# Exploring Dorian mode in 8 bars orchestral sketch



## gh0stwrit3r

In September 2020 I started doing orchestral sketches. Just writing 4 bars of music. Trying things out, experimenting, learning, willing to understand what's happening and why certain things work and others don't. Building up a library of musical snippets which you can use when you need to be ready.

It's a practical exercise - DOING without judgement - with a slight touch of theory in it.
I love doing it, hopefully you enjoy it too.

*LATEST SKETCH*




*PLAYLIST WITH ALL THE SKETCHES*




*QUICK LISTENING*


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## gh0stwrit3r

I’m very excited about this orchestral sketch. This time I ended up with an end result I probably gonna use in one of my own compositions. Or a derivation of it. It just turned out wonderfully. But that’s just my humble opinion.

Unlike last week’s sketch, this time I had an idea what I was looking for. I wanted a magical feeling. An enchanting feeling. I’m not going to say ‘Christmas’, but hey ... 4allCoda and I agree that it’s always good to be in a Christmas mood  


00:54 - First listening (melody line and orchestrated version) 
02:20 - The melody line I started with 
03:55 - SATB writing (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass) 
05:12 - Development (counterpoint, feeling and trial & error) 
07:10 - Decoration (some excitement for a magical touch) 
08:24 - Orchestration (the symphonic version with a lovely choir)


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## gh0stwrit3r

Recently I started working on a new composition. One that starts quietly with a beautiful children choir slowly working towards the first transition. And that is what this orchestral sketch is about: sketching out a four bar tutti transition.

00:55 - First listening (start on the piano and orchestrated version) 
02:13 - Start on the piano (tonic, dominant & resolution) 
03:30 - The A Chord (let's make it bigger than life!) 
04:48 - Orchestration (the symphonic version I ended up with)


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## bryla

I would suggest you use the horns rather than trombones as the bridge to the trumpet and revoice the viola to C#4 A4 maybe and have woodwinds to match strings.
Trombone uses tenor clef - not alto
I think you have been looking at older scores where a timpani roll is notated as a trill but it is simply a tremolo and should not be two different pitches.

I don't understand your 'piano start' – simply 4 repeated notes? I don't hear any of your chord structures in that and your orchestrated version doesn't contain tonic/dominant. In a piano start I would be able to see all the relevant notes.


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## gh0stwrit3r

bryla said:


> I would suggest you use the horns rather than trombones as the bridge to the trumpet and revoice the viola to C#4 A4 maybe and have woodwinds to match strings.
> Trombone uses tenor clef - not alto
> I think you have been looking at older scores where a timpani roll is notated as a trill but it is simply a tremolo and should not be two different pitches.
> 
> I don't understand your 'piano start' – simply 4 repeated notes? I don't hear any of your chord structures in that and your orchestrated version doesn't contain tonic/dominant. In a piano start I would be able to see all the relevant notes.


Thanks! This is the feedback I was looking for. All the sketches I do are part of my personal learning program and I love to share them. So I have a long road ahead of me 

You're indeed right about looking at older scores. I study ones from Mahler and Dvorak momentarily.

About the piano start ... I started with a single note, extended that to a massive A chord and then started with the orchestration. Maybe that's a strange way of working (I don't know), but at least it makes sense in my head 

Thanks again for the feedback! Much appreciated!


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## RonOrchComp

These are really cool!

But please consider getting rid of that opening music line. You probably have no idea how unnerving and annoying that is.


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## gh0stwrit3r

RonOrchComp said:


> These are really cool!


Thanks 


RonOrchComp said:


> But please consider getting rid of that opening music line. You probably have no idea how unnerving and annoying that is.


!lol! I can imagine ... I will have a look at it


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## gh0stwrit3r

Triplets. I love them! Back in the days when I played in several bands as a drummer I sometimes just switched for fun to triplets. Making my band go mad. Cause you can get really disorientated by these kind of rhythms. I also remember the good old times when I walked on the street. My foot steps were the quarter notes. Then I started clapping. First same quarter notes. Then eights. Speeding up to sixteenths. Switching to triplets. Then only the accents on the triplets: 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, etc.. I loved doing that! 


