@pookibear89 Thanks for asking. I'll try and answer the question. The example around 11:30 into the tutorial explains the concept of Schillinger System diatonic chordal functions. These are the set of 7 numbers {1=root,3,5,7,9,11,13}, not using any alteration symbols. The example then demonstrates this principle for the extended CMaj7 chord. The regular extension for this chord type is the #11 (here f#), not the f natural (which would create a minor 9th interval with chordal function 3=e in the lower octave). If I had built this example around the Cm extended chord in thirds, the chordal function 11 would indeed have been f natural. So I guess the confusion is caused by the mix of introducing the Schillinger chordal function concept with an illustration based on the extended major diatonic chord. Does this answer the question?

@@FransAbsil Hello FransAbsil, thanks for your reply. I needed to look up extended chords. Those were not part of my repertoire. Shouldn't the extended CMaj7 chord (e.g. CMaj11) have an f? However the example is specificly telling us CMaj#11, and i guess that is why we are seeing the f#. I am wondering if the #11 is a stylistic choice, or a consequence of Schillingers theory.

@pookibear89 Extending the Cmaj chord in thirds may include the chordal function 11. The chordal function number labeling for harmony tension control in diatonic harmony is part of the Schillinger System approach. And this is irrespective of the specific diatonic 7-pitch scale. So indeed one could construct a CMaj11 chord with either 11=f natural (diatonic 4th degree in C Ionian and other modes) or #11=f# (diatonic 4th degree in Lydian scale). However as a static (sustained) extended chord, the regular/standard solution is with #11, the f#. With the higher chordal functions voiced in upper parts, you would obtain a maj9 (e-f#) and a M7 (g-f#) interval. This chord structure is more 'pleasant', less dissonant than the min9 (e-f) alternative structure. That is why you find the 'regular' structure Smaj7#11 in jazz and popular music.

@tomflorez2186 Thank you for the kind words. Hope you found more interesting content on this channel.

@coolagebrothersrickbeato2c713 Thank you for the kind feedback. Part 2 has passed Quality Control and will go public tomorrow (Aug 1, 2024). Currently working on the Patreon companion document.

@Js-sc4ng Thanks, glad to hear you liked it.

@claudiomonteverdi7126, thanks for the positive feedback. Part 2 of the Chromatic Harmonization tutorial series is currently in the Quality Control Department. They are doing overtime. Hopefully you will find that one equally useful.

@carloslema5400 Thanks for the kind words. After uploading a significant number of separate Schillinger tutorials I was asked repeatedly to demonstrate the integration of different techniques. This four-part series is my answer to that question and is a more or less structured approach to composing with the system. Glad you liked it!

@pauldiffenderfer The musical idiom of this score is based on an atonal pitch-class set and careful selection of specific set properties and characteristics. I have discussed the composition of this piece in a longer, separate video. Glad to hear you liked the idiom: atonal is not everybody's piece of cake.

@joshuwa.jeremiah229 Thank you for the kind words. Whether it has significant educational importance is hard to say. May my efforts help others in their study of (contemporary) music composition and arranging techniques, stimulate their curiosity and creativity. Hopefully you will benefit from the content on this channel.

Hi Thomas, sorry for the inconvenience. The contact tab on my website shows the email address as a puzzle, in order to make life harder for web crawlers. But it does work: it is a gmail address, with dots in the account and domain name. Could you try once again or provide a link to where I can find your address.

@sashakindel3600 Audio Modeling do send update e-mails, so I get notified. Also I do regular (once a month) checks on updates for most of my software and plugins. For the SWAM instruments I still have the older V2 plugins installed on my computer (but do not use these any longer), the V3 updates get overwritten (no problem as this implies improvement). You might save the settings for older projects as a specific SWAM preset and load these when appropriate. One caveat: the MIDI mapping implementation may change for updates (usually more CC parameters). I once had to report a bug, when this process introduced redundant CC numbers, that crashed the plugin. The company responds quickly to user feedback and I appreciate the continuous development with the physical modeling approach. Does this answer the questions?

@@FransAbsil I guess I must have opted not to receive emails at some point. I ended up going ahead and updating instruments one at a time, from least used to most used, playing back the project after each one to see whether it messed anything up. I had to decrease the bow pressure on a few notes in the violins, but other than that, everything worked fine as-is, and I was surprised how noticeable an improvement in timbre I heard (at least in the strings; in the brass I couldn't tell the difference). Fuller and with less of a tendency toward scratchiness throughout. I would have thought that saving a preset would avoid changes they made that amount to changing the defaults for settings that are exposed to the user, but not changes to the code behind the scenes. Having gone through this once, though, I'm not too worried about the impact of updates going forward, especially given that we get to keep the old version when the major version changes.

