form, etc. etc.) and then try to bend the rules based on where your own ear is taking you.

One other thing.... you'll never be able to answer the question!! 

It's a life-long journey, my friend.


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## cmillar (Jun 3, 2015)

Back to your question.... hmm.... in the Collier example (as talented as he is) it seems like he's using 'too many colours' perhaps, just for sake of throwing them all on the canvas. That's just my own personal taste. 

I admire the harmonic language, but would like to hear some sense of resolution once in awhile. (...extended harmonies sometimes sound 'too' extended and not 'grounded'?) 

It seems that most of his other YouTube tunes all kind of sound the same... which might not be a bad thing, as we do need more people like him that are reminding all of us what real music talent can be! I mean, Haydn created over 100 little gems of symphonies that are snowflakes.... somewhat similar in form, but no two are alike.)

If I personally try to compose like that, it's great fun and self-satisfying. But, I have to put myself in the audience's seat as well. What could be 'ear-candy' to someone who loves extended jazz chords might sound like a lugubrious mess to another person.

Like, Beethoven absolutely shocked people when he came out with 'Symph. 5' and it's 'rock-and-roll' attitude! It's a masterpiece of form.... repeats, built in tension and release, climax, false-climaxes, recurring motifs, etc. etc.

It's said that Beethoven got a lot of ideas from just going for a walk in nature in order to free his mind and seek new answers to his inner musical questions.

Ahh.. here we go... your type of question just gets us all self-reflecting and asking more questions!!

Why'd you have to go do that? LOL !


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## rJames (Jun 3, 2015)

simple answer for me. EIS


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## KEnK (Jun 3, 2015)

i personally always try to avoid cliches-
I begin my compositions w/ a structural framework-
where rhythm and sections are far more important than chord progressions

as to how I learned freedom from diatonic tyranny-
I simply studied other ideas
4th or sus chords (ala McCoy Tyner)
Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter's use of chords
Some serialist ideology, coupled w/ pan or extended diatonicism-
A love of World Music, where the development is not so chord based

Also always engaged in a great deal of improvisation w/ other like minded individuals


k


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## Blackster (Jun 3, 2015)

I agree with rjames. EIS.


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## Farkle (Jun 13, 2015)

+1. EIS for me.

Totally changed my toolset, the way I hear music, and my choices to develop harmonic progressions.

Mike


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## tokatila (Jun 14, 2015)

Why don't you embrace the popularity and start with I-VI-III-VII or I-IV-V or something very overused. Why avoid them? 

You can always re-harmonize it later, if it sounds too stale for you. :mrgreen:

Edit-
Do you know this song? I'm not sure, but there just might be no harmonic changes outside of main progression iv-i-III-VII throughout the whole song. Judging from Youtube comments, people seem to like it anyway :wink:


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## impressions (Jun 14, 2015)

thanks for your answers guys. 
EIS huh?
is that a nicolas slonimsky method(writer of thesaurus of scales and melodic patterns)?

I will look it up. but that sounds too technical. when you compose "harmony", that means you want to go somewhere but your patterns or harmony palette is too crude. if you look at kurt cobain, he simply used one fingering and used it to compose whole albums on different positions on the guitar. so simple, yet the harmony, in academic context, isn't that simple.

you can know zillion chords/voicings, and memorize tons of changes, and none of that will make you create better harmony progression. because you need the emotional tick that drives you to these places. you can't go anywhere without the drive itself. even if you are familiar with the road, you aren't really unless you "felt it", emotionally wise. sounds abit over sentimental, but this is what i have come to realize.


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## impressions (Jun 14, 2015)

cmillar @ Wed Jun 03 said:


> Back to your question.... hmm.... in the Collier example (as talented as he is) it seems like he's using 'too many colours' perhaps, just for sake of throwing them all on the canvas. That's just my own personal taste.
> 
> I admire the harmonic language, but would like to hear some sense of resolution once in awhile. (...extended harmonies sometimes sound 'too' extended and not 'grounded'?)
> 
> ...



well the art vs commercial thing is always something we have to answer to as professionals. but when i seek inspiration i don't want the artist to have to think about "ear candy", that's just a drag. i love listening to jacob at times because he didn't give a crap about all that. he just does what he thinks sounds best. and he actually have a good clue about groove and improvisation besides his re-harmonization and vocal technique.

i've took the liberty of even placing his https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7OgLZBQV8A (cover on a short video on parkour) on youtube to check how his music would affect as a score to a film.

