# Help with writting music with a stronger emphisis on harmony



## newbycomposer (Jan 12, 2015)

I SUCK when it comes to chord progressions. ive spent the last 4 years majoring in music composition and I still suck at it, despite prodding my teachers would never help me, they would rather have me doing stuff quite frankly, was much simpler, replicating 20th century atonal music or Cage or whatnot. Stuff that simply wasn't hard to do. I can write melodies all day, halfway decent ones, I can write duets all day as well. Given the chords I can do a decent job at writing common practice counterpoint, but I can NOT seem to write music that has a strong harmonic progression. Like, Stuff like THIS I find simple to replicate

Dream by John Cage [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hVFCmK6GgM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hVFCmK6GgM
[/url]
Rain Spell by Toru Takemitsu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_E2rKxg3NE

The reason I find that stuff easier, is frankly, notes are really super important, pitch isn't all the focus. I LIKE music where pitch is a huge part of it as well as. From more accessible music to NOT accessible music. 

Epica- Originemhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzorpFQ7O6E (EXTREMELY harmonic in nature, some of their music makes me think of older church music but its not modal and I have no idea what is giving it that feel, this is a pretty good examplehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAlRf9qf9d0&t=1m31s it starts right at the choirs, only need to listen to like 30 seconds to get the picture)

Diablo swing orchestra - Kevlar Sweetheartshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi6LcEA0CxY Pretty cool, lots of textural stuff going on, but all around a basic harmonic progression.

Unexpecthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPDZPLHNhdU (not very accessible, this song is the most accessible they have lol, they have some microtonal stuff in some of their stuff)

woodkid-The golden age [url=https://www.you...I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWxyQlWolTI[/url] (love the harmonic progressions in his stuff, but I freaking love his percussion stuff as well)

Anyway, I never really got taught this stuff, I have a decent understanding of voice leading, but all my progressions typically end up being purely major/minor chords with the occasional diminished. No chromatic stuff which of course makes it REALLY boring. But despite going through all 4 theory classes, some of them more than once, I can't get this. Anyway I'm changing my degree to something else, and unable to continue composition lessons, which makes me sad, anyway after 4 years, I ended up learn a BUNCH of stuff, BUT NOT THE THING I NEEDED MOST. I'm frustrated, without a teacher, and have no real clue how to learn this.


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## Vlzmusic (Jan 12, 2015)

Hi newbycomposer!

Just to reflect on your description:

In my view, there is no big preference of other chords structures over Major/Minor as you say. In the right context - even C major chord can send shivers down your spine - because harmonic tendencies and relations build up as your piece develops, and most of the listeners are not being able to tell you if they hear this or that chord - but rather what is your overall color, tension, rate of chord change etc.

I would suggest you revisit that ol` good harmony book, and re-read the pages which describe relations and context. Maybe some chapters about the development phase in classical sonata structure would give you ideas of how you can go far away from the key and base in which your theme began, or was stated the first time around.

Best wishes!


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## bbunker (Jan 12, 2015)

Tell you what:

Take this: http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/0/0d/IMSLP21459-PMLP03546-Wagner-TristanPSit.pdf

Follow it along with this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-qoaioG2UA

Get your pencil out and analyze the be-dang out of it. There...you understand chromatic harmony!


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## Saxer (Jan 13, 2015)

get a 'real book' and play jazz standards.


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## AlexandreSafi (Jan 14, 2015)

Transcribe, MIDI or pencil, play it, but get inspired by anything non-music related, compose with a clear aim of what you want to write about in your head, the clearer the picture and the clearer your limitations are set, the more interesting you can get, then push through patiently and you will find all the notes fall into place like a little family!


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## José Herring (Jan 14, 2015)

One of the things that I started doing again (Now that I've committed myself to writing real music again,)is to start drilling the keys and the chords that go with a particular key. If you drill the harmonic and melodic minor keys, I was shocked that after about 1 hour of doing that, it became really clear what chromatic harmony is and why it developed. Also what became clear is bitonality and why and how that developed. 

