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Hi all! I wanted to speak my mind on the practice, and practical use of harmony and dissonance, linked with musical philosophy: For me music is an tool to express feelings, and the tools for this is; harmony, rhythm and melody. For me music as all life have to follow the rules of the cosmos. There is tension and there is calm. Like there is always calm after a storm. My philosophy is if you have a clear harmony in your music, the listener will immediately notice when something "disturbing" is happening. This is why i write in the baroque style, and find its philosophy the most suited for what, and in what manner i want to express. I have seen many composers adding chromatic passages, passing notes, dissonances etc, and they, from my point of view has to much of it. In fact, the only tools we got as composers is rhythm, melody and harmony to express music that other people can listen to, if the melody is a whistle blowing or a man barking, its still in some way a melody and then automatically has a harmony and a rhythm. If the music is full of chromatic, and what i like to call "uncontrolled dissonances" who would ever know when the composer is expressing a powerful, or calm statement. For me this breaks the laws of physics, the are not storms all the time. Balance has to be the center of the composition, and they we will all know when something that breaks with the center. I think this is a very important concept, that a composer should keep in mind. Like the affects, chromatic passages describes something. Many composers are just adding passing notes and chromatic, " this sounds nice" / i like "advanced" harmony. The tools should be used as expression, not because its nice. Music should, form my point of view have a clear meaning, or a clear mood. Music shall ignite the listeners soul. As Martin Luther said; "music is the most important thing , its gives people contact with the divine". I believe we are a part of the universe, so we have to offer music that people can understand and feel. All life is bound to the rules of physics, so if we composers ignore that, and just use tension for no end, we fail those we should give pleasure. Dissonance: Is tension, and tension should be resolved, its unnatural when tension is unresolved. I like to think of dissonances as waves in the ocean, the wave comes, and resolves. To many are to focused on "advanced" harmony. One can use very simple and basic harmonic patters and still have dissonances that gives color and meaning to the listener. Many composer lack the mastery of traditional harmony, they know of it, have done some exercises, but that is mostly it. If you don't master the basics 100% you will, sad to say write unnatural dissonances and harmony. Dissonance is a great tool to express, two violins playing a second and then resolves in a slow movement will sound beautiful. Dissonance is what makes the music, but it have to be treated in a natural way. Chromatic: To me, it looks like; the more chromatic you use, the better are you as composer. And I really believe many think this way. "look how advanced this composition is, many flats and sharps". Well, the truth is there is nothing that is easier then a chromatic passage. Its has very few ways to go from a functional harmonic view, as long as you use chords, there are a very limited options before it sounds unnatural. To use controlled chromatic is advanced, to know where to modulate, where to use a diminished. But then again, we are back to the rules of physics. A leading tone creates motion, motion is just another word for tension. As the leading tone creates tension, we expect it to be resolved. If you have a chromatic passage in the middle of a piece that has very little chromatic in he beginning or the end, the chromatic passage gives you a great opportunity for expression. But again, it must not be overused, for you as a composer, or in a particular piece. If you are a composer who rarely use chromatic passages, those who know your works will understand, "oh this is something way different, this must be something special". Like in the affects, chromatic passages symbolizes mans descend to hell, a upward passage to heaven etc. The point is, if one uses the tools of music wisely, you will a better chance of people understanding your music and what state of mind or feeling your are going to express. Harmonic movement: Harmonies with no direction, from my point of view will give the listener a chaotic experience, again I refer to the laws of physics. A chord but it self, is noting, but if you add a new chord, your are moving in a direction, (tension) the movement form your center (referring to tonality, the rules of the cosmos does not apply to atonal techniques) will suggest that you at some point return, or make a new center. (the scale in western music is bound by a return to your staring position). This is all about resolving tension, and without harmonic direction you will present something that breaks with the rules of the universe. To have a unnatural progression, or a very "sharp" progression could be useful tool for expression, if you rarely do it, people would understand the effect. Bach is a very good example for harmonic movement, Bach is very advanced, almost modern sometimes, but if you take away the passing notes and dominants, you see that is all perfectly build on the common principles of the baroque era,(I IV V) Which is natural for the common ear in the western part of the world, and is based on the natural "rules" of tension and movement. Why do I talk so much about the rules of physics? I think its very important to have music that is organic and natural. We should not go against nature. Humans are adaptive beings . We can learn to be comfortable with almost every situation, one example is smoking, first time you do it, your body says. "NO!" and you cough, but after a while, you have gone against your nature and made your body dependent on poisoning itself. The same goes for unnatural music, you have to expose yourself to it, and with time it will be natural for you. But the fact is you have gone against your nature (because cultural heritage affects the human DNA) those who are born in other cultures have other traditions, but still is unresolved dissonance, unnatural, because there is no tension in the universe that stays unresolved). So, what I'm trying to say is; be mindful of how you use the compositional tools, maybe you have given this much thought and if not, I hope I gave you something to chew on ;) Merry Christmas to you all! SimenN