How can whole tone melodies sound more interesting? Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)What's so special about minor and major scales?Can the “music of the spheres” be applied (or projected) to instrumental music?Learning to create melodiesWhy are the natural notes on the staff special?“Tritone” intervals in n-tone equal temperamentDo capable harmony singers sing in just intonation or tempered tuning?Evil Twins? Modes vs MirrorsWhy is the hexatonic scale that can be derived via a chain of perfect fifths so little-known?Motifs in melody writingWhen we play the C mixolydian mode, are we still in the key of C?
Why is "Consequences inflicted." not a sentence?
Area of a 2D convex hull
Date formating in QGIS expression
What LEGO pieces have "real-world" functionality?
Stirling numbers of second kind, but no two adjacent numbers in same part.
Stars Make Stars
Is there a documented rationale why the House Ways and Means chairman can demand tax info?
What's the purpose of writing one's academic bio in 3rd person?
Letter Boxed validator
How widely used is the term Treppenwitz? Is it something that most Germans know?
Check which numbers satisfy the condition [A*B*C = A! + B! + C!]
Should I call the interviewer directly, if HR aren't responding?
How do you clear the ApexPages.getMessages() collection in a test?
When -s is used with third person singular. What's its use in this context?
Why there are no cargo aircraft with "flying wing" design?
Is there a service that would inform me whenever a new direct route is scheduled from a given airport?
How can I make names more distinctive without making them longer?
Single word antonym of "flightless"
How can players work together to take actions that are otherwise impossible?
How discoverable are IPv6 addresses and AAAA names by potential attackers?
How remove lines which are not equal in two buffers?
Do we need dark matter and dark energy, if the Sun is a plasma and not a blackbody?
What causes the vertical black lines in my photo?
He is picky about food(,) so he only eats what he likes
How can whole tone melodies sound more interesting?
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)What's so special about minor and major scales?Can the “music of the spheres” be applied (or projected) to instrumental music?Learning to create melodiesWhy are the natural notes on the staff special?“Tritone” intervals in n-tone equal temperamentDo capable harmony singers sing in just intonation or tempered tuning?Evil Twins? Modes vs MirrorsWhy is the hexatonic scale that can be derived via a chain of perfect fifths so little-known?Motifs in melody writingWhen we play the C mixolydian mode, are we still in the key of C?
How can one make melodies made from whole tone scales sound more interesting & appealing? Unlike melodies based in a certain mode or a key, whole tone scales use only tones as the intervals. This is something which our ears are not normally attuned to. How do I write whole tone melodies more better?
theory melody
New contributor
Grace is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
How can one make melodies made from whole tone scales sound more interesting & appealing? Unlike melodies based in a certain mode or a key, whole tone scales use only tones as the intervals. This is something which our ears are not normally attuned to. How do I write whole tone melodies more better?
theory melody
New contributor
Grace is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
They do sound interesting if done well but more intiguing and out of place usually. However, in place of a long melody, shorter riffs on electric guitars and bass, that are whole tone sound great especially in the right songs.
– Tarun
1 hour ago
add a comment |
How can one make melodies made from whole tone scales sound more interesting & appealing? Unlike melodies based in a certain mode or a key, whole tone scales use only tones as the intervals. This is something which our ears are not normally attuned to. How do I write whole tone melodies more better?
theory melody
New contributor
Grace is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
How can one make melodies made from whole tone scales sound more interesting & appealing? Unlike melodies based in a certain mode or a key, whole tone scales use only tones as the intervals. This is something which our ears are not normally attuned to. How do I write whole tone melodies more better?
theory melody
theory melody
New contributor
Grace is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Grace is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Grace is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 hours ago
GraceGrace
407
407
New contributor
Grace is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Grace is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Grace is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
They do sound interesting if done well but more intiguing and out of place usually. However, in place of a long melody, shorter riffs on electric guitars and bass, that are whole tone sound great especially in the right songs.
– Tarun
1 hour ago
add a comment |
They do sound interesting if done well but more intiguing and out of place usually. However, in place of a long melody, shorter riffs on electric guitars and bass, that are whole tone sound great especially in the right songs.
– Tarun
1 hour ago
They do sound interesting if done well but more intiguing and out of place usually. However, in place of a long melody, shorter riffs on electric guitars and bass, that are whole tone sound great especially in the right songs.
– Tarun
1 hour ago
They do sound interesting if done well but more intiguing and out of place usually. However, in place of a long melody, shorter riffs on electric guitars and bass, that are whole tone sound great especially in the right songs.
– Tarun
1 hour ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
This is more of an extended comment as opposed to an answer.
Whole tone scales are difficult because they do seem to wear out their uniqueness quickly, for whatever reason (I'm not so sure why).