If you add additional notes like the 7th and particularly the 9th and the 6th scale degrees while drilling, it will also reveal progressions and modulations unrelated to a given key by use of common tones. Also the drilling starts revealing known pieces of music that you then can start to pick out by ear based on the progression that the music derived from. It was illuminating to say the least. 

You could study these all day in a book of theory but it doesn't become clear until you actually bang it out on a keyboard for a few hours in multiple keys.

Just a thought.


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## gsilbers (Jan 14, 2015)

what do you mean with drilling?


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## José Herring (Jan 14, 2015)

Drilling. Do something over and over again until you can do it with ease. So for example start with a gminor scale. Learn all chords that relate to it and bang them out until you can do it easily. Then expand those chords to include the extensions ect


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## Lawson. (Jan 15, 2015)

Saxer @ Tue Jan 13 said:


> get a 'real book' and play jazz standards.



Yes yes yes and yes. Chords with more than 3 notes are very useful and sound pretty awesome if applied correctly.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 15, 2015)

josejherring @ Thu 15 Jan said:


> Drilling. Do something over and over again until you can do it with ease. So for example start with a gminor scale. Learn all chords that relate to it and bang them out until you can do it easily. Then expand those chords to include the extensions ect




I am with Josejherring on this one. 

Nothing increased my harmonic language better than knowing scales. 

I use to have a lot of trouble because I found/find harmonic progressions in 1 key rather dull. 

Sure - I got taught secondary dominance to get to other keys and other tricks. But once I learned my scales and variations (modes/dim scales etc.) *ANYTHING* was possible. All of a sudden all bets were off and I could go where ever I wanted and had the ability to get back to the home key at any time. Or simply borrow chords from other scales. 

Once you have the ability to be flexible and mobile, you'll discover great harmonic progressions without referring to some big book.


edit: if you were to heed the advice here, I would start with all major & minor scales & modes. Be fluent with them,


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## José Herring (Jan 15, 2015)

I started to say that you should also learn the modes and then how the modes are altered in order to understand chromatic harmony but I thought it would confuse him. 

The problem with learning from a real book is that you'll learn what the chords are and you may even learn how to spell chords with a bit of work, but you'll never understand why which makes it tough to apply beyond just copying some already rather well grooved in progressions.

Once you get the basics of the triad down then you can more easily learn the extensions and start to develop your own language.


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## williambass5 (Jan 16, 2015)

I really like the "real book: idea, especially tunes from the bebop era which are generally very chromatic. Take the chords, spell them out, then apply them with the voice leading you learned.

Feel free too, to use harmony which you really can't explain, ie moments that are ambiguous. Although you may at first react negatively (as I did since my composition degree experience sounds a bit like yours), it really is the vehicle of late 19th/early 20th century music as it allows you to pivot almost anywhere!


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## chibear (Jan 16, 2015)

williambass5 @ Fri Jan 16 said:


> Feel free too, to use harmony which you really can't explain, ie moments that are ambiguous. Although you may at first react negatively (as I did since my composition degree experience sounds a bit like yours), it really is the vehicle of late 19th/early 20th century music as it allows you to pivot almost anywhere!


+1

Have a quick look at Neo-Tonality. When I was in university in the '60's it was referred to as 'Free Tonality' The (very) basic premise is you lay down chords as you feel like and use a few conventions like repetition to establish your tonal center. 

Some academics could analyze it as some kind of ultra-chromaticism.....if you REALLY want to take the time, but the general approach is much freer than that.


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## José Herring (Jan 16, 2015)

chibear @ Fri Jan 16 said:


> williambass5 @ Fri Jan 16 said:
> 
> 
> > Feel free too, to use harmony which you really can't explain, ie moments that are ambiguous. Although you may at first react negatively (as I did since my composition degree experience sounds a bit like yours), it really is the vehicle of late 19th/early 20th century music as it allows you to pivot almost anywhere!
> ...



hmmmm... you guys are wanting him to run before he can even crawl.