@sashakindel3600 Glad to hear you took the step to update. I agree with the timbre quality statement of strings vs. brass. I am not sure I understand the next paragraph about the preset saving process fully. Use the options for saving the sound engine, controller mapping and tuning parameters separately (or combined) to optimise your preset development process. And, as I said before, I encountered a bug in that process once (in Oct 2023) which was repaired by Audio Modeling. So good luck with updating and 'happily' using these instruments!

@mylesjordan9970 If I may add: the development of music theory in general lags behind the application phase by a number of years. First there is the creative composer (risk-taking, full of surprise), then later the musicologists start to identify the building blocks and general principles. The exception is dodecaphony where 'rules' came before or at the same time music was composed (and we all know how well that idiom is received). For me studying music theory speeds up the learning process as I can skip the music analysis phase and start experimenting with the principles right away. Thank you for your observations!

Well put-and true also of performance. Haydn wrote dozens of string quartets at Eszterház, but not a single one appears in the historical record as having being performed there. Why? The art of string quartet performance hadn’t yet begun to evolve, so they actually sounded horrific. He actually ends one with a fugue, then appends to the manuscript “Sic amicus amici fugit”-thus do friends flee from one another!

@mylesjordan9970 Thanks for sharing your views on the Haydn string quartet writing and performance. Didn't know about the fuga annotation. And wouldn't we all want to hear a recording from the Classical and Romantic Music era? And then, foremost, some JS Bach live improvisations! Alas, some great art predates technology.

@@FransAbsil Can you believe we have Immanuel Kant to thank for killing off improvisation in classical music? Because there were no recordings yet, Kant insisted that all music was without form, couldn’t be contemplated like a Greek vase for its proportions, so it was therefore worth less “than wall papers.” E.T.A. Hoffmann had to show him musical manuscripts and explain Haydn’s plan: exposition, development, recapitulation, so formal aspects were clear to him. He then agreed that music was an art-but only in its printed form. That’s why, since the early 19th century, all “serious” study of music has been only in the contemplation of its written form, taking primacy over its sound-a development Bach would have found completely absurd.

@mylesjordan9970 Surely, (German 18th-19th century) philosophers did make many outspoken statements on art; we are entering the domain of "Goethe hat gesagt ...". Dangerous terrain, at times. The value of the score is obvious for studying many musical aspects, most of all form and harmony. Predicting the overall sound and thus the emotional response is trickier though. I remember a statement by conductor Bernard Haitink who admitted that although he studied scores in great detail, he was unable to grasp the full orchestral timbre and sectional balance, until hearing the music during rehearsal. That's where he instantiated the musical message. You must be doing a lot of meta-musical reading. Thanks for your contribution.

@williammcghee863 Indeed it is difficult to decide when to step in and start using physical modeling instruments. Waiting for the perfect sound probably is not the best approach. I now have a decade of experience with Audio Modeling instruments, have given them feedback on previous generations, and experienced the improvements. As a wind player I find the EWI the most expressive controller option, the keyboard plus breath controller is another good candidate. I may have to adapt the playing technique when a new version is released. Thanks for the comment.

@afrigal2420 Thanks for the positive feedback. Hopefully you found the other episodes in this series equally valuable.

@afrigal2420 There is more YT content about overtones (higher harmonics) than on the subject of subharmonics. So I assumed this video was a meaningful contribution. Thanks for commenting.

@udomatthiasdrums5322 This tutorial was made after receiving a number of requests, although not everybody is happy with the result. It should help in studying the Schillinger source material, the infamous two-volume System book series. Thanks for the positive feedback.

@udomatthiasdrums5322 This turned out to be a tutorial subject that received quite a bit of viewer interest. Glad you liked it. Thanks for the comment.

@CliffordMartinOnline Thank you for the kind words. Had a brief glimpse at your channel, will return. As to the number of subscribers, still doing my best to present the hidden gems in the Schillinger System (and other) composition techniques. Trying to show practical examples but I may be missing the target after all. Fate, destiny? Or simply not enough humour / online clowning to attract viewers? Who will tell? Stick to the cathedral builder mentality: contribute with your craft although one will never see the end result. Have a nice weekend!