General tip for learning composition: find works that make use of the material you want to know better and internalize them, analyze them, and try to understand them from your own point of view. Take a look at these two pieces:
Both of these composers are, of course, absolute giants, but you'll notice that nobody really can just stay in a single whole-tone scale, and have to juxtapose it against other sounds or other whole tone scales. I'm not so sure why this is (perhaps it's too symmetrical to create sufficient variation?), so it is often juxtaposed against other scales or melodic/harmonic material. See the following for a very good example of this:
The A section of this tune is heavily whole-tone, juxtaposed against other harmonies in the B section for contrast (and release). All this being said, you might have to add contrast to make your whole tone melodies more salient and listenable.
Thank you! I get an idea from the links you've attached
– Grace
57 mins ago
As a slightly different example, Bartok's 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: IX. It constantly shifts between the two different whole tone scales (i.e. ignoring any root note, one is a half-step offset from the other) rather than relying on as much juxtaposition. However the whole tone scales are used more as a texture and the melody played over them is not always whole tone (for instance you can hear major sevenths at one point)
– Andy
6 mins ago
add a comment |
As the given examples show the whole tone scale can't be made much more interesting. The exciting element is the rhythm!
I don't know why Bartok and Debussy are stuck to the scale lines, could be in respect to the performers who maybe beginners). I also used whole tone lines in a V7b5 chord and only once in a quartet as in parallels of thirds. If I knew a better answer I wouldn't tell it as I would like to keep this secret like a cooking recept for myself.
Hahaha good one!
– Grace
1 hour ago
add a comment |
I don't know that there are a lot of whole-tone scale melodies. It usually seems that the whole-tone scale is used to provide some contrast or texture as part of a larger whole.
Sometimes I use a whole-tone scale over a V7 chord to mark a transition. When used as a substitute in this way, one thing you can do is take a phrase that you would have played over the unaltered V7 chord and transform it to fit the new V7#5 chord. Another thing you can try is to play a long phrase that connects two chords using the whole-tone scale. For example, over a ii - V7 - I, play something that fits over the ii chord, and something that fits over the I chord, but play the whole-tone scale over the V7 chord to connect the two.
I have to learn to write whole tone melodies for my music theory exam.
– Grace
59 mins ago
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function()
var channelOptions =
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "240"
;
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
createEditor();
);
else
createEditor();
);
function createEditor()
StackExchange.prepareEditor(
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader:
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
,
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
);
);
Grace is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmusic.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f82796%2fhow-can-whole-tone-melodies-sound-more-interesting%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
This is more of an extended comment as opposed to an answer.
Whole tone scales are difficult because they do seem to wear out their uniqueness quickly, for whatever reason (I'm not so sure why).
General tip for learning composition: find works that make use of the material you want to know better and internalize them, analyze them, and try to understand them from your own point of view. Take a look at these two pieces:
Both of these composers are, of course, absolute giants, but you'll notice that nobody really can just stay in a single whole-tone scale, and have to juxtapose it against other sounds or other whole tone scales. I'm not so sure why this is (perhaps it's too symmetrical to create sufficient variation?), so it is often juxtaposed against other scales or melodic/harmonic material. See the following for a very good example of this:
The A section of this tune is heavily whole-tone, juxtaposed against other harmonies in the B section for contrast (and release). All this being said, you might have to add contrast to make your whole tone melodies more salient and listenable.
Thank you! I get an idea from the links you've attached
– Grace
57 mins ago
As a slightly different example, Bartok's 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: IX. It constantly shifts between the two different whole tone scales (i.e. ignoring any root note, one is a half-step offset from the other) rather than relying on as much juxtaposition. However the whole tone scales are used more as a texture and the melody played over them is not always whole tone (for instance you can hear major sevenths at one point)
– Andy
6 mins ago
add a comment |
This is more of an extended comment as opposed to an answer.
Whole tone scales are difficult because they do seem to wear out their uniqueness quickly, for whatever reason (I'm not so sure why).
General tip for learning composition: find works that make use of the material you want to know better and internalize them, analyze them, and try to understand them from your own point of view. Take a look at these two pieces:
Both of these composers are, of course, absolute giants, but you'll notice that nobody really can just stay in a single whole-tone scale, and have to juxtapose it against other sounds or other whole tone scales. I'm not so sure why this is (perhaps it's too symmetrical to create sufficient variation?), so it is often juxtaposed against other scales or melodic/harmonic material. See the following for a very good example of this:
The A section of this tune is heavily whole-tone, juxtaposed against other harmonies in the B section for contrast (and release). All this being said, you might have to add contrast to make your whole tone melodies more salient and listenable.