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## williambass5 (Jan 16, 2015)

josejherring @ Fri Jan 16 said:


> hmmmm... you guys are wanting him to run before he can even crawl.



Perhaps, but if he's had 4 years of theory/composition he has probably studied traditional 4 part writing/voice leading. It also sounds like his teachers covered the post Shoenberg era. It seems he's interested in the stuff in the middle, at least tonality-wise and wishes to get past straight major/minor combinations into a broader pallette of harmony while still staying within something that still "sounds" tonal.

Am I correct Newbycomposer (I use that only because its your forum name!)?

If so, I totally understand as I came from a very similar background: composition major with lots of tradtional "Bach era" 4 part writing and lots of 20th century atonality lessons, but not much instruction in the middle. 

I have been experimenting with how far things can be stretched and still have it sound bassically tonal since pure atonality does not resonate with me. For me anyway, the answer is pretty far...For example if you think C Major, you would think C E G, but what if you IMPLIED a C major, but through an alterered chord (C E G# D F)? At first glance that CAug 11 sounds too dissonant, especially if you alter it further with a #11, but with smooth voice leading it can flow through time amazingly well. 

I've gone as far lately that, at many given moments, I really don't know WHAT it is, that is, that the harmony vertically at any given moment doesn't add up to anything really, but through time and smooth voice leading it really doesn't sound atonal at all... yet adds greater diversity and possibilities. Its really quite liberating.


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## José Herring (Jan 16, 2015)

I don't disagree with you in the slightest. But, he's mentioned that his composition teachers didn't cover any tonal harmony in favor of avant-garde music. The examples he posted of the rock bands he's trying to emulate are so basic in harmony with no guiding thought behind the chords other than to pick up your two hands and move to the next root position, that if he couldn't pick that out then he's really not in any position to be studying anything beyond just getting the basics down.


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## williambass5 (Jan 16, 2015)

chibear @ Fri Jan 16 said:


> williambass5 @ Fri Jan 16 said:
> 
> 
> > Feel free too, to use harmony which you really can't explain, ie moments that are ambiguous. Although you may at first react negatively (as I did since my composition degree experience sounds a bit like yours), it really is the vehicle of late 19th/early 20th century music as it allows you to pivot almost anywhere!
> ...



Do you have a favorite book (ie like a theory/composition book) on neo-tonality? Its approached from many different angles, but something that gives an overview?

One of the pitfalls I got from "common practice" theory classes is that it HAS to be something. I remember one teacher getting bogged down on the Tristan chord.. Again, I'm finding it liberating that harmony only has to WORK..even if it doesn't add up to anything (in conventional terms).


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## José Herring (Jan 16, 2015)

Half diminished 7th to dominant 7 b5?


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## williambass5 (Jan 16, 2015)

josejherring @ Fri Jan 16 said:


> I don't disagree with you in the slightest. But, he's mentioned that his composition teachers didn't cover any tonal harmony in favor of avant-garde music. The examples he posted of the rock bands he's trying to emulate are so basic in harmony with no guiding thought behind the chords other than to pick up your two hands and move to the next root position, that if he couldn't pick that out then he's really not in any position to be studying anything beyond just getting the basics down.



Humm, I see your point :? 

Perhaps this is at the heart of the problem:

"Given the chords I can do a decent job at writing common practice counterpoint, but I can NOT seem to write music that has a strong harmonic progression."

Given the chords... Newbecomposer, is the difficulty in coming up with chord progressions in general or is it that the chord progressions you create all seem the same/stale?


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## José Herring (Jan 16, 2015)

He's confusing isn't he?


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 16, 2015)

Another thing on what I was saying before


*Bass* plays a major role (imo) to creating satisfying harmonic progression. You really need to look at your bass. 

Oftentimes I work with bass before filling in/deciding the full chord.


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## Lawson. (Jan 16, 2015)

josejherring @ Fri Jan 16 said:


> Half diminished 7th to dominant 7 b5?



