# Such A Simple but Great Trick



## ed buller (May 25, 2019)

The Hideously underrated Leith Stevens Wrote the War Of The Worlds music using a nice bag of tricks. A student of Joseph Schillinger and Gershwin !!!!

Bass is rooted in C#...Plunking away massive Fifths ..Roman Marching Bass Basically . Melody comes from an Octatonic scale starting on C#. It's the one that starts with a semitone. So. C#,D,E,F,G,Ab,Bb,B...etc.

He chooses Random Maj Chords that have these notes. C#M, G , etc....








A similar trick but here the chords are just planing :



Best ED


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## lsabina (May 25, 2019)

Yes, extracted major triads from the half-whole scale. A favorite of Coltrane and other post bop players, too.


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## erica-grace (May 25, 2019)

good music, but could you imaging a composer writing a score like that for a film today? They would probably be fired on the spot.


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## Saxer (May 25, 2019)

erica-grace said:


> good music, but could you imaging a composer writing a score like that for a film today? They would probably be fired on the spot.


Pedal tones with chords on top generated from a scale are the backbones of todays film scores. Style might change but the principals are still the same.


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## Henu (May 26, 2019)

It might be just the octatonic speaking, but I just got the sudden urge to listen to Alan Silvestri.


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## gamma-ut (May 26, 2019)

erica-grace said:


> good music, but could you imaging a composer writing a score like that for a film today? They would probably be fired on the spot.



You could say the same thing about Planet of the Apes and The Taking of Pelham 123. 

Sooner or later, directors are going to get bored of braaaams.


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## jonathanparham (May 26, 2019)

ok somethings going on I was just looking at:

*The Schillinger System of Musical Composition in 2 volumes by Joseph Schillinger (2003-05-04) Hardcover – 2003*


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## ed buller (May 26, 2019)

Here is a rather interesting paper on Leith Stevens technique . It goes into some depth on The Schillinger approach. 

Best

ed


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## ed buller (May 26, 2019)

Saxer said:


> Pedal tones with chords on top generated from a scale are the backbones of todays film scores. Style might change but the principals are still the same.


This is true. It's a fabulous device, well worn for good reason, However I must say I find the sophistication and depth to the sound of theses vintage soundtracks conspicuously absent today !

best

ed


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## Rob Elliott (May 26, 2019)

gamma-ut said:


> You could say the same thing about Planet of the Apes and The Taking of Pelham 123.
> 
> Sooner or later, directors are going to get bored of braaaams.


And is it possible to USE woodwinds as well (I have to 'camouflage' them now just to get approvals / paid.  - Goldsmith's Planet of the Apes is still perhaps a top 5 score for me.


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## Land of Missing Parts (May 26, 2019)

ed buller said:


> This is true. It's a fabulous device, well worn for good reason, However I must say I find the sophistication and depth to the sound of theses vintage soundtracks conspicuously absent today !
> 
> best
> 
> ed


Love this riff. I remember when I first heard it in War of the Worlds, I had to keep rewinding to listen until I could tell what was going on.


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