Composition libraries (3) |
Creation of a theme [Professional] [Composition Light] [Composition Pro] We will learn how to create a theme and a chord. We will then see
how to combine a chord and a rhythm, with or without a
melody.
A theme is a direct association of notes
and rhythmic values. This is why you find here a combination
of the options relating to the notes and to the rhythmic
values. You can multiply and/or divide the duration of the
rhythmic values, repeat the theme several times (0 to repeat
it ad infinitum), repeat the notes several times, reverse the
theme direction (play it backwards), limit the total duration
of the theme to a quarter note, half-note multiple,... When
the theme is used with a chord, it is possible to arrange it
and/or to transpose it according to the chord. Close this view. In the main view, an icon
placed next to the right of Score 1 represents the
new theme: Drag Theme 1 on the first measure.
The score becomes: As the theme contains notes and rhythmic
values, Pizzicato could complete the measures. The theme is
repeated 3 times, as we required. As it contains only a total
duration of 3 quarter notes and because it was placed in a
4/4 measure, the repetitions of the theme are done in
sequence and overlap from one measure to another. Close the score view.
Creation of a chord [Professional] [Composition Light] [Composition Pro] It is used to define the characteristics of the chord. It is
possible to create a chord or a chords progression.
We will consider the chords progression in a future lesson. An
option prevents the chord transposition and another allows to
repeat the result (the chord) several times or ad infinitum
(value "0" in the text box). The two options of the
middle of the dialog box only concern the chords progressions and
will be seen further. The last text box adds a fixed
transposition to the chord, in half tones. A
negative number transposes down, while a positive number
transposes up. Notice that you can place these three notes as
you want it, because Pizzicato takes only the notes pitches into
account. You could have introduced them as this: The order of notes is not taken into account
for the chord. By closing the score view, the main view displays
an additional icon representing the G Major chord: Close this score view. The principle of combination of a rhythm and a
chord is different from the combination of rhythm and melody. As
soon as a chord is present, it remains valid up to the following
chord or to the end of the score if there is no more chord. In
our case, only one chord was present and it is thus valid in the
three measures. The rhythm is used 3 times. Each rhythmic value
is associated with the chord. Combining a chord, a rhythm and a melody [Professional] [Composition Light] [Composition Pro] Until now we placed only two different
elements in the same measure. Our Score 2 contains
already a rhythm and a chord. We will add a simple melody to
it. When you place a chord, a rhythm and a
melody in the same measure, Pizzicato modifies the melody
(following the transpose and/or arrange options) according to
the chord and then associates the resulting notes to the
rhythmic values of the rhythm. When melody 1 was
created, we checked Do not arrange. Pizzicato thus
transposed the notes without arranging them according to the G
major chord. Let us see this in more detail. If one does not prevent it explicitly by
checking the option Do not transpose in the
characteristics of the melody, Pizzicato automatically
transposes the melody according to the lower note of the
chord. When you introduce a melody, Pizzicato
automatically considers that it is written in the C Major tonality. The interval used for the transposition is the
interval which separates the lower note of the chord and the
C note. In our case, the lower note of the chord is a G. Melody
1 was thus transposed from C Major to G major. To
respect the melody, the B notes were transformed into F #. The arrange operation simply
consists of taking each note of the melody and replacing it
with the nearest note belonging to the chord. For example,
the C of the melody does not belong to the G Major chord.
Pizzicato thus found the note which is closest to C in the
chord, i.e. B. The G of the melody belongs to the chord and
so stay the same. It is also the case with the B note. The
melody is thus arranged to correspond to the chord notes. Pizzicato first transposes the melody and
then arranges it to make it correspond to the G major chord
notes. The transposition alone gives us the notes G, D and F
#. When you arrange these three notes according to the G
major chord, only F # does not belong to the chord. This
note is thus transformed into a G note, which is the nearest
note belonging to the chord. When you prevent both transposition and
arrangement, Pizzicato does not modify the notes of the
melody. It is as if the chord did not exist, because the
notes of the melody are simply combined with the rhythmic
values of the rhythm, without taking the chord into account. Exercises Here is an example you can create as an
exercise. The theme was arranged to correspond with
the notes of the 4 chords placed in the measure. Listen to
the sound result.