I guess i'm also asking about development in general, or how to escape a certain pattern, and find a better suited one.


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## rJames (Jun 14, 2015)

impressions @ Sun Jun 14 said:


> thanks for your answers guys.
> EIS huh?
> is that a nicolas slonimsky method(writer of thesaurus of scales and melodic patterns)?
> 
> ...



Your OP was, "how did you work on your freedom of harmony," which a few of us answered with, "EIS." That's how we did it.

If your question is really, "how can i achieve more freedom of harmony by next week," then I don't have an answer. (well, I DO have an answer but it a secret guarded by the Guardians of the EIS)

One way EIS freed me of harmonic constraints was because the course work helps your ear to hear what chord progressions that are NOT from the diatonic system (that informs western music) sound like. I liken it to physical exercise... you do x number of reps to build muscles.

Another is just by using interval combinations. Another is by using equal interval movement in the bass. Another is by always being concerned with voice leading. Another is by allowing the melody to drive your composition. Another is by always being concerned with the size of the intervals used when distributing chord tones on a staff or series of staves. (especially in the lower tones).

I personally, never compose with chords.. they appear, but I do not specifically summon them. My main concerns are clarity and voice leading. Other than that I am chasing what my brain heard while I was asleep. (or being quiet in a corner)

BTW it is a Spud Murphy method, not Nicolas Slonimsky's.

OK, I'm going back to my quiet little corner now.


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## JimVMusic (Jun 14, 2015)

I feel I'm at my best musically when I try to remain hyper-aware of what is going on "Horizontally." I focus on writing interesting lines, or as Spud says, "give each player a great part." 

If I'm coming up with a "pattern" or specific root progression to compose a piece to, I often look for ways to strike a balance between familiar intervals (4ths, 5ths, Chromatic) and exotic (2nd's, 3rds, others). Taking time to try many interval options out when coming up with a pattern can really yield some cool results.

The familiar root movement can serve to get my "foot in the door" with the listener, then once I'm in, I can take a more adventurous path musically.

All of the above I learned by studying EIS with Spud, but regardless of what method/system one studies, I think the "horizontal" perspective is often overlooked and is key when it comes to coming up with some very interesting harmonies.


Edit: I changed some punctuation, and a word here and there, but the idea is the same as original.


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## Farkle (Jun 14, 2015)

JimVMusic @ Sun Jun 14 said:


> I feel I'm at my best musically, when I try to remain hyper-aware of what is going on "Horizontally." I focus on writing interesting lines or as Spud says, "give each player a great part."
> 
> If I'm coming with a "pattern" or specific root progression to compose a piece to, I often look for ways to strike a balance between familiar intervals (4ths, 5ths, Chromatic) and exotic (2nd's, 3rds, others). Taking time to try many interval options out when coming up with a pattern can really yield some cool results.
> 
> ...



Jim hits the nail on the head, for me. I study under Craig Sharmat, and he has drilled into me the idea of creating an initial "pattern", which consists of progressions of root movements (C, Ab, F, G), over which I build structures.

Here's the thing: I love now using the word "Pattern", because for me, pattern implies a cogent sequence of events that the listener can both understand and be surprised by. By creating a "pattern", I don't have to necessarily worry about "being in a key", or "always use major triads". I can create a pattern like, "let's do a 9th chord, followed by a half-diminished chord, and move that pattern down a minor 2nd 3 times." That gives me something to then elaborate upon, and it's sensible to the ear, and not "in a key".

The other point that Jim states is (I think) the most important thing. I'm always trying to think "horizontally", writing lines that I could assign to an actual player, and that the player would like to play, and would make sense playing. If the line is fun to sing, fun to play on a melodic instrument, then I'm doing a good job with this.

Again, I learned this all from studying EIS (Spud Murphy's system). 

Mike


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## cmillar (Jun 14, 2015)

Here's a wonderful, simple, extremely useful exercise:

Take note, any note.... let's say 'C'.

Now, try to see how many possible ways you can use that note in a chord of some kind.

