Posted
hey guys,
I would like to ask you a question about music theory..as I'm using synfire I'm learning a lot while having a lot of fun
I have a basic understanding of music theory so probably my question is stupid so forgive me :)..here it is:
let's say that I like the sounding of E phygrian dominant scale( 5th mode of harmonic scale if I'm correct), the scale sounds oriental to my ears and I like it a lot..my music has very few chord progression, mainly subtle changing like for example orienatl/indian drone music(just an example)...so let's say that I want to write a melody on this scale..but I want to be horizontal, so I can change chord but the main mood of the melody remain throught the track..very difficult to explain so i hope I have been clear
Now, if I open the scale and palette..i would like to choose this scale as horizontal(so I can play melody) and the palettes to choose some chord to work with this scale...i can open the palette but the scale I want is vertical..what I'm missing?
does it make any sense?
cheers
Thu, 2013-03-07 - 20:19 Permalink
If you open the catalog and double click on the phrygian-dominant scale (it's listed under the 'Vertical' tab, but never mind, you can use it also 'horizontally' to create a melody) then opens a palette based on the C phrygian-dominant scale. The chords of that palette consists of tones of the phrygian-dominant scale (based on the root tone C) or are related to that scale (the chords on the upper side of the palette are related chords). If you open the harmonic context window (Window >> Harmonic Context) then you'll see that all chords on the lower side of the palette are assigned to the horizontal scale "C.phrygian-dominant.h". Those chords should be useful to harmonize a melody based on C phryigian-dominant. If you want to use a different root tone than C, you can change the root tone of the palette with Edit>>Root.
Mon, 2013-03-11 - 09:24 Permalink
hey juergen,
thaks for the reply..when you say:
"If you open the harmonic context window (Window >> Harmonic Context) then you'll see that all chords on the lower side of the palette are assigned to the horizontal scale "C.phrygian-dominant.h""
I can't see in the Harmonic context the chord you're talking about
thankss
Mon, 2013-03-11 - 20:01 Permalink
Hi gianpiero,
please take a look at the attached picture. There you can see the palette based on the C.phrygian-dominant scale. I opened it by double clicking on the phrygian-dominant scale in the catalog. Then, after opening the Harmonic Context window, I clicked on the C chord in this palette. The Harmonic Context window then shows that this chord is assigned to the C phrygian-dominant scale (both vertical and horizonal). If you use that chord in your arrangement (as you can see in the picture too) then you can build melodies based on the C phrygian-dominant scale.
In the picture you can also see that I entered an example figure (a simple scale starting at the middle line of the figure editor). At the bottom of the picture there is the corresponding notation - it's the C phrygian-dominant scale.
I used the green symbols for the scale. I experimented also with the blue symbols, but then the output (the notation) starts at the note F (because the global key is F minor as you can see also in the harmonic context). Besides, it is necessary to bypass the Parameter "Interpretation" to get this result (also shown in the pic).
I guess that's all a bit confusing for you, right? :-? But I don't know how I could explain it easier. Honestly, I haven't worked so much with exotic scales yet.
Tue, 2013-03-12 - 14:12 Permalink
hey jurgernn,
thanksss, I understand now much much more thanks alot...tell me if I'm correct(I usually dont care, I mean if it sounds good its good :)..but I'm trying to unserstand and learn):
Harminy context c phyngrian dominat:
horizontal-vertical: c phyngrian dominat
global: Fm (my little music backgroud stops here, I have to understand why is Fm)
So from what I understood, you say that if you use scale symbol it starts at C..but if you use the vertical-orizontal symbol it starts at F?is that right?
if we use vertical or orizontal the does the scale should start at C (?) as suggested by the harmony context?
thanks for your time jurgernn
G
Wed, 2013-03-13 - 19:06 Permalink
global: Fm (my little music backgroud stops here, I have to understand why is Fm)
Well, regardless of how exotic the scales with which you work are, Synfire always assumes that there is a global key from the major/minor system. If you work with C phrygian-dominant scale, Synfire assumes that the global key is F minor for the simple reason that the C phrygian-dominant scale and the F harmonic minor scale consist of the same notes. The only difference between these two scales is that the C phrygian-dominant scale starts at the note C and F harmonic minor starts at F, but the notes itself are the same. Synfire knows stuff like this and frees you from unnecessary mental arithmetic work ;)