@scothebert6366 You're welcome. I'm sure you are aware that the chords discussed in the video are a subset from all possible twelve-tone chords, and with specific characteristics. Thanks for the feedback.

@auedpo Thanks for the comment; the four-part series on harmonization was another major effort. The Schillinger book is very concise on this subject and hopefully now a wider audience is inspired to try these techniques. In the final example I deliberately chose the combination of an extended diatonic chord in thirds and a highly dissonant polychord. I appreciate the feedback on the orchestral example; probably the Lyndhurst Hall ambience is affecting the sound. Indeed it is not my usual set of virtual instruments, but the updated release of the Spitfire Symphony Orchestra has these performance patches that I wanted to try out. No need for the many tedious articulation key switches any longer. I might have tried a different microphone mix though.

@@FransAbsil I must certainly commend and congratulate you on completing this series. It is no doubt that the effort adds to the sparse Schillinger landscape (as we have both remarked before). I spent the evening reading about strata harmony and made it to three part harmony before my mind started to boggle.. do you have any advice for how you went about getting through a Schillinger concept when it was new to you? I've had good success in working out the examples at the keyboard. I would like to practice the concepts in my own music, but sometimes the topic is so dense I'm not sure how to execute it properly!

@auedpo One of the stumbling blocks of the Schillinger System of Musical Composition is the frequent return of him listing (almost) all options, combinations and permutations (overwhelming on first read). That also happens in the General Theory of Harmony / Strata Harmony Book (Chapters 1-6). My approach is to try and structure the information. What are the independent design parameters? In the case of strata harmony these are the number of layers, parts per layer, chord structure, part transformations. Then try and understand his listings: is he showing all options or a limited set of examples? Then find the chapters with application examples and composition techniques (in the case of state harmony I would recommend Chapters 7, 9, 10 and 15). I add many annotations in text and score examples, plus cross-references. I add warning signs, NBs and question marks (potential errors or missing information). I copy some examples to notation software and/or DAW in order the better understand the musical effect. Then just create an example and try to convert that into a 'full' composition. Take a basic cell (starting with melody or harmony, depending on the subject), create a continuity, instrumental forms and implement the piece in music software. At any stage I might reject or accept the source material, restart (iterative process). And, of course, verify the assumption that writing music with the Schillinger System has deterministic quality and style characteristics (which hopefully is the case, but not always). For most tutorials this process is easier as I limit the boundary conditions and focus on a specific technique or aspect. Along the way I move from the scientific approach to the creative artist mindset. And with the production of every tutorial I learn new things about the system that slipped through in earlier reading. Does this help?

@elifarmer3815 Indeed, these videos are 3 years old now (Mar 2024), and a lot has changed since then. The current SWAM instruments are v3.7.2, with improved timbre modeling and better MIDI CC realtime control. It is on my to-do list to produce YT videos with more recent EWI examples of classical music playing, and do a comparison between SWAM and other modeled/scripted libraries. Thanks for asking.

@@FransAbsil Ok, awesome! Thanks for the reply :)

@elifarmer3815 In case you are still interested I recently (April 25, 2024) uploaded a video entitled 'SWAM instruments playing Mozart, Schubert, Brahms and Ravel string quartet excerpts' that demonstrates the solo strings (violin, viola and cello) sound of version 3.7.3.

@good.citizen Thanks for the comment. I tried to find the exact spot in the video where this voicing is mentioned, but failed (searched specifically in Sections 3.1 and 3.3 from this video uploaded in Dec 2022). The 'weird voicing' probably has to do with a 'chords-in thirds' chordal function interpretation of an atonal, pitch-class set based, chord structure. This indeed may yield 'strange' results, that do not make sense in a functional harmony context. In order to comment in more detail, please help and provide the time instance of this voicing.

T(h)anks, indeed I may have taken the wrong bike already a long time ago.

@@FransAbsil the bike (and the explosion after) was the best part!!! that was the ultimate climax for me. and it totally matched the look of astonishment and disbelief (and disgust...?) on the protagonist's face..

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

@keynerperezcastro6507 this music video summarizes the application of several composition techniques. For the fundamentals watch the tutorials on this channel. Take your time, the information density is high and may require rewinding during the viewing, taking notes (and/or read the Patreon companion documents) and experimenting afterwards. Inevitably, given the wealth of choice you will prefer/reject some options and develop a personal style. Good luck and lots of fun with the learning process. Welcome to the channel!