It may be the root, a 3rd, a 5th, a 6th, a 7th, a Dom. 7th, a #11, etc. etc. etc.

You can get the idea!

Make up chord where you haven't a clue what 'C' has to anything in 'normal', western harmonic tradition....just trust your ears for awhile.

See what happens. Write a 16 bar piece where 'C' is present in every ... might be weird, might be wonderful.


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## impressions (Jun 14, 2015)

rJames @ Sun Jun 14 said:


> If your question is really, "how can i achieve more freedom of harmony by next week," then I don't have an answer.



how did you come by this conclusion? I'm pretty sure you just misunderstood me. i was detailing the process of coming up with harmonies-but not in the technical way, i've even gave you a perfect example of minimal knowledge and maximum creativity-harmony wise.

you are all coming up with nice explanations really. but I'm afraid i know most of that already. the interval system, the voice leading(of course i'm not fluent in any of them), or going by changing notes according the some fancy chord. I've studied all those fancy chords. once i've even counted the number of chords you can put on a single note-i think its 132, without any voicing changing.
of course we can all experiment. and i do that alot. if i have time. 

I guess that


> All of the above I learned by studying EIS with Spud, but regardless of what method/system one studies, I think the "horizontal" perspective is often overlooked and is key when it comes to coming up with some very interesting harmonies.


 is the best answer i've got, besides my own answer to myself.
I guess my problem is not with finding more ways to re-harmonize but to find more *efficient* way of doing it-and i don't mean by next week. i mean emotionally wise, that delivers more impact with the right chords/notes etc. i know its a subjective matter, but i'm still interested in your opinions. how did you convey a certain emotion that you were summoned to do? how did you focus on that? did you just experiment? do you even struggle with that at all?


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## mducharme (Jun 15, 2015)

Most film composers have amassed by observation and analysis and imitation the knowledge of many progressions that are often used (to the point of cliche) and are effective at evoking certain emotional responses. If you can't think of examples of any progressions that evoke any feeling whatsoever (ex. danger, romance, awe) it suggests that you might not have paid enough attention to the study of what other film composers have done and what emotions are created. You won't always use those cliches, but if someone says to me "I am doing a 48 hour film festival, I need romantic sounding music for this 30 second scene, you have 10 minutes to do it", I won't waste even one minute on trying to come up with some new progression to create an emotion, I'll just turn to one of the cliches that I know (like I-iv(add6)-I for romance) and spend my time on the timings, orchestration, shaping, putting in as decent of a melody or underlying motive as would be possible for that short time frame.

However, certain progressions that are often not so good work amazingly when the melody works with it, and other progressions that are really good can work very poorly when the melody doesn't support it - you can't discount the impact of voice leading in these cases. I also think your implication that you can take any melody and evoke any emotion by simply applying the right chords to it is often placing a tad too much faith on what harmony by itself can do. Maybe to a basic extent you can do a lot with a given melody and place it in a lot of given moods, but the melody itself has a shape (even simply upward or downward, steps/leaps, etc) that suggests a certain emotional or dramatic connotation. There are many cases in which you might want to take the hero's theme, which you would hear throughout a film in major key, and for instance switch it to minor near the climax when they are in trouble or something sad happens to them (the other musical elements would clarify which of the two is the case). However, I think it would be bad practice to say from the outset "I'm going to write melody X that does not have any particular emotional connotation and is just a random melody" and then try to say "ok, how can I harmonize my random unemotional melody X to sound super romantic/scary/whatever" - you consider and factor in the emotion when coming up with the melodic material as well.


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## impressions (Jun 15, 2015)

mducharme @ Mon Jun 15 said:


> I also think your implication that you can take any melody and evoke any emotion by simply applying the right chords to it is often placing a tad too much faith on what harmony by itself can do.



you mean because of this?


> i've even counted the number of chords you can put on a single note-i think its 132, without any voicing changing.
> of course we can all experiment. and i do that alot. if i have time.


on the contrary. how did you think i implied that? I was merely saying that technically I can go anywhere with a single note. but i also stated that emotionally that doesn't mean anything. unless you have that "emotional drive", that directs you to the proper chord changes. its easy for me to do it, when i have a chemistry with the project involved. but sometimes you have to research. hence my question.



