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Monthly news items, video links and blog on the Frans Absil Music website

News Archive 2023

November 2023: Ruminations on the Brian Eno A#$!-hole chord

YouTube thumbnail for the Ruminations on the Brian Eno arsehole chord: Alternative Voicings video tutorial The YouTube video tutorial 'Ruminations on the Brian Eno arsehole chord: Alternative Voicings' (20:31) is based on a conversation between James Blake and Brian Eno, where they discuss 'the arsehole chord'. Voicing the chord structure as an incomplete extended chord in thirds or, equivalently, a form of tetrachord Pitch-Class Set 4-18 may yield an exposed minor 9th interval. Orchestration affects the perceived chord tension level. Alternatively, one may close the highly dissonant interval by inserting a new pitch-class and obtain extended chords in thirds, pentachord sets and two-layer polychords. Various options are illustrated with short musical examples.

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September 2023: Now is the month of maintenance

There are three things to report that you might be interested in:

  1. YouTube thumbnail for the Polychords with Major and Minor Triads: Application Example video tutorial video tutorial A video tutorial on 'Polychords with Major and Minor Triads: Application Example' (35:23). It is based on a chapter from the Vincent Persichetti book on Twentieth Century Harmony. You'll see two-layer polychords with trichord units. From two building blocks, a set of major triads with symmetrically distributed roots and two hexatonic triad pairs we create polychord continuities. Then we derive several musical elements (melody, ascending bass, pedal point, etc.) and apply these in an orchestral example composition. There is a companion document in the Webshop >> (A4, PDF, 34 pp.) and you may request access to the source material.
  2. YouTube thumbnail for the Nate Hendrix Trillionaire Meeting interview Musician and producer Nate Hendrix invited me for his YouTube Trillionaire Meeting interview series. We discussed my background and experience with the Schillinger System of Musical Composition. Also we talked about learning music theory and composition techniques, what sources to use, and orchestration aspects. You'll find the video interview here >>

  3. As the video tutorial collection on my YouTube channel grows steadily, I've received comments on how to improve finding specific videos. Until now all tutorials were published in the single Music Composition Techniques playlist. This month I've created an additional set of playlists, based on subject categories. I did my best to split the list of tutorials unambiguously, but you will also find one-to-many mapping of videos into playlists. Let me know how you feel about this structured approach.

    The same aspect holds for my Patreon posts (no longer available, account terminated). I did tag all my posts and uploads in the past. Now I've implemented the recent Patreon Collections option. Here I also used subject categories for labeling collections. Hopefully that will lead to a better search experience for my Patrons.

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July 2023: Strata Harmony with Polychords in Seconds tutorials

YouTube thumbnail for the Strata Harmony with Polychords in Seconds: Combining Persichetti and Schillinger video tutorials Watch the series 'Strata Harmony with Polychords in Seconds: Combining Persichetti and Schillinger' Part 1 (24:46) and Part 2 (18:45). Polychords are built from chords in seconds, as discussed by Vincent Persichetti. Trichord structures contain major and minor seconds. Hexachords are obtained through stacking in two layers. Polychord characteristics are interpreted in terms of the equivalent Pitch-Class Sets. Multi-layer chord continuities are set as Schillinger System Strata Harmony. These continuities are illustrated with five examples in different musical styles: woodwind trio chamber music, sectional harmony for saxophones or brass, string section background, and synthesizer texture. There is a companion document in the Webshop >> (A4, PDF, 37 pp.) and access to the source material.

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May 2023: Music sketching tutorial 'Layered Hexachords'

YouTube thumbnail for the Layered Hexachords: Combining PC-Set and Schillinger System Composition Techniques video tutorial The music sketching video tutorial 'Layered Hexachords: Combining PC-Set and Schillinger System Composition Techniques' is another answer to the request for more detailed videos on composing music with the Schillinger System of Musical Composition. Two six-element pitch-class sets, 6-Z12 and 6-Z49, are the building blocks for a piece for synthesizers and orchestral instruments. Set theory and the Schillinger System composition techniques are applied to obtain (strata) harmony and melody. Rhythm is partially based on the Euclidean rhythm rE(7,32). For more information see: 'Layered Hexachords' (project details, links to video episodes and full score). For the companion document visit the Webshop >> (A4, PDF, 30 pp.).

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February 2023: the Patreon Companion Document 2023 Catalogue

The Patreon Companion Document Catalogue Over the years I've created numerous video tutorials on the Frans Absil Music YouTube channel. You'll find these in the music composition techniques playlist. In 2020 I started to create companion documents that have been uploaded to Patreon (no longer available there, all have moved to the Webshop on this site). The Companion Document Catalogue presents an overview of all PDF documents published for my Patrons over the years 2020-2023 (the catalogue still is updated and available). Currently you'll find 19 such PDF documents with a total of more than 450 pages, to which all membership tier Patrons have access.

I still feel somewhat exhausted from creating the four-part tutorial series 'Sketching with Schillinger: Orchestral Cue (Part 1)' plus the companion document over the holiday period. That series is well-received. Other projects are keeping me busy at the moment. So you may have to be a bit patient before there is fresh YouTube content.

For higher tier patrons on my Patreon account there is DropBox access to source material such as diagrams, images, score and audio fragments, or online teaching sessions (no longer available, Patreon account is terminated. Contact me for additional content). Most of my content is free but I do welcome support, either through a PayPal donation (see the Donate button at the top of the Document Library page), or by becoming a regular supporter as a Patron.

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January 2023: Four-part video tutorial series 'Sketching with Schilinger'

YouTube thumbnail for the Sketching with Schillinger Part 1 video tutorial In the YouTube music composition techniques playlist the four-part video tutorial series 'Sketching with Schillinger: Orchestral Cue (Part 1)' was created after receiving viewer requests to demonstrate working with the Schillinger System of Musical Composition in more detail. I'll show how an orchestral composition can be created from a basic element, the three-pitch 'melodic cell' C-D-Eb. You'll see sketches with techniques applied in the melody, rhythm, harmony and orchestration domain. Ideas will be rejected or accepted and processed to achieve a final version, ready for orchestration and implementing instrumental forms. Patrons have access to the companion document (A4, PDF, 79 pp.). For more information see: 'Sketching with Schillinger' (project details, links to video episodes and full score).

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