Same chord except the half dim has a b3. You'd wanna play Locrian #2 over the first chord and Lydian-Dominant over the second.

Taking a jazz theory class in college was one of the most useful music classes I've ever done. :mrgreen:

OP, you may want to check out "The Jazz Theory Book" by Mark Levine.


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## chibear (Jan 16, 2015)

williambass5 @ Fri Jan 16 said:


> chibear @ Fri Jan 16 said:
> 
> 
> > williambass5 @ Fri Jan 16 said:
> ...



Ha! We're going back over 40 years. If I can remember right there was no text and Neo-(then Free-) tonality was just mentioned with an overview. It was the time when pointalism and extended techniques were king (anything else being passe') and synths were things you plugged in like a telephone operator. I was attracted by composers who used the technique like Stravinsky (Symphony of Psalms), Hindemith (Symphony Mathis der Maler) and stuff by Alan Hovhaness.


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## newbycomposer (Jan 19, 2015)

Oh wow, this thread blew up since I last looked at it. Sorry to take so long to reply. I'll try to make it a little more clear. 

I'm going to kinda try to address everyone at once, so we will see how this goes. 

My background: Yes, Ive had 4 years of a music degree. However due to some illness on my part and just general college problems, I missed some classes, barley slid through the theory class, and don't have the firmest grasp even on the basics. I can analyze pretty well till you get up into chromatic stuff, there are just a BUNCH of holes in my knowledge. For example, when it came up in class I learned Italian/German 6th chords, could write them out with correct part writing, but after the class ended I completely forgot where to use them, how voice leading works, and where they lead. I have holes like that, all throughout my theory knowlege. I have some level of internalization where I can BS my way through it by not thinking and just throwing stuff down on the page, and thats more or less how I passed the theory classes I did pass. At some point, I Completely was in over my head and to far in to get help because the few times I did look for help the teacher would be like "you should know this" and not really help much. it sucked. Anyway. So, assume I don't know what your talking about, chances are I have some idea, and none whatsoever at the same time.

A big thing that frustrates me, is writing and determining what I want. Like, my teacher drilled me good into being able to write even when I'm not inspired. I can plop down and write a decent melody if I'm "feeling it" or not, I can write textural stuff the same way, atonal, ect.(in fact, I actually enjoy writing with clusters/pitch class sets, I need to look back into that again). But anyway .The point being, I can sit down and very intellectually write out that stuff, but can't do that when it comes to chordal stuff. Sure I can do a simply I iv V I, but thats pretty much it. Like, I was working on a song recently and the progression is Gmin Cmin Amaj Dmaj, then later it changes to Gmin Bbmin Adim, Dmaj. It took me like 30 minutes at a piano to figure out that what I was hearing in my haed was A dim to a D maj. I tried everything else, because I simply don't "Get" harmony. I don't WANT to just write basic harmony, I like it, but I also really like stuff with lots of dissonance. Think Dillinger escape plan. They have one song where the chorus is just 2 chords. Spelled from bottom up on guitar AEABE followed by FFACF. Obviously the second is a F major chord but for the life of me I have no idea how to classify the chord before it or any remote Idea how that voicing is actually working.

(the song I'm talking about) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-FKM3eZTO8

I love the modes, because they are easy, you just throw voice leading out the window and focus only on color, I can do that, its fun, but it lacks the....drive. that tonal harmony has. Like, I love music that just carries you along, where the harmony picks you up and takes you to the next part, just constantly leading the ear. You need serious voice leading/harmonic structure to do that. 

I love lord of the rings soundtrack, its a really good example of what I'm talking about. 

in this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVV7ijh01jo at :41 is a GREAT example. But the whole thing is a great example lol. I LOVE those soundtracks. I can't get harmony that moves like that though. 