> Most film composers have amassed by observation and analysis and imitation the knowledge of many progressions that are often used (to the point of cliche) and are effective at evoking certain emotional responses. If you can't think of examples of any progressions that evoke any feeling whatsoever (ex. danger, romance, awe) it suggests that you might not have paid enough attention to the study of what other film composers have done and what emotions are created.



I can do the basics as easily as you probably, perhaps not as well performed or orchestrated. but the basic knowledge of creating simple emotions is something i've practiced also. and researched.
the problem what if its not there. do you always go to references? I try to make it up by myself. it is an artform? my version of XXX emotion and so on.
so what you imply, is that most composers have a battery of cliche's they can use. I'm not sure that's the case with everything. especially if you need to find something that fits more precisely than those basic emotions. isn't that why we are pursuing this tough career? because we are researching, like actors, for a more exact version of our emotions? or how our echoes in the art/project?
there is a difference between copying music that evoked emotions, than creating something that worked for you.
not sure i got through with all this..


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## edhamilton (Jun 15, 2015)

While I dig both the videos you linked, there is absolutely nothing new in either of them. Cool that young guys are hip to these harmonic devices and awesome that they do it so well.

But the answer is and has always been - transcribe it. Figure out what device it is and then compose or arrange something using that device. 

A lot of it goes back to Gil Evans and Herbie but no harm in transcribing the young guys doing it.

As for EIS. I have at times been a student and love the course, but in the case of the two vids you linked, that's all pure jazz harmony. No mystery about it and no need to take a multi year course for it. I have notebooks of Gil and Herbie stuff I transcribed years ago. A bunch of Take 6 stuff also (which is what Jacob is really doing. I heard nothing in the vid that is really new, just the novelty of a white kid doing it). If I find my old books, I'll scan them and link them. 

Birth of the Cool, Miles Ahead ..... Always a good place to start.
Bill Evens too.


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## rJames (Jun 15, 2015)

impressions @ Sun Jun 14 said:


> you are all coming up with nice explanations really. but I'm afraid i know most of that already.



Then I guess you're all set!

My sincere apologies about boiling your quest down to, "how can I achieve more freedom of harmony by next week." It was a bit tongue-in-cheek but only the part about "next week." You are looking for ideas about how to achieve more freedom of harmony aren't you? I was just being sarcastic about the fact that you are really not interested in taking a course like EIS which would, without a doubt, expand your harmonic palette.

Honestly, I am looking for clarification on what this post is about. It says, "how did you do it?" But then you say you already know that. And that is not the answer you are looking for.

I hadn't even listened to your links until a few minutes ago since the OP was about how I did it and not, " how can I achieve the ability to use harmonies like these guys?"

Ed's right, that's just jazz harmony and not about emotion at all (as far as I can tell). Put those harmonies behind a scene in your next movie and I believe you will be off the case in no time. (fired)

Maybe your quest is, "how can I achieve specific emotions that I am summoned to do while using a more complete freedom of harmony?"

My knee jerk reaction to that is, "you can't." Philosophy; a large part of what composers do is to connect with past memories of each audience member. Its a mass appeal thing. To convey sadness to an entire audience at the same time, you reach for that cliche. Its just an intuitive/creative thing to do it in your own way using more interesting methods (chords as you've put it).

BTW I find your method 1,2,3 and 5 to be ridiculous. Focus on your #4. Or maybe I would change 1,2,3 and 5 to just, "take out chord changes." Stop thinking that you need a tonic, third and fifth in each structure. Stop thinking about vertical structure. And then back to your #4.

You might also want to study our illustrious member, HZs, work. He can draw emotion from one note. I daresay that he could convey any emotion in one note if that was his intention.

Thicker, jazz chords are not the answer.

This is just my humble personal, not highly educated opinion. I live in a very small world and really don't know nothin' 'bout nothin'. I admit that.

Ron


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## madbulk (Jun 15, 2015)

You asked, "how do you work on it?" And as Ron said, EIS has certainly shown that it can do that. But it's a journey. I didn't have time for it. I'll forever wonder what I missed out on. I took a few months and got away from it Then David passed away. But I can hear his words, "I thought I knew chords, and then I met Spud." So if you're really drawn to harmonic freedom, you might certainly want to look into it.

