CREATIVE INNOVATIONS IN MUSIC

Examining the Nuts and Bolts

of Music
Ludwig van Beethoven
In the classical era, if people want to

Remember Classical listen to music, they go to concerts.

Mostly performances of
Symphonies, Sonatas, Chamber

Music music, and other instrumental music

crafted by the finest composers of
that time.
 In the 20th century…
❖ Technology and the rise of the
recording industry transformed
music into accessible household
commodities, resulting into most
“commercial”music becoming
shorter and shorter.
❖ This does not mean, however, that
popular music no longer had
“artistic merit”, but rather is in
itself a new medium by which
new music artist could express
their art. Which today we know as
SONGS.
 The Elements

❖ Melody
❖ Harmony
❖ Rhythm
❖ Dynamics
❖ Timbre
 The Elements
❖ Melody
❖ Use of Modes
❖ Word Painting
❖ Harmony
❖ Borrowed Harmonies
❖ Bitonality/Polytonality
❖ Rhythm
❖ Polymeters
❖ Odd Time Signatures
❖ Dynamics
❖ Timbre
❖ Unconventional Textures
❖ Unconventional Forms
 The Elements

❖ Use of Modes
❖ Word Painting
❖ Borrowed Harmonies
❖ Bitonality/Polytonality
❖ Polymeters
❖ Odd Time Signatures
❖ Unconventional Textures
❖ Unconventional Forms
USE OF MODES
USE OF MODES
Major mode W-W-H-W-W-W-H
Minor mode W-H-W-W-H-W-W
 W-W-W-H-W-W-H

Lydian Mode It’s like the major mode but

the 4th note is raised.
 W-H-W-W-W-H-W

Dorian Mode It’s like the minor mode but

the 6th note is raised
USE OF MODES
When We Dance - STING
(used LYDIAN MODE)

Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles

(used Dorian MODE)
USE OF MODES

Lydian mode in practice

USE OF MODES

Dorian mode in practice

BORROWED HARMONIES
BORROWED HARMONIES
Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder

Balisong - Rico Blanco

 BORROWED HARMONIES

Harmonic Degrees
(major)
 BORROWED HARMONIES

Harmonic degrees
(minor)
BORROWED HARMONIES
BORROWED HARMONIES
 BORROWED HARMONIES

Altered/borrowed
harmonies
BORROWED HARMONIES

(v)
(I)

(ii) (iv) (I)

BORROWED HARMONIES
WORD PAINTING
 WORD PAINTING
“…ain’t no mountain HIGH
ain’t no valley LOW”
“…CHANGE!”

“…from MAJOR to MINOR”

WORD PAINTING

“…it goes like this: the IV the V”

remember this?
BITONALITY/POLYTONALITY
 POLYTONALITY

Human Behavior - Bjork Minerva - Deftones

POLYMETER
 POLYMETER
Led Zeppelin - Kashmir

Radiohead - Let Down

 POLYMETER

superimposing 2 different

Polymeter meters simultaneously.

 POLYMETER
RADIOHEAD - LET DOWN

superimposing 2 different

Polymeter meters simultaneously.

 POLYMETER
GORILLAZ - 5/4

superimposing 2 different

Polymeter meters simultaneously.

ODD TIME SIGNATURES
 Review muna…

Four-four Time

Triple Time
(three-four or six-eight)
 ODD TIME SIGNATURES

Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush Somewhat Damaged - Nine Inch Nails

 ODD TIME SIGNATURES
film showing sa ta…
 ODD TIME SIGNATURES

Advanced time
signatures
ODD TIME SIGNATURES
ODD TIME SIGNATURES
ODD TIME SIGNATURES
UNCONVENTIONAL FORMS
Non-conventional Forms (in pop music, of course)

❖ Bohemian Rhapsody by
Queen
❖ Happiness is a Warm Gun by
The Beatles
❖ Paranoid Android - Radiohead
These are “through-composed”
songs that doesn’t follow the
usual verse-chorus pattern.
UNCONVENTIONAL
TEXTURES
or TIMBRE?
UNCONVENTIONAL
TEXTURES
Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap
(used vocoder to achieve
a bizarre “chorale” texture)
When The Party’s Over - Billie Eilish
(first half is a capella texture)
final thoughts

You don’t have to use all of them at the same time.

Choose one or two elements of music to explore
and play around with. As long as it is in service of
your message.
final thoughts

Art is
1. a reflection of the human condition.
2. a reflection of the times in which we live in.
final thoughts

We know that songwriting is half words and half music

and what you have to say lyrically will always be valid
because you have a story that no one else have.
However, time will judge your work not just on WHAT
you had to say but HOW said it, in other words, its
FORM.
All the works of these aforementioned artists, survived
the test of time not only because they were able to
express the human condition in their lyrics, but because
they’re known for pushing the boundaries of music
either by innovating a NEW musical language or by
following the footsteps of those who explored new
directions before them.
“Thank you so much.”

–Carl Mojeta, 2021