I like the medieval/fantasy sound, which mostly reminds me of old church music (really old, like pretonal chant music) This is an example though it sounds more medial than fantasy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve63nrGxIyM

This nails the chant thing pretty well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLlkx_gCS0g

Anyway, I digress into example, but you get the point, I'm frustrated because I can't even really tell you WHY all those things sound different. 

--------------------------------------------------------

Back on track.


Drilling, can you elaborate more, are we talking sit at a piano and just running through diatonic chords? or something more?



> "Perhaps, but if he's had 4 years of theory/composition he has probably studied traditional 4 part writing/voice leading. It also sounds like his teachers covered the post Shoenberg era. It seems he's interested in the stuff in the middle, at least tonality-wise and wishes to get past straight major/minor combinations into a broader pallette of harmony while still staying within something that still "sounds" tonal.
> 
> Am I correct Newbycomposer"



Hit the nail on the head. Though I'm not actually a huge fan of the shoenberg era, though I have a strong feeling much of that has to do with the recordings from that time being crap and production value keeping me from enjoying the music itself. 



> Half diminished 7th to dominant 7 b5?



Thats hardly english to me. Would that be in C major a C Eb Gb Bb to a G B Db ? (probably wrong but figured I would at least TRY to work it out lol)




> Given the chords... Newbecomposer, is the difficulty in coming up with chord progressions in general or is it that the chord progressions you create all seem the same/stale?



Both. Many times I will fool around and get something I like only to spend the next hour beating my head against the wall trying to figure out the next chord because I can hear it in my head but can't figure out what it is. Or I will just hate everything Ive come up with, or I feel like Ive used that progression half a dozen times already. 



> He's confusing isn't he?Smile



Sigh, I won't argue with you there, I'm probably more confused than you guys are 

Anyway, hopeful that helps make things more clear? (it probably doesn't lol)


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## amordechai (Jan 19, 2015)

bbunker @ 13.1.2015 said:


> Tell you what:
> 
> Take this: http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/0/0d/IMSLP21459-PMLP03546-Wagner-TristanPSit.pdf
> 
> ...



This IMHO is the best answer. Or maybe it isn't, but that's what i'm doing, and it's helping me a lot! The only difference is that in my case i'm working on Siegfried and a little bit of Mahler and Bruckner.

You will sweat a lot at the beginning but after a while you will internalize what you're studying.

If you are having trouble with the theory behind all that chromaticism, I found Diether de la Motte's harmony book very helpful.

- A.


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## williambass5 (Jan 19, 2015)

I think some of the confusion arises from your stated goal, your educational background, and the examples you give. Truly, I do not mean this in any derogatory way, but the example:

"...the chorus is just 2 chords. Spelled from bottom up on guitar AEABE followed by FFACF"

really isn't that complex, dissonant, nor especially great voice leading..at least in a "textbook" sense. There is absolutely no problem with that as it sounds like it is working for you, but it does create some confusion on how to respond.

It seems like the basic problem is the "BUNCHES of holes in my knowledge". I would go back to the start and fill in those holes. Yes, much of it you will perhaps know, but as long as those holes exist its going to be kinda hit and miss....and probably rather frustrating for you. Filling in the holes also means "drilling it". I think <20% is the knowledge. The skill comes from practice really.


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## impressions (Jan 20, 2015)

newbycomposer, if i understood right you are looking for inspiration on writing more interesting chord changes? 

when i feel stuck in a loop and repeatig the same progressions, i take out stuff that inspire me-chord wise. using my ears of course.

for example take a listen to this crazy guitarist- really inspiring piece. starts to get more harmonic around 0:40. 


if you can take all that by ear, it will give you plenty of ideas. also i recommend improvising chords on the same notes-but different chords every time. there are about 132 options for chords per each note(not counting different voicings).


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## newbycomposer (Jan 20, 2015)

williambass5 @ Tue Jan 20 said:


> I think some of the confusion arises from your stated goal, your educational background, and the examples you give. Truly, I do not mean this in any derogatory way, but the example:
> 
> "...the chorus is just 2 chords. Spelled from bottom up on guitar AEABE followed by FFACF"
> 
> ...



