The one thing that I've found to be most valuable when working with the Tonal Gravity Interval Chart (the 144 possible interval types found within a Lydian Chromatic Scale) is this:
Making a distinction between the SHAPE of the melody (the individual ‘note to note’ movements) and the FUNCTION of the melodic notes (in relation to the harmony or the ‘Chord of the Moment’).
This is essentially the melodic angle of what I had posted last time about ‘Structure versus Function’.
To me, the unique character of any great melody comes from 3 essential things:
- the degree of Structural Melodic Consonance versus Structural Melodic Dissonance
- the degree of Functional Melodic Consonance versus Functional Melodic Dissonance
- the degree of Rhythmic Consonance versus Rhythmic Dissonance (Melodic Rhythms)
When it comes to the first category, I approach Structure in a melody from the perspective of ‘Melodic Contour Intervals’ and ‘Melodic Shapes’.
I ask:
1. What types of Melodic Contour Intervals are being used?
2. Does the movement within the melody use ‘Smooth Contour Intervals’ or ‘Angular Contour Intervals’?
3. What is the ‘High Point’ and the ‘Low Point’ in the melody?
I think the most important aspect of this approach is that I can look at a melody, regardless of the accompaniment, and immediately see the ‘Shapes’ involved.
I think this is really the key to understanding Horizontal Gravity: an acapella melody can’t be labeled with ‘Functional Intervals’ because it’s not being played over a Chord; it’s just a rhythmic succession of single notes, so you can only really label it with ‘Structural Intervals’, which is where the Tonal Gravity Chart comes into play. The Horizontal or 'Linear' movement of the melody is the only concern, not the relationship of the melody to any chord or progression.
When it comes to the second category, I approach Function in a melody from the perspective of ‘The Chord of the Moment’.
I ask:
1. Which notes in the melody create resolution by emphasizing the ‘Functional Intervals’ that are found within the ‘Chord of the Moment’?
2. Which notes in the melody create tension by emphasizing the ‘Functional Intervals’ that are NOT found within the ‘Chord of the Moment’?
This is the purely VERTICAL aspect of the melody: how the melody notes relate to the underlying harmony or progression.
When it comes to the third category, I approach Melodic Rhythms from the perspective of ‘Rhythmic Placement’ and ‘Rhythmic Duration’.
I ask:
1. What types of Rhythmic Values, Patterns, Accents, Subdivisions, Syncopation, etc. are being used within the melody?
2. How well do those rhythms ‘Line Up’ with the underlying Pulse, Beat and Time Signature of the music?
3. Does the melody emphasize Strong Beats, Weak Beats or Off Beats?
I try to get my students to understand that all 3 of these things are happening at the same time in a melody, whether they realize it or not, and the study of each of these individual areas will give them a much better grasp of ‘the big picture’ when it comes to melodic creation, whether it‘s composition or improvisation.
Structure versus Function Part 2
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An open letter from Alice Russell. June 21, 2011, Brookline, Massachusetts. 1. DO NOT make insulting, mean spirited remarks about anyone or their work; there are a plethora of sites where you can rant unfettered. If you attack someone personally, your comments will be removed. You can post it, but I'm not paying for it. Go elsewhere, and let those artists who are actually interested in discussion and learning have the floor. 2. There will be NO posting of or links to copyrighted material without permission of the copyright owner. That's the law. And if you respect the work of people who make meaningful contributions, you should have no problem following this policy. 3. I appreciate many of the postings from so many of you. Please don't feel you have to spend your time "defending" the LCC to those who come here with the express purpose of disproving it. George worked for decades to disprove it himself; if you know his music, there's no question that it has gravity. And a final word: George was famous for his refusal to lower his standards in all areas of his life, no matter the cost. He twice refused concerts of his music at Lincoln Center Jazz because of their early position on what was authentically jazz. So save any speculation about the level of him as an artist and a man. The quotes on our websites were not written by George; they were written by critics/writers/scholars/fans over many years. Sincerely, Alice
An open letter from Alice Russell. June 21, 2011, Brookline, Massachusetts. 1. DO NOT make insulting, mean spirited remarks about anyone or their work; there are a plethora of sites where you can rant unfettered. If you attack someone personally, your comments will be removed. You can post it, but I'm not paying for it. Go elsewhere, and let those artists who are actually interested in discussion and learning have the floor. 2. There will be NO posting of or links to copyrighted material without permission of the copyright owner. That's the law. And if you respect the work of people who make meaningful contributions, you should have no problem following this policy. 3. I appreciate many of the postings from so many of you. Please don't feel you have to spend your time "defending" the LCC to those who come here with the express purpose of disproving it. George worked for decades to disprove it himself; if you know his music, there's no question that it has gravity. And a final word: George was famous for his refusal to lower his standards in all areas of his life, no matter the cost. He twice refused concerts of his music at Lincoln Center Jazz because of their early position on what was authentically jazz. So save any speculation about the level of him as an artist and a man. The quotes on our websites were not written by George; they were written by critics/writers/scholars/fans over many years. Sincerely, Alice
Re: Structure versus Function Part 2
One other aspect of this 'Melodic Structure Versus Function' thing that really fascinates me is this:
If I pick any one of the 144 Intervals on the Tonal Gravity Chart, and play it by itself, it’s just a Melodic ‘Sound’ or ‘Shape’.