@patcupo Indeed, weighting the Interval-Class Vector elements allows dissonance ranking of Forte pitch-class sets. The Ulehla 10 level classification is more refined than the six Hindemith groups (in fact four, since the two contain symmetrical chords), and covers both tonal and atonal harmony, plus takes voicing into account. Other chapters from her book give a nice historic overview of the harmony domain. Thanks for the feedback.

@auedpo thanks for another set of kind words about these videos. For others I must have ruined the day though, as I immediately lost more subscribers after uploading than ever before. The melody on its own is made with an educational goal in mind, but probably gains musical quality through the various harmonization plus instrumental form approaches. In order to finish the Byrd half-cadence with a proper closing in style, I could send the MIDI file; with the Modartt Pianoteq harpsichord and the Liquidsonics Cinematic Rooms reverb the sound is created in no time. I have to turn the harmonization examples now into orchestral MIDI mockup renderings and tutorial form, but I am scared that any further uploads will decimate my audience. Maybe something with cats or cupcakes will fare better?

@@FransAbsil You've lost subscribers after uploading this video? That must be a coincidence, the content is packed as always. Maybe they are fans of NIko's midi pack :D :D

@@FransAbsil I am incredibly sorry to hear that Frans! I cannot fathom why it would provoke such a reaction. You have some of the most consistently delivered musical content of all channels. It may be niche, certainly, but I find it hard to believe that there would be so many Schillinger-interested minds that would be put off by this video.. ☹ EDIT: I see that there is a similar comment that you already replied to! My apologies. I have wondered though, you do such a great job of parsing down the SSMC and putting it into a video format - do you see any need/demand/reason to provide a clearer version of Schillinger's original? Much like your Theory of Rhythm pdf that you have written. I can only imagine the illumination I would find in a text revision/supplement provided by you. I would be happy to help in anyway possible!

@nijebauk YT analytics attributes half of the unsubscribe count to this video, but numbers bouncing back currently. So I'll behave kindly and compromise with the next upload; probably call it 'Schillinger's Cat Cooks Cupcakes with Chordpack'. Thanks for the moral support!

@auedpo No need to apologise; I appreciate the support. In response to the suggestion for creating a kind of 'critical edition' of the Schillinger System of Musical Composition: this idea is in my head already for quite some time, and I get regular requests for further 'Guide to the Theory of ...' ebooks. The original copyright has expired, but that might be different for the book reprint though. That is why I always create new examples when applying Schillinger techniques, that are not in the book (legal expertise needed). The Rhythm Book was a major effort already that I will not repeat for the more than 1500 pages left from the original. So I was thinking of a two-(three)-phase collective process that creates: 1) A digital version of the original Schillinger System documentation (where are the manuscripts and what quality are they? Any idea?). With a team of around 20 volunteers retyping text and score examples that should be doable. Some level of coordination and agreement on formats is required obviously. Computer typesetting templates could take care of the rest. 2) An expanded edition that inserts guidance sections, explanations, critical comments, new examples, cross-references (all as internal hyperlinks/anchors). There's room for a team of editors/contributors here as well. 3) A media library with MIDI files, audio examples (maybe short videos). Deliverables in Step 2 and 3 could grow over time, in parallel to and after completing Step 1. I've spent many hours on freely sharing lots of my best knowledge of the system. Scaling up the effort implies thinking about a business model as it is reasonable that the team effort is remunerated somehow. Educational quality content represents economic value. On my own I will never undertake such a large scale initiative. And here I stop. I am curious to learn what others think. Maybe continue the discussion also through email. Thanks for the comment, yes the idea is great and would at least keep the system alive!

@will.sagastume The Guide to the Theory of Rhythm e-book dates back to 2015, indeed. Since then I have focused more on the KZbin channel, as that allows the combination of various media types. And since about three years there is a set of Patreon companion documents for the tutorials (current total of pages around 500). There is an incomplete draft of a document on Schillinger instrumental forms. But the short answer is: no specific document ('guide to') the Book 3 Theory of Melody. This latest video nicely summarises many aspects from Bk. 3 though. Most of the book chapters are a combination of a the creation of a continuity with methods from Book 1 (refraction series, permutations, combinations) with the melody axis approach. Hopefully this answers your question.

@TheSinlessAssassin did you try and work with the free online Film Music Tempo Calculator tool on my website? Part of this tool has in the meantime been implemented in DAWs, but it is still used by a great many beginning and professional composers from all continents. Who appreciate its value, helping them with finding the best BPM for a constant tempo video cue with hitpoints. Good luck with your media composer ambitions!