Thank you! I get an idea from the links you've attached
– Grace
57 mins ago
As a slightly different example, Bartok's 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: IX. It constantly shifts between the two different whole tone scales (i.e. ignoring any root note, one is a half-step offset from the other) rather than relying on as much juxtaposition. However the whole tone scales are used more as a texture and the melody played over them is not always whole tone (for instance you can hear major sevenths at one point)
– Andy
6 mins ago
add a comment |
This is more of an extended comment as opposed to an answer.
Whole tone scales are difficult because they do seem to wear out their uniqueness quickly, for whatever reason (I'm not so sure why).
General tip for learning composition: find works that make use of the material you want to know better and internalize them, analyze them, and try to understand them from your own point of view. Take a look at these two pieces:
Both of these composers are, of course, absolute giants, but you'll notice that nobody really can just stay in a single whole-tone scale, and have to juxtapose it against other sounds or other whole tone scales. I'm not so sure why this is (perhaps it's too symmetrical to create sufficient variation?), so it is often juxtaposed against other scales or melodic/harmonic material. See the following for a very good example of this:
The A section of this tune is heavily whole-tone, juxtaposed against other harmonies in the B section for contrast (and release). All this being said, you might have to add contrast to make your whole tone melodies more salient and listenable.
This is more of an extended comment as opposed to an answer.
Whole tone scales are difficult because they do seem to wear out their uniqueness quickly, for whatever reason (I'm not so sure why).
General tip for learning composition: find works that make use of the material you want to know better and internalize them, analyze them, and try to understand them from your own point of view. Take a look at these two pieces:
Both of these composers are, of course, absolute giants, but you'll notice that nobody really can just stay in a single whole-tone scale, and have to juxtapose it against other sounds or other whole tone scales. I'm not so sure why this is (perhaps it's too symmetrical to create sufficient variation?), so it is often juxtaposed against other scales or melodic/harmonic material. See the following for a very good example of this:
The A section of this tune is heavily whole-tone, juxtaposed against other harmonies in the B section for contrast (and release). All this being said, you might have to add contrast to make your whole tone melodies more salient and listenable.
answered 2 hours ago
LSM07LSM07
1,274515
1,274515
Thank you! I get an idea from the links you've attached
– Grace
57 mins ago
As a slightly different example, Bartok's 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: IX. It constantly shifts between the two different whole tone scales (i.e. ignoring any root note, one is a half-step offset from the other) rather than relying on as much juxtaposition. However the whole tone scales are used more as a texture and the melody played over them is not always whole tone (for instance you can hear major sevenths at one point)
– Andy
6 mins ago
add a comment |
Thank you! I get an idea from the links you've attached
– Grace
57 mins ago
As a slightly different example, Bartok's 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: IX. It constantly shifts between the two different whole tone scales (i.e. ignoring any root note, one is a half-step offset from the other) rather than relying on as much juxtaposition. However the whole tone scales are used more as a texture and the melody played over them is not always whole tone (for instance you can hear major sevenths at one point)
– Andy
6 mins ago
Thank you! I get an idea from the links you've attached
– Grace
57 mins ago
Thank you! I get an idea from the links you've attached
– Grace
57 mins ago
As a slightly different example, Bartok's 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: IX. It constantly shifts between the two different whole tone scales (i.e. ignoring any root note, one is a half-step offset from the other) rather than relying on as much juxtaposition. However the whole tone scales are used more as a texture and the melody played over them is not always whole tone (for instance you can hear major sevenths at one point)
– Andy
6 mins ago
As a slightly different example, Bartok's 10 Easy Piano Pieces, BB 51: IX. It constantly shifts between the two different whole tone scales (i.e. ignoring any root note, one is a half-step offset from the other) rather than relying on as much juxtaposition. However the whole tone scales are used more as a texture and the melody played over them is not always whole tone (for instance you can hear major sevenths at one point)
– Andy
6 mins ago
add a comment |
As the given examples show the whole tone scale can't be made much more interesting. The exciting element is the rhythm!
I don't know why Bartok and Debussy are stuck to the scale lines, could be in respect to the performers who maybe beginners). I also used whole tone lines in a V7b5 chord and only once in a quartet as in parallels of thirds. If I knew a better answer I wouldn't tell it as I would like to keep this secret like a cooking recept for myself.
Hahaha good one!
– Grace
1 hour ago
add a comment |
As the given examples show the whole tone scale can't be made much more interesting. The exciting element is the rhythm!
I don't know why Bartok and Debussy are stuck to the scale lines, could be in respect to the performers who maybe beginners). I also used whole tone lines in a V7b5 chord and only once in a quartet as in parallels of thirds. If I knew a better answer I wouldn't tell it as I would like to keep this secret like a cooking recept for myself.