Like I mentioned in the last post, I don’t think that an acapella melody (which can be as simple as just playing a two note melodic phrase using any of the intervals from the Tonal Gravity Chart) can really be labeled with ‘Functional Intervals’, because it’s not being played over a chord or a progression.
It’s not until a melodic interval is ‘Harmonized’ that we can really hear the full context:
- the Horizontal ‘Shape’ or ‘Contour’ of the melodic interval is one thing
- the Vertical ‘Function’ of the individual notes within that melodic interval is a whole different thing
- the rhythmic duration and placement of the individual notes within that melodic interval is ANOTHER whole different thing
For example, take the Major 3rd interval of C to E in the C Lydian Chromatic Scale, which is the first Major 3rd interval listed.
All by itself, it’s just a melodic interval - it‘s just a STRUCTURE - it's a two-note ‘Shape’ or ‘Sound’; but as soon as you add some type of chordal accompaniment, it also has a FUNCTION in relation to the harmony.
Over PMG I of C, it’s functioning as Root to Major 3rd - makes total sense.
Over PMG II of C, it’s now functioning as b7th to 9th - same STRUCTURE, different FUNCTION.
The melodic interval itself hasn’t changed, but the context has.
Over PMG VI of C, it’s now functioning as b3rd to 5th - same STRUCTURE, different FUNCTION.
Over PMG +IV of C, it’s now functioning as b5th to b7th - same STRUCTURE, different FUNCTION.
Over PMG +V of C, it’s now functioning as 3rd to #5th - same STRUCTURE, different FUNCTION.
The more I’ve played around with this idea, I’ve started to think about Horizontal Gravity as being ‘Melody First, Harmony Second’. If I can use the Tonal Gravity Chart to help me build a nice ‘Shape’ in a melodic line, however I decide to harmonize it later is very open ended. Instead of stringing together chords and progressions, and then trying to make a melody ‘fit’ that progression, by starting instead with the ‘Horizontal’ or ‘Linear’ aspect of the melody FIRST, I can focus strictly on the contour and STRUCTURE of the melody, regardless of the accompaniment.
If I pick any one of the 144 Intervals on the Tonal Gravity Chart, and play it by itself, it’s just a Melodic ‘Sound’ or ‘Shape’.
Like I mentioned in the last post, I don’t think that an acapella melody (which can be as simple as just playing a two note melodic phrase using any of the intervals from the Tonal Gravity Chart) can really be labeled with ‘Functional Intervals’, because it’s not being played over a chord or a progression.
It’s not until a melodic interval is ‘Harmonized’ that we can really hear the full context:
- the Horizontal ‘Shape’ or ‘Contour’ of the melodic interval is one thing
- the Vertical ‘Function’ of the individual notes within that melodic interval is a whole different thing
- the rhythmic duration and placement of the individual notes within that melodic interval is ANOTHER whole different thing
For example, take the Major 3rd interval of C to E in the C Lydian Chromatic Scale, which is the first Major 3rd interval listed.
All by itself, it’s just a melodic interval - it‘s just a STRUCTURE - it's a two-note ‘Shape’ or ‘Sound’; but as soon as you add some type of chordal accompaniment, it also has a FUNCTION in relation to the harmony.
Over PMG I of C, it’s functioning as Root to Major 3rd - makes total sense.
Over PMG II of C, it’s now functioning as b7th to 9th - same STRUCTURE, different FUNCTION.
The melodic interval itself hasn’t changed, but the context has.
Over PMG VI of C, it’s now functioning as b3rd to 5th - same STRUCTURE, different FUNCTION.
Over PMG +IV of C, it’s now functioning as b5th to b7th - same STRUCTURE, different FUNCTION.
Over PMG +V of C, it’s now functioning as 3rd to #5th - same STRUCTURE, different FUNCTION.
The more I’ve played around with this idea, I’ve started to think about Horizontal Gravity as being ‘Melody First, Harmony Second’. If I can use the Tonal Gravity Chart to help me build a nice ‘Shape’ in a melodic line, however I decide to harmonize it later is very open ended. Instead of stringing together chords and progressions, and then trying to make a melody ‘fit’ that progression, by starting instead with the ‘Horizontal’ or ‘Linear’ aspect of the melody FIRST, I can focus strictly on the contour and STRUCTURE of the melody, regardless of the accompaniment.