Using theory to make music (without anyone noticing)

"I don't see how learning about tone rows will help me make cool music." Well...let's find out if it's possible by actually trying it.

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[MarshMakesComics]

I really like what you’re doing here and I hope this track does get released! Also I love this type of video. Learning about composition as we watch you compose. I’d love to see this format on your channel again!

[elsf]

3:33 "Moving to these unexpected places that don't seem predictable, but do seem inevitable" bars man, damn! 🔥

[ryanhursh]

That sounded incredible, very inspiring. I don't quite understand how you decided what the tone row would be but I guess I should do some more research to understand this concept. Love the channel.

[twakum]

I had this back in school as a music major as a junior 45 years ago, you however, did a marvelous lesson in serialism. Though having instruments rather than a guy at a piano with a pencil and music paper is much better. 😂👏👏👏🖖

[desnou]

Sounds very NIN when all the layers are combined. Really nice !

[tracyharms]

I’m more hungry for composition ideas than any other topic but most composition channels feel dedicated to ensuring that I spend years studying theory that doesn’t fit musics that I’d want to make. This video, however, goes straight for the good stuff. Thank you so much. I am listening to it repeatedly!

[jeffryarchambeau]

My guitar thinks I have nonfunctional fingers.

[UtopiaFade]

Watching this evolve has been highly enjoyable and inspiring. Thank you

[the_washington_monument_am]

Everyone’s been telling me that tone is in the fingers but now I find out that it’s actually been in the rows this whole time?!?

In all seriousness, this was an easily digestible, entertaining, and immediately actionable video. Always appreciate the straightforward way that you deliver your insights. And your results here are magical ❤❤❤

[Lemontree]

I love when I come across an approachable video that teaches me about something I never knew even existed. Aaand the music is cool too! Amazing work.

[cornishwavesmusic]

Always get something from your material, glad you share your knowledge

[gophercrow]

This was great. Love how you share the premise and your process. Cool result too. The trick is it’s not just a technique. You’re also making choices about when to deviate or expand from the technique. There’s genius in that.

[JayM]

This is a great video. Loved seeing your process in applying this concept. A lot of subtle layers of info in this beyond the main topic.

[JustMikeH]

Something I appreciate that @AdamNeely points out. Repetition legitimizes. Repetition legitimizes. Repetition legitimizes.

Using a non-functional harmony in a vacuum it may sound terrible. Repeat the harmony, and it starts becoming a coherent foundation.

[thelanavishnuorchestra]

That's really nice. I have always written off tone rows as a bunch of annoying dissonance, but I'm apparently going to have to rethink that.

[Krns]

Lovin the busy harmonics^^ I guess I found a new way to come up with slightly alien melodies! Your examples sound a lot like the soundtrack from the Stray videogame, where you play as a cat in a post-apocalyptic city.

[tonyrapa-tonyrapa]

Excellent video - and really appreciate the demonstration. I think, as with all things, you can mix and match if you want/need to, too. IE, tone-row-ish with flashes of functional. Experiment at one's own leisure!

[JayM]

Pitches be crazy. Thanks for the great video!

[Herfinnur]

Thatsoundsocool!!! It’s cinematic and very catchy and thrilling. I suspect the cool rhythms have a lot to do with it. One of my main problems with 20th century classical music is how aimless and therefore pointless it often sounds and although lacklustre performances have something to do with it, I’ve also found that there’s a lack of rhythm or groove to anchor the harmonic chaos to.

Oh, btw: if anyone here like me isn’t good enough at their instrument to improvise serial music, I have a hack that works pretty well for me. I play randomly but I make sure to randomly play all the notes in a cluster of four keys before I jump to a note outside of that cluster. I rarely manage to play all 12 keys before repeating myself that way, but it still sounds like serial music and it frees up my mind enough that I’m able to put some emotion and drive into it

[HomestudioDad]

Great video. Next time I'm stuck I'll give "tonerow" a go👍