An experimental tune

[Vel]

Hey there, I experimented a bit with dissonance and chromatics, and here is the result. What do you think?

[Gregjazz]

I can hear your experimentation, though everything seems very diatonically based (A minor). Congratulations on the experimentation.

The main comment I have is that the tune is set up so firmly as a diatonic piece in the beginning that as soon as the chromatics and other experimentation come in, it is very unexpected and almost does not fit. Whereas if you started the tune with a little weirdness it might be better.

[Vel]

I have this theory(which could be wrong, and which I tried to apply) that the ear of the listener can gradually get used to dissonance. So if the tune gradually becomes more and more dissonant, that'd work. Or maybe you mean that if the tune'd started with something non-diatonic and it became more dissonant from there, that would work better?

[Tuomas]

I can see what Geoffkhan means, a slightly weird start would give the listener a softer entry for the composition.
    Yet again I liked the piece a lot. I totally agree with your theory. Dissonance is not a global rule, true, that people tend to agree that certain notes don't fit together, and in a basic scale I wouldn't play them either, for long at least, say A & C#/D#, but it does give a good colour to the music.
    I don't think you can base your song on a basic say, minor scale and then do the chords that way but use "dissonant" notes for the melody, it won't sound very good, but if you base the song on them, it doesn't really make a difference.
    Though I don't agree that if the song gets more and more dissonant by time it'll be easier to listen. Sorry if you can't make out what I'm trying to say, I'm not used to talking about these terms in English.
    Just to let you know, our "heavy-kind" bassist would immediately tell you that the melody sounds horrible and doesn't fit the chords, but I don't understand his point since the way the guitar rams the distortion in the songs he listens to there's hardly any chords hearable.

[Moresco]

It's interesting.  I'm not sure why dissonance and chromatics makes for experimental, I think it just sounds good.  I would say, to make it way more fun, add a whole bunch more wide dives and bends and things, all crazy like.  peace

[Gregjazz]

I have this theory(which could be wrong, and which I tried to apply) that the ear of the listener can gradually get used to dissonance. So if the tune gradually becomes more and more dissonant, that'd work. Or maybe you mean that if the tune'd started with something non-diatonic and it became more dissonant from there, that would work better?

Right, I see what you're saying. We already are used to a degree of dissonance that is inherent in our culture--the dominant 7th chord, which prominantly features a tritone. Without any dissonance it'd be hard to go anywhere in music, there would not be anywhere to resolve, since music (as I see it) is so based on tension and relief. On the basic level we have the start and end of the song, which is a form of tension and release. Then in the microstructure we have tension within chords and melody notes, tension in the density of the music, tension in the volume, etc.

But having a song gradually introduce pure chromaticism would be pretty cool. You just may have gone a little too fast in your tune. I'd be interested in hearing more experimentation of the kind, though! Keep up the good work.

[ManicMatt]

I like almost everything except the way the synth bends the pitch there, it just doesn't sound right at all, and puts me at ill ease, rather than relaxed, which is how the rest of the song makes me feel.

What does the song sound like without the bending? How did it sound to you then?

[Vel]

Geoff:
I see what you mean, when you say that a degree of dissonance is inherent to any culture. Infact, I think that different nations are used to different things which are used in their folklore. For example, we bulgarians are used to quirky tmie signatures like 7/8,15/16 and some more.
I am not quite sure how I'd do a song that'd introduce pure chromaticism, I used it here more like a variation of the diatonic melody.
ManicMatt:
Where "there"? There's quite a lot of pitch bending in that tune, do you mean you dislike it all? Or maybe just a specific one?
The tune'd sound a lot more orthodox without the glissandi, it would be easier to get into, I suppose, and it would not be the same tune.