Songwriting, Part 18, using chromatics for harmony & melody
part 1
move bass lines chromatically to construct interesting harmonic progressions
ex: (audio is below)
| Cm | G/B | Bb | Asus A |
| Am | C/G | D/F# | Gm |
| A | Cm | A | Cm |
| E E7 | Am | F Dm | Am |
part 2
use chromatics in riffs or melodies
ex:
(riffs)
10. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – “Flight of the Bumblebee”
9. Led Zeppelin – “Dazed and Confused”
8. Unearthly Trance – “God Is a Beast”
7. Megadeth – “Five Magics”
6. Cave In – “Juggernaut”
5. Black Flag – “Rise Above”
4. Dom & Optical – “Rage Roll”
3. Converge – “You Fail Me”
2. Georges Bizet – Aria (“La Habanera”) from Carmen
1. Metallica – “Master of Puppets”
(songs)
ice cream cakes – red velvet
toxic – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOZuxwVk7TU
Sk8er Boi – Avril Lavigne https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HagqouQV648
wake up alone – amy winehouse
part 3 – intro to improvising with chromatics
part 4 – improvising with chromatics
use any or all of the following
a) ti – do (approach chord tone from half-step below)
b) re – ti – do (approach chord tone from scale tone above then half-step below)
c) re – flat re – ti – do, or, re – flat ti – ti – do (if nearest scale tone above is whole step away, play that note, then a half-step down from it, then half-step below the chord tone, then chord tone; if nearest scale tone above is half step away, play that note, then the note that is a whole step below chord tone, then the one that is half-step below chord tone, then chord tone)
d) ti – re – flat re – ti – do, or, flat ti – re – flat ti – ti – do (precede letter c above by starting with the note that’s a half-step below the chord tone in the first scenario, or the note that’s a whole step below the chord tone in the second)