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 – 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)