The Useful Bits

Fantasy Cadences

• Common Common Fantasy Cadences
  • I - V (Half Cadence)
  • IV - I (Plagal Cadence)
  • V - I (Authentic Cadence)
  • V - VI (Deceptive Cadence)
  • V - ♭VI (Deceptive Cadence)
  • ♭VII - I (Strong Cadence?)
  • ♭VI - ♭VII - I (Epic Cadence?) [ Only ‘I’ chord is quality insensitive]
  • IV - V - ♭VI - ♭VII - I (Epic Deceptive Cadence?) [ Only ‘I’ chord is quality insensitive]

Fantasy Progressions Listed by Mood

Serious Fantasy

• i, ii, ♭III, iv, IV, v, V, ♭VI, ♭VII

Mellow Fantasy

• I, ♭III, IV, iv, V, v, ♭VI, ♭VII
  • (ii, iii, vi) [risky → relative minor]

Mellow Mysterious

• I, II, ii, iii, IV, V, v, vi, ♭VII, ♭VII ⁺, vii

Melancholy Mysterious

• i, ii, ♭III, iv, IV, v, ♭VI, ♭VII

Dark Tension

• i, ♭ii, ♭II, ♭iii, ♭III, iii, iv, V ⁷, ♭vi, vi, VI, vii,VII ← [safe]
• i, i°, I; ♭ii, ♭ii°, ♭II; ♭iii, ♭iii°, ♭III; iii, III ⁺; iv, ♭V°, V ⁷, ♭vi; vi, vi°, VI; vii, VII, VII ⁺ ← [risky] ( i is tonic/root )

Eerie Tension

• I, ♭II, ♭ii, ♭III, ♭iii, III, IV, V ⁺, ♭VI, VI, vi, VII, vii ← [safe]
• I, i, ♭II, ♭ii, ♭III, ♭iii, III, IV, ♭V, V ⁺, ♭VI, VI, vi, VII, vii ← [risky] ( I is tonic/root )
• ( Both include augmented and flat five versions of all major chords)

*[risky] implies that using certain chords in some ways may taint the feel/emotion you originally attempt to convey

(Possible) Emotions of the Modes

• Ionian: Happy/Cinch, Worry-less, Regular [6+7]
• Dorian: Mystery [6], (not/less serious) Action/Adventure [6+♭7]
• Phrygian: Like aeolian with and ‘exotic’ or unsettling ♭2 (with these melodies)
• Lydian: unease [1+♯4], Mystery [♯4], Play/Adventure/Calm/(nature) [♯4+5]
  • Lydian Dominant: [Lydian’s ♯4 + Mixo’s ♭7], slight eeriness [♭VII ⁺]
• Mixolydian: Mystery [♭7], Play/Adventure/Calm/(nature) [6+♭7]
  • Mixolydian ♭6: sadness [♭6 + ♭7], bittersweet [(♭6 + 5)+(4+3)]
• Aeolian: Seriousness [♭6], sadness [♭6 + ♭7]
  • Aeolian [Harmonic]:Seriousness [♭6], edge/risk [♭6 + 7]
  • Aeolian [Melodic]: build up of excitement [6+7]
• Locrian: Very unsettling and not very fitting for fantasy music (unless the music should feel unsettling)

J.Jay Berthume's Counterpoint [Notes + Doc]

Contrapuntal Melodies (Counterpoint)

• Write contrapuntal melodies just like regular melodies and with the same ideas but with some more rules/limitation
• Use these rules to simultaneously write 2 melodies at the same time [His Counterpoint Rules document below]

J.Jay Berthume's Orchestration [Notes]

(Techniques he seemed to apply)

[Cinematic]

• Voicing (All are generally played by 2 to 5 instruments in different octave ranges, and depending on context, but may be only 1)
  1. Embellishments (Doubled by pitched percussion as well) [Unison, maybe with harmonization]
     • 7Runs - (High Strings, Woodwinds)
       • Used best at the end of phrases for high energy or during a song
     • Jabs - (Tutti, Violins, Trumpets, Flute/Piccolo) [any amount of voices so unison to full chord]
       • These may be explosive interjections for more energy or accents on the melody (usually played in chords)
     • Counter Melodies
       • Includes [at least fractions of] the melody but adds more embellishment (like sprinkles on icing); uses shorter, may use shorter, quicker figures
  2. (Both) Rhythmic and Melodic Motif - (Mid Winds like Clarinet and Oboe, or Mid Strings like Viola or Cello) [2 Voices line+harmony]
     • A repeating figure that characterizes the melody and defines its energy and sometimes emotion. It may not always be present but helps to fill up and bring energy to introductory and interluding ideas... it also may be developed during other parts of the song
     • Scales and Arpeggios may also serve this purpose, though they may not be as unique
  3. Chords - (Full Families for more power, but mid to lower instruments for richer tone, and higher instruments for clearer pitch)
     • All chord harmonies may be held out by different instruments; the family(-ies) chosen (eg Brass brings warm sound, strings helps bring out other emotions, and woodwinds
  4. Melody - (Your choice, but generally any low-mid/mid/high instruments, taking 3-5 voices [maybe 2, maybe more depending on the score])
     • The main line.
     • Use 2 or 3 lines of harmony on some or all notes of some phrases
     • Contrapuntal melodies may also be used for effect, or to create a slightly fuller sound
  5. Bass Line [Unison] - (Cello, Bass [more simplified], Bass Trb/ Tenor Trb, Tuba [more simplified], Bassoon, Contrabassoon [more simplified]
     • Often doubled by multiple instruments, is generally not very active.

Extra Notes (J.J B)

• What sounds good on the trumpet is just as good on trombone an octave lower
• Use endings of phrases to add even more harmony voices to emphasize a chord
• Switch instruments out between phrases to change the texture
• Use Tutti at the end to make it EPIC
• Use Contrasting rhythms for texture

J. Jay Berthume's Chord Changes [Modal] Interesting Method

• Find the emotion or idea you're looking for
• Find some relationships that makes you feel this emotion or idea between 2 chord qualities and the interval that separates them
  • [Quality] interval [Quality]
• Link them together
  • [Quality] interval [Quality] interval [Quality] interval [Quality]
• Add extensions to make guide tones to help relate chord changes

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