Hahaha good one!
– Grace
1 hour ago
add a comment |
As the given examples show the whole tone scale can't be made much more interesting. The exciting element is the rhythm!
I don't know why Bartok and Debussy are stuck to the scale lines, could be in respect to the performers who maybe beginners). I also used whole tone lines in a V7b5 chord and only once in a quartet as in parallels of thirds. If I knew a better answer I wouldn't tell it as I would like to keep this secret like a cooking recept for myself.
As the given examples show the whole tone scale can't be made much more interesting. The exciting element is the rhythm!
I don't know why Bartok and Debussy are stuck to the scale lines, could be in respect to the performers who maybe beginners). I also used whole tone lines in a V7b5 chord and only once in a quartet as in parallels of thirds. If I knew a better answer I wouldn't tell it as I would like to keep this secret like a cooking recept for myself.
answered 1 hour ago
Albrecht HügliAlbrecht Hügli
4,7031320
4,7031320
Hahaha good one!
– Grace
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Hahaha good one!
– Grace
1 hour ago
Hahaha good one!
– Grace
1 hour ago
Hahaha good one!
– Grace
1 hour ago
add a comment |
I don't know that there are a lot of whole-tone scale melodies. It usually seems that the whole-tone scale is used to provide some contrast or texture as part of a larger whole.
Sometimes I use a whole-tone scale over a V7 chord to mark a transition. When used as a substitute in this way, one thing you can do is take a phrase that you would have played over the unaltered V7 chord and transform it to fit the new V7#5 chord. Another thing you can try is to play a long phrase that connects two chords using the whole-tone scale. For example, over a ii - V7 - I, play something that fits over the ii chord, and something that fits over the I chord, but play the whole-tone scale over the V7 chord to connect the two.
I have to learn to write whole tone melodies for my music theory exam.
– Grace
59 mins ago
add a comment |
I don't know that there are a lot of whole-tone scale melodies. It usually seems that the whole-tone scale is used to provide some contrast or texture as part of a larger whole.
Sometimes I use a whole-tone scale over a V7 chord to mark a transition. When used as a substitute in this way, one thing you can do is take a phrase that you would have played over the unaltered V7 chord and transform it to fit the new V7#5 chord. Another thing you can try is to play a long phrase that connects two chords using the whole-tone scale. For example, over a ii - V7 - I, play something that fits over the ii chord, and something that fits over the I chord, but play the whole-tone scale over the V7 chord to connect the two.
I have to learn to write whole tone melodies for my music theory exam.
– Grace
59 mins ago
add a comment |
I don't know that there are a lot of whole-tone scale melodies. It usually seems that the whole-tone scale is used to provide some contrast or texture as part of a larger whole.
Sometimes I use a whole-tone scale over a V7 chord to mark a transition. When used as a substitute in this way, one thing you can do is take a phrase that you would have played over the unaltered V7 chord and transform it to fit the new V7#5 chord. Another thing you can try is to play a long phrase that connects two chords using the whole-tone scale. For example, over a ii - V7 - I, play something that fits over the ii chord, and something that fits over the I chord, but play the whole-tone scale over the V7 chord to connect the two.
I don't know that there are a lot of whole-tone scale melodies. It usually seems that the whole-tone scale is used to provide some contrast or texture as part of a larger whole.
Sometimes I use a whole-tone scale over a V7 chord to mark a transition. When used as a substitute in this way, one thing you can do is take a phrase that you would have played over the unaltered V7 chord and transform it to fit the new V7#5 chord. Another thing you can try is to play a long phrase that connects two chords using the whole-tone scale. For example, over a ii - V7 - I, play something that fits over the ii chord, and something that fits over the I chord, but play the whole-tone scale over the V7 chord to connect the two.
edited 2 hours ago
answered 2 hours ago
David BowlingDavid Bowling
4,99621338
4,99621338
I have to learn to write whole tone melodies for my music theory exam.
– Grace
59 mins ago
add a comment |
I have to learn to write whole tone melodies for my music theory exam.
– Grace
59 mins ago
I have to learn to write whole tone melodies for my music theory exam.
– Grace
59 mins ago
I have to learn to write whole tone melodies for my music theory exam.
– Grace
59 mins ago
add a comment |
Grace is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Grace is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Grace is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Grace is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to Music: Practice & Theory Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmusic.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f82796%2fhow-can-whole-tone-melodies-sound-more-interesting%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
They do sound interesting if done well but more intiguing and out of place usually. However, in place of a long melody, shorter riffs on electric guitars and bass, that are whole tone sound great especially in the right songs.
– Tarun
1 hour ago