But what you've shown here is the kind of thing you learn in Jazz classes. Reharms are an essential toolbox. You can reharm the occasional V chord, or you can reharm every single subdivision of the tune. If you think I'm over simplifying it, and I'm not saying you do, but IF you do then I'm afraid you're searching for something that doesn't exist.
That guy labored over every note of that track. If you know your jazz theory, it's just a matter of putting the time in.


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## impressions (Jun 15, 2015)

rJames @ Mon Jun 15 said:


> My sincere apologies about boiling your quest down to, "how can I achieve more freedom of harmony by next week." It was a bit tongue-in-cheek but only the part about "next week." You are looking for ideas about how to achieve more freedom of harmony aren't you? I was just being sarcastic about the fact that you are really not interested in taking a course like EIS which would, without a doubt, expand your harmonic palette.
> 
> Ed's right, that's just jazz harmony and not about emotion at all (as far as I can tell). Put those harmonies behind a scene in your next movie and I believe you will be off the case in no time. (fired)
> 
> ...



okay i don't want to spend too much time for the sake of this argument, so this is my last response, i hope its not too annoying.
regarding EIS, i haven't ruled anything out yet, but the way you describe composition process to reach broad audience by using cliches is totally not what i signed in for. har har you say. of course i'm willing to compromise for the sake of money, but not for the sake of art.
I don't know why but it doesn't sound right, in the proper art form.
art communicates regardless of cliches. of course cliches work, if you're on autopilot. so. you think HZ goes for cliches when he gets something new? in every damn film you need to think of something totally unique and new, so relying on cliches is going to get you, where?

regarding the videos. I'm guessing you and the others who commented aren't too much jazz oriented? that is, haven't tried to route of being a jazz musician.
to explain what they are doing, how fresh it is, even if they aren't doing anything terribly new-academically. they choose with taste the next proper chord and it works brilliantly. forget that they can reharmonize that on real-time impro. they know what works. and have the freedom to take it out when needed. how? experience and performances, lots of it. so its magic to me. quincy jones has specifically noted jacob as one of the new cats with a new approach to jazz harmony. so don't take my word on it. I'm sure you value abit mr. quincy here. so nothing too innovative, but still new in its way. take six doesn't even come close to what jacob does there. those are jazz chords. yes but not a traditional reharmonization. what the hell is traditional re-harm? as far as i know you can come up with the same amount of ways as EIS system. i'm pretty sure if you couldn't understand it when you hear it, slim chances i can explain it better. so. I guess i'll get back to what i was doing. 
oh and don't think i can only harmonize in a jazzy way, or just by tonal stuff just because, what? why would you think that? because only the cool eis guys knows that trick? that is also something that drives me away from there.


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## impressions (Jun 15, 2015)

madbulk @ Mon Jun 15 said:


> But what you've shown here is the kind of thing you learn in Jazz classes. Reharms are an essential toolbox. You can reharm the occasional V chord, or you can reharm every single subdivision of the tune. If you think I'm over simplifying it, and I'm not saying you do, but IF you do then I'm afraid you're searching for something that doesn't exist.
> That guy labored over every note of that track. If you know your jazz theory, it's just a matter of putting the time in.



don't get me wrong, i know what jacob does. i just don't know how he came up with it.
or something even close to that. not every reharm sounds as great as you think. even worse. much worse. you are not over simplifying, you are being too technical about a question which isn't.
its not about being able to quick draw some fancy chord change. ahh forget it. i can't explain it, sorry. :(


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## rJames (Jun 15, 2015)

I'm having a flashback of how impossible it is to communicate with you online.

I didn't say HZ relies on cliches, I said he could probably portray any emotion in one note. (he is creating the cliches that composers will rely on for years)

I didn't say I didn't know anything about or didn't like jazz but rather that if you scored those kind of chords into a movie soundtrack you would be fired the next day. (hyperbole) 

The reason I mentioned the cliches is because that is what the audience understands. To me; cultural reference = cliche. Almost everything I hear is a cliche. 

Granted, great composers stretch those cliches until they are unrecognizable. I just assumed you weren't one of those since you are having trouble finding new chord progressions.

"Great" art communicates without cliches. Some art does not communicate at all and that is why it is still on the wall in the gallery.

BTW I do not want you to take EIS.