Yea, I can see where I'm being confusing. Maybe a better way to ask the question would how to make "moving" or "powerful" chords progression. I probably need to take a look at voice leading again. I'm not really looking to go to wagner level chromaticism. I don't really believe in doing anything just to do it, and frankly I don't enjoy that level of chromaticism. It seems sorta pointless, like I want to make moving music, his music has so much time between a feel of tonic that you never get any resolution and it leaves you hanging on for so long you loose focus. That said, I like the way he does it, and would like to figure it out so I can use it just without a 5 solid minutes of no resolution at all. 

So, what I'm getting from a lot of people here is I need to

1) drill chords (can you explain a little more about that process, how it helps, and what to be really pushing myself on)

2) score study (sigh, Ive never enjoyed score study, mainly because most of the music I like is modern without scores, I get stuck with stuff I don't enjoy listening to at all most of the time)

3)Study voice leading again to try to fill in the knowledge. (any good online resources, because I'll be honest my textbook SUCKS, its got to be the most confusing thing Ive ever read. I FREQUENTLY ended up on youtube, wikipedia, or google to figure out what I was doing because frankly the book REALLY sucked.

Am I missing anything?

edit: This is about as complex harmonically as I'm looking to get 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uFQeGHs5eg


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## williambass5 (Jan 21, 2015)

newbycomposer @ Tue Jan 20 said:


> Yea, I can see where I'm being confusing. Maybe a better way to ask the question would how to make "moving" or "powerful" chords progression. I probably need to take a look at voice leading again. I'm not really looking to go to wagner level chromaticism. I don't really believe in doing anything just to do it, and frankly I don't enjoy that level of chromaticism. It seems sorta pointless, like I want to make moving music, his music has so much time between a feel of tonic that you never get any resolution and it leaves you hanging on for so long you loose focus. That said, I like the way he does it, and would like to figure it out so I can use it just without a 5 solid minutes of no resolution at all.
> 
> So, what I'm getting from a lot of people here is I need to
> 
> ...



I really don't believe complex is better, so hopefully I didn't come across that way! Its just a matter of developing the tools to say what you want to say, whatever that may be.

As to how to create more "moving and powerful"... That's a bit more elusive! Much of that is not in what it is, but how it is done, that is, less in the notes and more in what they convey (that's just my humble opinion as I'm sure many will disagree!). It seems people who really have something to say create some of the best art. 

Drilling for me means practice, evaluation, reworking..lather rinse repeat. Its like playing guitar- each time you get a little better and discover some new piece of the puzzle. It is amazing to me how much time people spend creating the music I hear around here (myself included) and how much of that time is spent in the ongoing investment in learning and practice. I still take composition lessons...and I got my music BA in 1999!

Sometimes Coursera has some good courses..and their free. There was one "How to write music like Mozart" which could help fill in some of your gaps. Granted, you aren't interested in "classical" composition, but the ideas and skills are what matter.

Score study and listening are really about discovering "what they did top make it work"...sometimes that can be found in unlikely places. I view it like a treasure hunt. You don't want to just copy the trend, but rework the ideas into your own direction.

I think the main thing is that art isn't a knowledge based activity, its skill based. Yes, you need the knowledge, but that only provides the tools which you need to practice. 

Sorry, that's a lot of soapbox stuff, but I really do think its the biggest part of the puzzle...


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## José Herring (Jan 21, 2015)

If all you are aspiring to write is the LOTR type music then you won't need much in the way of harmony but rather it's a particular voicing related to orchestration.

So after all the confusing back and forth I can see rather clearly. The rock examples that you posted are really nothing special beyond power chord voicings and believe it or not, LOTR isn't anything more complicated than the rock tunes you posted other than it was fairly well orchestrated and recorded with a great orchestra in a great space making it sound just a bit less corny.

So what you're after isn't really music with a strong harmonic content of which none of the examples you posted have even a wif of strong harmony or particularly astute voiceleading, but rather how you can voice chords in an orchestral context and more specifically how to voice rock type chords in an orchestral context.

