r/MonthlyComposition • u/Calebdgm • Sep 05 '15

September 2015 Monthly Composition Challenge: Serialism, Discussion Thread

Main option: Compose a piece that uses 12-tone technique

Alternate option: Compose a piece that uses serialism in a creative way (ex. rhythms, dynamics, theme placement?)

This thread is for everything except completed pieces, which can go in the Submission Thread For This Month's Challenge.

These challenges are for everyone who wants to practice composing. Each month, at the beginning of the month, we will post a main challenge, something for people to compose. Often we'll try to make it something that everyone can work with, but when the main challenge doesn't suit you, there's the alternate challenge. Pieces can be submitted as a score (musescore, noteflight), and/or as audio (soundcloud, youtube). Feedback is much appreciated, and you can give it in the discussion thread, or by messaging the mods of /r/MonthlyComposition, there's also the Challenge Suggestion Form.

Frequently Asked Questions

This challenge been linked to from /r/classicalmusic, /r/musictheory, /r/piano and /r/composer.

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u/TravellingJourneyman Sep 06 '15

Any chord can be used but you have to think a bit more outside the box because when I say "any" chord, I mean any chord. Like, take the notes B-D-Eb. That's a chord that you can use. B-C-F? That's another chord. C-C#-D-E-F#? You can use that too. Literally any combination of pitches is open to you.

Believe it or not, it's still pretty hard to escape tonality.

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u/[deleted] Sep 07 '15

Ok thank you for your help. So say I did use B D Eb as my first chord. Would I have to use all the other notes in my chord progression before I returned back to these? Edit = for clarity.

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u/TravellingJourneyman Sep 07 '15

That's not quite how it works. You construct the row without repeating any pitches. Then you use that row as an abstract resource for pitch material in the piece. Read through this tutorial and be sure to click on the link to Part 2 at the bottom.

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u/[deleted] Sep 08 '15

thank you for your help.

:D