00:00 - Introduction (new intro sound) 
01:33 - First listening (start on the piano and orchestrated version) 
02:44 - The melody (the simple piano line I started with) 
04:09 - Triplets (playing three notes in the time of two) 
06:32 - The harmony (building up chords for support) 
07:46 - Orchestration (the symphonic version I ended up with)


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## gh0stwrit3r

This week I went tutti again. Meaning the full orchestra participates in this orchestral sketch. The flutes, piccolo, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, triangle, violins, violas, cellos and double basses. So prepare yourself for a lot of power! 


00:00 - Introduction to this orchestral sketch 
00:58 - First listening (start on the piano and orchestrated version) 
01:57 - The start (the simple piano line I started with) 
03:47 - The harmony (building up chords for support) 
04:51 - The extras (for some excitement in brass and percussion) 
06:15 - Orchestration (the symphonic version I ended up with)


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## gh0stwrit3r

In this week’s orchestral sketch I start a little bit different. No cantus firmus. No melody. Just a simple basic chord progression. Just three chords. That’s all! And you can be amazed by what you can do with that if you start to experiment and develop it further and further.


00:00 - Introduction to this orchestral sketch 
01:12 - First Listening (piano chords and orchestrated version) 
02:06 - Chords (the basic piano chords I started with) 
03:38 - Melody (simple motifs, yet effective ones) 
05:29 - Movement (patterns like ostinatos or figures for harp) 
07:39 - Orchestration (the symphonic version I ended up with)


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## gh0stwrit3r

In this orchestral sketch I want to show you an approach that is ridiculous. But yet can be very effective to get you on your way! I think this one is really awesome! So keep with me during the steps, cause I take you to a part of my brain that drives the nerd in me 

And for all who can’t or have difficulty with reading music notes, I’m going to show it to you in MIDI too!


00:00 - Introduction (boost creativity and inspiration) 
01:26 - First Listening (piano line and Orchestrated version) 
02:13 - The approach (use the name David for composing rules) 
03:43 - Cantus Firmus (the piano line I started with) 
04:24 - Harmony (a simple chord progression can do the job nicely) 
05:43 - Melody (only 20 notes left to write a descent melody) 
09:08 - Orchestration (the symphonic version I ended up with)


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## gh0stwrit3r

In this orchestral sketch I use a concept for a basic layer which sounds amazing! And it is super simple! Even if you have zero experience with a piano, you can learn to play it live within minutes. And you would steal the show.


00:00 - Introduction (massive thanks to my Patrons!) 
01:35 - First Listening (piano line and orchestrated version) 
03:00 - Cantus Firmus (only four notes to start with) 
03:57 - The Trick (become a piano maestro and steal the show!) 
07:39 - Melody 1 (I wrote this melody with a cello in mind) 
09:17 - Melody 2 (another beautiful orchestral colour) 
10:43 - Harmony (write down the chord progression for strings) 
11:59 - Orchestration (the symphonic version I ended up with)


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## gh0stwrit3r

Do you know the movies to which these short snippets of music belong to? Do you know who the composer is? I would say prepare yourself, cause it’s challenge time again!

Last week I showed you in the orchestral sketch that you can kick off with a simple basic piano layer. One that you can play live within seconds! And use that to develop an entire composition. This week we gonna have a look at some works of the giants. The famous composers to who we maybe look up to. And you will see that their works contain lots of simple, yet effective basic patterns.

00:00 - Introduction 
00:57 - The challenge explained 
01:38 - Start of the 4 bar patterns (nine in total) 
05:59 - Roundup 
06:29 - The answers (count your points )


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## fretti

That was really fun, it's amazing how recognizable some of the soundtracks/movies are with just a few notes; and I guess 8 points is not too bad right? 

Guess I'll have to take a listen to the 5 scores I did not recognize (although I have to say I kind of guessed Nr. 5 a little)


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## hsindermann

Pfff... got 1 of them - and couldn't remember the dude's name. Makes 1 whole point then. 

Some of them are a little too generic though to recognize, no? I mean... a Bb5 arpeggio repeated 16 times - could be many things I guess?


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## gh0stwrit3r

The misses in my house loves to watch period drama on Netflix. Nice and comfy on the couch with a blanket. I personally don’t. But sometimes my ears do. They are drawn towards that typical music style. So I thought, let’s do an orchestral sketch that fits this period drama genre. 

