How to make a musical theme fit any context

A guide to how musical themes can be transformed to fit other harmonic, metric, and emotional contexts, using examples by Claude Debussy, Béla Bartók. and John Powell's score to How to Train Your Dragon.

This is part of a series on transforming themes.

DEMONSTRATIONS
Scalar mapping of Amazing Grace
   • How to transform a theme (scalar mapp...  
Fragmentation and scalar mapping on Happy Birthday, Game of Thrones style
   • How to transform a theme (fragmentati...  
Transforming a theme, Lord of the Rings style
   • Transforming a theme, Lord of the Rin...  

FURTHER STUDY AND PRACTICE
How to practice transforming themes, scalar mapping
   • How to practice transforming themes, ...  
Scalar mapping worksheets (PDF) are available through
  / shop  

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction (Powell)
02:17 Mapping, scale degrees (Debussy)
06:44 Intervals, chunking, changes of scale (Debussy)
10:08 Harmonic context (Debussy)
11:36 Non-corresponding cardinalities (Debussy/Bartok)
14:26 Expanding, extending (Powell)
16:57 Simplifying/ornamenting rhythm, changing meters (Powell)
18:30 Fragmentation (Powell)
20:03 Minor keys (Powell)
25:25 Putting it all together (Powell)

SUPPORT
Get more content such as scores, tutorials, Dorico files, and expanded video access   / galendegraf  

SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE USED
Graphic design/animation: Adobe Photoshop, Final Cut Pro
Music notation: Dorico
Audio examples: Cubase
Microphone: Shure MV7 https://amzn.to/3WoVPlm

RECOMMENDED READING
Dmitri Tymoczko, "A Geometry of Music" (see especially Ch. 4, "scales") https://amzn.to/3UkNXi0

RECOMMENDED SHEET MUSIC
John Powell, "How to Train Your Dragon" in full score, purchase through https://omnimusicpublishing.com/
Claude Debussy, "Three Great Orchestral Works" in full score, https://amzn.to/3xDhSKV

Disclaimer: Some links found in this description may be affiliate links, meaning I will make commission on sales you make through my link at no cost to you.

Recordings of Claude Debussy "Fetes," and Bela Bartok "Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta" by the Belgian Radio and Television Philharmonic Orchestra were provided courtesy of Naxos International.

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