It's pretty easy to explain. Start with a a root add the 5th above, then drop the 5th an octave to make the interval a 4th. (I think they call it drop four voicing, but of that part I'm not sure because I've never been hip on the terminology). Then add the minor third above it all. Then move to the next chord of the same voicing and you'll get a parallel forth movement in the bass and root giving you that sort of medieval parallel organum sound. Traditionally it's called 2nd inversion minor chord, but in truth it's best to think of it as power chords because the movement from chord to chord is easier to grasp that way. Where if you think of it as 2nd inversion you'll be tempted to move the next chord of a different inversion and kind of destroying the effect. Because classically speaking you want to avoid a bit the organum effect. 

For how to double chords in an orchestra, I would look at Rimsky Korsakov's orchestration book. 

But, in truth the sound you're after imo is so dated and overdone that by the time you get to the point where you'll have an opportunity to do it, it will be laughable history. Kind of in the same vain as the wacka wacka guitar of the 70ies. But that's just my opinion.  But the interval of the 4th moving in the bass and root makes for a pretty powerful sound.


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## JimVMusic (Jan 22, 2015)

_Yea, I can see where I'm being confusing. Maybe a better way to ask the question would how to make "moving" or "powerful" chords progression. I probably need to take a look at voice leading again. I'm not really looking to go to wagner level chromaticism. I don't really believe in doing anything just to do it, and frankly I don't enjoy that level of chromaticism. It seems sorta pointless, like I want to make moving music, his music has so much time between a feel of tonic that you never get any resolution and it leaves you hanging on for so long you loose focus. That said, I like the way he does it, and would like to figure it out so I can use it just without a 5 solid minutes of no resolution at all. _


Wow, I think you got some great answers for developing your "harmonic dexterity" above. I highly recommend trying everything mentioned so far. Based on what you added, I'd like to add a few suggestions that I've found handy in my own musical travels. 

My first suggestion would be to start a "chord progression collection." I started one a few of years ago and have found it invaluable in tracking the progressions that I find interesting or cool. I have a few hundred to draw inspiration from. How you log them is up to you, I have an Excel document that where I log my favorite chord progression's. I make notes of the emotional impact that I'm getting: "this one's dramatic, strong" "pulls heart strings" etc. 

I then try my best to write out the progression in a key as well as Roman Numerals. I find the Roman Numerals can teach me a lot about the function of each chord which will help me in creating my own progressions. Also RN's are easy to transpose when you are experimenting with these. I like the excel because I can easily forget the source of the progression which will allow my to change it , redefine it, and create my own melody over it. 

I then listen to lots of music, doing simple take downs and logging the progressions into my "collection" After a while you'll have tons of options for a given musical/emotional effect, you can also mix and match them , making them your own, but still honoring the "style" that you are trying to acheive. 

Here's one spot to gather a few progressions for your collection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chord_progression

I would check out "pop music" chords. I often seek out pop songs that I find emotional and make note of the chords. 

On that note...You may find this website to be interesting as well. 

http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/moneychords/lesson.html

If you like that, you'll love this great book on the subject of pop progressions: 

http://www.amazon.com/Chord-Progressions-Songwriters-Richard-Scott/dp/0595263844 (http://www.amazon.com/Chord-Progression ... 0595263844)

These approaches will introduce you to loads of options to create the "accessible chord progressions" that I think you are after. Then pepper them with all of the stuff you've learned in school so far, and you'll be creating your own awesome chord progressions in no time.

Don't forget Barry Manilow, Yanni and Broadway all experts in touching peoples hearts through music. I'm serious.

Also, be sure figure out what scales work over these progressions as well as each chord. Then you'll have the beginnings of melody, from there use your voice leading and all the other stuff you've studied (and will continue to study) to craft these progressions into beautiful horizontal lines played by instruments! 

That's my two cents, hope it helps : )


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