Timestamps: 
00:00 - Introduction (with important info about download link!) 
01:15 - First listening to the sketch 
02:12 - The basic pattern (a bunch of 8th notes) 
03:33 - Thickening (building up chords with syncopated rhythm) 
05:18 - Accents (I think about violins I) 
06:54 - Melody one (counterpoint, intervals and motion again!) 
08:15 - Melody two (I challenge you!) 
09:36 - Orchestration (which instruments fits this period drama genre the best?) 
11:28 - Wrap up


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## gh0stwrit3r

A new orchestral sketch to start the new year with. I had it planned for the last week of 2020, but a Covid_19 infection changed everything. Gladly the misses and I only suffered mild symptoms and the kids had none. So we’re fine. And ready to go in 2021. I’m going to start simple. With a lovely orchestral sketch which perfectly suits melancholic sounding compositions. 

Timestamps of the video

00:00 - Introduction 
01:03 - First listening (piano and orchestrated version) 
02:10 - Melody 1 (a simple melody line on the piano) 
03:56 - Harmony with arpeggiated chords 
05:23 - Melody 2 (counterpoint) 
06:50 - The orchestration (which instruments to choose) 
08:29 - Ending


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## gh0stwrit3r

Recently I saw a post on Facebook about the popularity of certain music. Someone asked: “Why do we love one composition more than another one?” 

I have always found these questions enormously interesting. Cause it’s related to our brain. And the way we programmed ourselves as humans. Now maybe you’re wondering, what has this to do with the orchestral sketches? Well, everything! Doing these short sketches forces you to write simple music. Music to which listeners can lock into within seconds. That our brain immediately understands what’s happening. At least, that’s my goal!



*Timestamps of the video:*

00:00 - Introduction 
00:32 - Our brain and music 
01:32 - First listening to a simple melody line on the piano 
02:43 - Predictable patterns for our brain 
03:27 - Another instrument to tickle our brain 
04:41 - Deconstruction of the orchestral sketch 
06:24 - Ending


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## gh0stwrit3r

It’s been a while since my last orchestral sketch. So it’s time for a new one. One that I started with some basic chords written in the scale of E-minor. I always find the translation of these piano chords to orchestral instruments mind-blowing. In this case to the strings. The sound of the strings can be really beautiful and captivating. Changing the way drastically how you experience the chord progression.


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## gh0stwrit3r

Last week I did an orchestral sketch in the scale of E minor. This week I'm going to do the exact same thing. Not with a melody in mind, but with a bold and full orchestral sound. That's the thing I'm after. So I'm going to write something for the woodwinds, the brass, the strings and little bit for the percussion.


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## gh0stwrit3r

This week I watched Spiderman Homecoming with the family. A very enjoyable movie with that typical action music in it. A lot of brass and full orchestra tutti passages. I guess everybody knows what I’m talking about. This sketch is inspired by that. I’m after a big, let’s say a huge orchestral sound.


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## gh0stwrit3r

In this orchestral sketch I left functional harmony behind me. I entered a new world, the world of modes. In this case Dorian. Now if you have followed me along on the channel, you know I lack a theoretical music background. So when someone said this to me a year ago, I would not have understand many of it. But doing these orchestral sketches tingles my curiosity and it pushes me forward to unknown territory. And oh my God ... I love it! And hopefully you do too!


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## LamaRose

gh0stwrit3r said:


> In this orchestral sketch I want to show you an approach that is ridiculous. But yet can be very effective to get you on your way! I think this one is really awesome! So keep with me during the steps, cause I take you to a part of my brain that drives the nerd in me


Schumman created masterpieces with this general technique.


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## LamaRose

You have a gifted ear for melody and harmony... and these presentations are well worth watching!


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## gh0stwrit3r

LamaRose said:


> Schumman created masterpieces with this general technique.


Awesome! I love these kind of crazy approaches


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## gh0stwrit3r

LamaRose said:


> You have a gifted ear for melody and harmony... and these presentations are well worth watching!


Many thanks! Much appreciated, but still have to learn a lot though. Feels like I'm still at the beginning of a wonderful journey


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