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## mducharme (Jun 15, 2015)

rJames @ Mon Jun 15 said:


> Granted, great composers stretch those cliches until they are unrecognizable.



+1



impressions @ Mon Jun 15 said:


> of course cliches work, if you're on autopilot. so. you think HZ goes for cliches when he gets something new? in every damn film you need to think of something totally unique and new, so relying on cliches is going to get you, where?



Sure he does, at least sometimes. Here is an example of Hans Zimmer using mostly cliche chord progressions (such as i-VI-i):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLqKSv1F42A

This i-VI-i progression was not 'invented' for the Dark Knight, the i-VI-i has been a common cliche progression for a long time for a sortof dark heroic feel, and was also used in the 1989 Elfman Batman for the same reason.

These uses were probably inspired by the same progression in Wagner's 'Siegfried' motive from the Ring cycle, which also represented a hero with a dark/tragic undercurrent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5GxoFy5Q9E

(I also saw Zimmer mention that he likes Schubert, and there is a really memorable famous moment in Schubert's Bb major piano sonata where he moves between D minor and Bb major harmony and for a second you don't really know where you are. He might be referencing that piece as well, since the Dark Knight does the same thing.)

So, that progression is as cliche as you can get, and it gets repeated over and over again a ton by HZ in that cue. I doubt that even you would suggest that using that cliche got him nowhere, or that he was "on autopilot" when he composed that. So, why does it not seem to matter that he used a cliche progression there?

Because the progression is the least important part of what Zimmer is doing - he is creating an interesting detailed texture and rhythmic drive with interesting sounds and orchestration. The harmony is just something that is 'also there', it's not the important thing that is going on.

If you just play a i-VI-i chord progression, and don't have anything else interesting going on, it will sound bad and 'cliche'. Zimmer uses the cliche there, but he doesn't make it sound 'cliche' at all, because the progression is not the important thing going on. You avoid the cliche by having the entire combination of all musical elements (texture, timbre, melody, rhythm, counterpoint, harmony, orchestration, phrasing, modulatory structure, form, etc.) be interesting enough that using the cliche doesn't really matter.

I also can't imagine a progression that better represents a dark hero than i-VI-i. Does one really need to reinvent the wheel all the time? There are only so many chords to use, and progressions involving those two chords. I don't think you can possibly be completely original and artistic all the time in every single piece. Also, you may find a progression that also somewhat works but is less direct and effective at communicating a particular emotion. The risk there is that if you are working on a film and you use that 'more original' progression instead of the tried and true cliche to create that emotion at the critical moment, it's potentially hurting the film. This is not the case if the new progression you've come up with is as effective - only if it just 'somewhat works' instead of 'works great' like the cliche. Then there is the issue of the limited amount of time to compose for film. Sometimes you have to pick your battles.


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## cmillar (Jun 16, 2015)

Great thread.... but really, don't 'sweat it'!

Every memorable composer has used 'cliches', written according 'to the rules of western harmony' at one time or another.... but, BUT!.... has broken 'the rules' as well.

Harmony? Overrated.

Why say that? Because harmony is only usefully analyzed in horizontal movement.

And take a look at Schenkerian analysis, which looks at the entire history of western music.

The life of music really revolves around a giant V-I chord progression when all is said and done!

What's in 'horizontal movement'? .... melody and rhythm.... and some other colourful notes thrown in that create what we call a 'chord'.

It either sounds good or 'bad' to your ear. If the public doesn't like it or remember it, that's either their problem, or your problem (if you're trying to help sell a product like a movie, a commercial, a documentary, etc.) If your producer or client doesn't like what you're doing, then write something that appeals to what's needed to sell the product.

Composers like Zimmer are wonderful. They're actually pushing the boundaries of creativity and art in the service of their work.

Much like Mozart or Beethoven, who had commissioned music they were asked to write, many times with a purpose in mind (as in a film score or a dance score, etc.).... and yet, came up with some great new and wonderful compositions along the way.

Great thread, but let's all get back to writing some music!


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## JimVMusic (Jun 16, 2015)

After reading the many of the interesting, thoughtful responses to your post along with your responses and it occurred to me that perhaps this video may help you on your "harmonic journey." 

I have found the advice that Ira imparts here to be very helpful to me. I hope it helps you too. : )

https://vimeo.com/24715531


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