Composition 102: Harmonic Planing

[@michaelneedham3151]

So many "Oh, THAT'S what that is!" moments on this channel. Thank you!

[@rkstudios1582]

This absolutely blew my mind. This is a sound you hear everywhere in music and I never had a way to describe it and implement it in my own writing. I'm really excited to sit down, practice, and start to incorporate it into my music! Please keep this series up! It's in-depth, with great examples, and easily accessible. Thank you!

[@brunoreispercussionistdrum8067]

Anne, the conclusion section is the most clean and learning point of this video. Aspiring composers tend to jump a few levels by watching some YT tutorials or videos, and they forget that it takes years of practicing to forge new skills or solidify old ones. As always, you bring wisdom to the table.

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Thank you! Always wanna make sure people practice composition like they would practice an instrument. That's only for the aspiring pro crowd of course, hobbyists are free to do however much or little they like since it's just for fun and personal growth.

[@brunoreispercussionistdrum8067]

@@AnneKathrinDernComposer indeed, but I believe that a major of your followers aim to get to a pro level, which is a journey - my point is that you are really great on sharing the focal points on how to practice, and you keep it real transparent and clean. I've been studying music all my life, and as a performer/musician and mainly as a composer I feel that I'm always learning and forge "new" techniques or how to apply it. So... I think you should do a live Zoom session with that much wisdom. Would love to talk about all of the aspects around music and composition with you! :)

[@iancurrie3763]

One of the BEST videos I've ever seen on KZbin... right up there with the pedal tones video... I am overjoyed for this insight - especially since I'm a huge fan of Stravinsky, Ravel & Debussy. I also suspect Bernard Herrmann used this as well. I'm immediately torn between experimenting with this and going back to listen to music from the aforementioned composers to spot the planing! THANK YOU!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

So glad this is helpful to you! Have fun listening and experimenting! 🙂

[@AndyDePooter_Composer]

I was playing around with chromatic mediants and was still a bit uncomfortable now and then, afraid of making a 'mistake' in case I didn't follow 'the rules'. This harmonic planing technique demonstrates I shouldn't be that uptight :) Loved the video, thanks for the help!

[@almur88]

everytime a new video is up there's no hesitating for me, watching instantly!

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Thank you, that's great to hear!

[@julienmichel8013]

Thank you for taking the time to present different use cases and matching examples.

[@CyrilBellem]

Really interesting, as always :-) And well explained with good examples, it's rare to find those kind of videos. Thank you so much, your channel is my favourite!

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Thank you for watching the channel and for your continuous support! Really appreciate it!

[@charltonm9147]

You are kick-ass cool for taking the time to record these composition technique videos! And then to drop the true lesson like an F-bomb in a conversation of you haven't learned until you practice the technique A LOT is your true genius!!!

[@ryanknaggs]

That was amazing! I've heard this sound so many times, but just didn't know there was a name for it! Just so amazing, thank you for sharing.

[@dawnmeynor]

As always, thank you so much for the time you take to demonstrate techniques. I have a degree in music, but it's a lifelong process to continue growing as a composer. You are so helpful and honest about this type of work. I not only learn a great deal from you, I enjoy your channel too! Love learning from you. Thank you Anne-Kathrin!

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate the kind words!

[@davidsprivate5609]

Fascinating. Ravel's stuff has always baffled me, and this has gone a long way to demystify what's going on.

[@Kharazm4th]

Your tutorials are one of the best, very educative and professional at the same time, especially by using the visual style instead of just notation. Indeed German standards.. Congrats!

[@nickvareymusic]

Wow! This really demonstrates that classic Hollywood sound. I love it. Thank you so much, Anne-Kathrin!

[@davidsandberg6179]

This was really great stuff up until 23:43 … at which point you made my brain explode. So many insights in just those next few minutes, all wrapped around a transition mockup that shows exactly why you are so successful in your career. The change of inversion to add greater voice movement to a two half step planing chord … that alone was something that made me want to rush to my piano. Thank you so much for this!

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

So happy to hear that! Thank you!

[@lizlangauraceneenvellum8716]

Thank you so much for your engaging tutorials, and the touches of wit.

[@wyshwood]

I remember an article about Glenn Miller who explained his sound in mathematical terms. 'If you have the formulae and understand it, you can make your music sound any way you want.' (Paraphrased). This is gold dust. I have used this not knowing it was even a thing, and had a name. Thank you so much for opening my eyes to this technique.

