Step 2: HARMONY and form
CREATING EMOTION IN MUSIC
In this step, we'll look at how to compose simple, effective chord progressions. To make things easier, we're going to use a common 32-bar AABA (ternary) form as the template for our composition.
The first step is to make sure you know how to play (and write) common chords. The video below explains a really easy method for working out how to play major and minor triads, and demonstrates how to write effective pieces of music by just moving between two chords.
TRIAD CHORDS
This video looks at two of the most common types of chords (major and minor triads), and looks at how simple combinations (of just two chords!) can be used to create effective and emotional "Hollywood style" music.
A summary of the important point in this video is included below. Watch the video, then take the time to memorise the steps to create these chord progressions.
Summary:
TRIADS are chords made up of three notes. The most commonly used chords (in almost any style of music) are major and minor triads.
To make a major chord (M), pick a note (any note). This is the root of the chord. Put the thumb of your right hand on that note. Then, count up four notes (remembering to count both black and white notes) and then place your middle finger on the note you arrive at. From there count up another three notes (again remembering to count both black and white keys) and put your little finger on that note. Play all three notes at once, and you have made a Major Triad. (In this video these are labelled with a capital 'M'
The 'rule' to make a Major triad (M) is 4-3
Minor triads can be made in a very similar way, but this time pick a note, count up three notes, and then from that note, count up four notes). Minor triads are identified with a lower-case 'm'
The 'rule' to make a minor triad (m) is 3-4
A lot of great Hollywood soundtracks are made by moving back and fourth between two triads.
EXERCISE 1: Practice all twelve Major triads, and all twelve minor triads, until you can move from one to the other without thinking about it too much.
It's a really good idea to have all the triads 'under your fingers'. This will really take your music to a new level. The triads on the keyboard are listed below.
Start by learning all the major triads, and try moving between them in various ways (going up in semitones, going down in semitones, going up 5 notes each time etc.)
Once you've got these down, move on to the minor triads!
MAJOR TRIADS
Practice these a million times...
MINOR TRIADS
Then practice these a million more times....
EXTENSION EXERCISE: SOME WEIRD CHORDS YOU SHOULD PROBABLY ALSO KNOW...
Augmented and Diminished TRIADS
As well as Major and minor triads, there are two other types of triad that are useful to know (especially when writing horror soundtracks). These are the Augmented (+) and diminished (o) triads.
To follow the same technique that we used to to make the Major and Minor triads
The 'rule' to make an Augmented triad (+) is 4-4
and...
The 'rule' to make a diminished triad (o) is 3-3
both of these chords sound pretty weird to us in most contexts, because of the inherent tension between the tonic of the chord and the 'altered' fifth. This makes both of these chords excellent options for composing horror soundtracks. Try a few of them out! (actually, try playing them in every key, and memorise them as quickly as you can)
EXERCISE: WRITING A HORROR MOVIE SOUNDTRACK,
STEP ONE: HARMONY
Find two chords that you think would sound good as the basis of a horror movie sound track. Write them down on the stave provided below. (You could use one of the chord progressions from the video, or make up your own).
Then, using a harmonic rhythm of one chord per bar, write your chord progression into the first eight bars (in bass clef) of the template below. I've written an example for you.
Composition 1 Template - Full Score.pdfComposition Template 1
This is a template for a standard 32-bar AABA form. Write your chords for the A section into the first 8 bars (leave the 2nd time bar blank for now)
Example
In the bass clef, write in your chord progression, with chord names written above the stave. Notice that here I've replaced the Eb in the last bar with a V chord, to create some variation and signal the end of a section. (The V also helps to 'push' back to the top of the chart)
STEP TWO: GUIDE TONES
The next step is to make an outline of your melody (the tune). This is really easy, for each chord, pick one note from the chord and play it in your right hand (while you play the whole chord in your left hand).
Each degree of the chord has it's own particular sound when played as a melody. Note I feels very heavy and settled, note V is still very grounded, but feels bright and strident, whereas note III feels like it wants to move, and has quite a strong, striking 'flavour'.
Each note also will relate differently to the other degrees of the chord around it. Composers usually look for notes that thread a singable 'melody' from one chord to the next. These are often referred to as 'Guide Tones', which provide a framework for the composition.
Compositions can often be thought of as a series of 'guide tones' (i.e. chord tones) connected with a series of 'passing tones' (i.e. notes that aren't in the chord)
ADD AN 'OUTLINE'
Add ONE note per chord as the framework for your composition.
Next we're going to look at how to write your composition on the staff, using music notation software. For this project, we're going to use a free piece of software called muse-score, which you can download here:
We'll also need to learn how to write music on the stave. If you know how to do this already, and/ or you know how to use muse score, you can move on to step 3, where we will look at how to make your melody more interesting. Otherwise, click on the links below to learn how to use the software, and how to read and write musical notation.
Some good online and downloadable piano apps can be found here:
https://www.onlinepianist.com/virtual-piano
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-piano-keyboard/id1171389552
https://sessiontown.com/en/music-games-apps/online-virtual-keyboard-piano
If you have trouble downloading or using musescore, try this:
NOTEFLIGHT (online notetion software) https://www.noteflight.com/