@patcupo Thanks for sharing your experience with and opinion on the Schillinger System. Had to reread Book XI, Theory of Composition, Chapter 8, Density as a Major Component to find the source of the two quotes: p. 1314 and p. 1321. Indeed, combining density control with strata harmony opens up another direction for musical composition; would love to have time to experiment with that in an electronic music idiom. Although, I always get a bit nervous when the man claims "cannot be solved satisfactorily except by the scientific method". Depends somewhat on the definition of science, but still. Thanks for the comment!

@brickblock369 Thanks for asking. Quoting from the Manuals (search string: sampl): French Horn and Tuba v.3 (brass). P. 3 [Kontakt 5 Sampler] 'and no access to the samples', P. 7 [Introduction] 'it uses samples of real instruments as base material', [Real-time Timbral Shaping] 'This revolutionary new feature adds a virtually infinite timbral variety to sample-based instruments'. Solo, Chamber & Ensemble Strings v.2.0.2. P. 3 [What's new?] 'the original sustain samples are played'. P. 4 'Yes, using samples. But also using our renowned technologies to “model” them by the user', 'Why samples? Our virtual strings use recorded samples of real strings as base material'. P. 5 [Kontakt Sampler] 'no access to the samples'. P. 9, [Real-time Timbral Shaping] 'This new feature adds a virtually infinite timbral variety to sample-based instruments'. Based on this information I label these instruments as 'hybrid approach' (like the Aaron Venture collections). Clever Kontakt scripting allows realtime user control of the sound characteristics. That is why they have such good reputation as 'realistic/natural sounding', and that is where the challenge lies for fully physical-modelling based instruments (such as SWAM). In the latter approach the attack phase (and other transient phenomena) are hard to 'simulate'. Does this answer the question?

@@FransAbsil Yup, it does! Thank you.

@whiskyngeets Thank you for the kind words. From the YT analytics I know this video has the most views and likes on this channel. So I assume my attempt at showing the equivalence between Riemannian Transformations and the Schillinger Systems of Harmony has found some appreciation. Currently underrated on a global scale, yes that may be the case. Let's wait and see.

I'd say criminally underrated.

@thomasholmes1545 Yes, send me the score (pdf) and a midi rendering (wav, mp3) and I will review and comment on your creative effort. You'll find the email address in the Contact section of my website.

@georgemc7520 So you found out the design approach to this thumbnail; well spotted! Tripclops eyeballs as game tokens. No I can't play Go, don't have the patience for chess, and will be beaten in most games and real life initiatives. Thanks for the feedback.

@SybilGrace Thanks for the feedback. In case your school is promoting studying the Schillinger System of Musical Composition, I would say that it is rather noteworthy. I hope you'll find lots of useful videos on this channel. In case you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck with developing your creative talent!

@auedpo An impressive and most detailed analysis of the full James Blake piece, I must say. Great to put the use of the highly dissonant structure within the harmonic context of the rest of the song. I did not get that far and indeed focused on the high dissonance degree of the local two-chord harmony. So yours is a most valuable addition to the discussion. Thanks for the comment!

@musimedmusi8736 Thank you for a most nuanced contribution to the discussion, pointing out the use of dissonant structures for colouring effect vs. structural harmony functions.

@NicoBellisarioMusic Thanks for pointing out the common use of this chord structure in flamenco music. I assume then that my video severely adds to the disquisition degree. Still hope that there is some contribution to the learning of handling open dissonant intervals.

@@FransAbsil i think your video is useful because it is not common knoweledge. What I want to say is that it is strange and somewhat amusing that an experienced musician like Brian Eno has issues against such a popular sound. I say flamenco...but actually a lot of Pop and Hip pop use that sound

@logman5357 You're welcome. Hope you enjoyed watching and found something useful about voicing highly dissonant intervals.

@AndyGrayedout It's quite a while since I installed MetaGrid, so had to think about what your remark means. I remember the setting up of each visibility configuration in the Cubase PLE (choosing the correct instrument track names in the search criteria) and save those as a MetaGrid scene with number. Thanks for adding this detail.

@Daryl Meshack Thanks for asking. In order to become a Patron click the link to Patreon in the video description or search for my name on Patreon. Be aware though that what you are supporting is my total tutorial production and knowledge sharing effort (website, YT channel, etc.) which indeed includes many aspects from the Schillinger System of Musical Composition. Hope to meet you soon on Patreon. Does this answer the question?