[@wyshwood]

You just made my day x

[@paullaroche]

Art is always trickery. Trick the eye, trick the mind, trick the hear. Make very simple things look complicated. I understood so much of classical music. (all with counterpoints) I've never understood what happens in the movies when this type of musical movement starts happening. (I've never understood why I hated Bolero, now I do) I'm stunned. So easy. So effective. You make me smile. This knowledge makes me smile.

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

So glad to hear that!

[@serotonix987]

This is a great! I love how practical your expositions are. The clear, varied examples really help too.

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Glad to hear that!

[@clementosmont2316]

In his Bolero, Ravel doesn't only use harmonic planing, like the parallel ninths in his Pavane or in a lot of Debussy's pieces, but he does play some of the overtone series (e.g. the C in the horn, the G a 12th higher in the piccolo and the E a 17th higher in the piccolo). Thanks to these accentuated overtones, he really emphasizes the horn melody and, in fact, we could call it an orchestral saturator :)

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

As an organist I exactly know where Ravel got an idea for this technique 😂 With careful registering on the organ you can play all day parallel major chords with just single melody line, right ? Exactly 12 and 17 above. I remember back at school I had Roland Juno 2 with a memory chord. You could play a chord (up to 6 voices of polyphony), capture it with a sustain pedal, and voila ! You could check out various planings and the sound they produce in rapid passages otherwise impossible to play (but possible with careful orchestral arranging). I had a chance to get used to the sound of rapidly changing parallel major, minor, augmented, dominant 7/#10 chords etc. Something like from Debussy’s La Mer... Priceless experience.

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

28:26 You don’t need to go to formal training in order to master it, but... You need to sit down, get in front of your DAW, create a template, get a printed score of anything Ravel, Mahler, Stravinsky, Bartok, Williams etc. and sequence it staff-by-staff, line-by-line ENTIRE passage (NOT only a short excerpt ! ENTIRE thing !!!). Only then you can tell you’ve actually learned something solid. By doing it 10 times with various contrasting pieces, you can learn the craft of composition/Orchestration etc. It took me 2 months to sequence entire Daphnis & Chloe 2nd Suite. That alone teaches you basically everything you need to learn about various techniques... 😊

[@DubArchaeologist]

Super interesting thank you. Now I'm hearing harmonic planing in so much music I know including one of my fav bands. Another example - early rave music using chordy stack samples so playing them back at different pitches = same chord shapes = harmonic planing. All sorts of emotions - happy, cheesy, dark and scary even. Thanks again.

[@RocknRollkat]

Excellent presentation, thank you ! I was taught theory and composition, counterpoint, etc. by my Father, Lee Terry (famous arranger in the 1920s). Parallelism was for people that didn't know how to change keys correctly, and that was that. RULES. Yes, that's how it was back in 'the day'. I still try to hear these changes using classic counterpoint (I'm 75 years old), rather than just playing the parallel chords. Thank you again, Bill P.

[@davidburder2466]

Thank you for very interesting and useful KZbin videos from a very articulate and knowledgeable composer. I hope you will continue to make more of them to give starting points to the most important elements of the composer's toolbox. Also I enjoy your videos of Los Angeles at the start to give a flavour of your local environment. I wish you well in your career. I tried the Leeds Town Hall organ and it was very good, thank you.

[@kermitfrog593]

Thanks, been looking for a series on composition planning

[@Sitas]

I absolutely love this series, you explain this so simply. Please, give us MOAR!!! :)

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

I try, I try. :-)

[@jonremimuziq]

Awwwh shucks!! I've been waiting for something like this!! Thank you for sharing these types of techniques and all the knowledge you have of the music industry.

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

My pleasure! :-)

[@ProfileP246]

Not much on the tube regarding this technique, I have been trying to make use of it for some time now in my own comps. Really enjoyed your share thank you.

[@christiangarcia01]

Hey, so great that your back and thank you for the tips !

[@jayducharme]

That was fascinating, thanks! I never examined Bolero in that way. That was really intriguing. I heard a conductor once say that Bolero is the longest two minute piece of music ever written. And BTW, great point about skills.

[@frankwales]

I've heard that Ravel apparently resented how popular 'Bolero' was compared with his other works, since I think he mostly considered it as a technical exercise in stringing out one tune in one key.

[@asai1244]

Thank you for your generous spirit

[@mycar4321]

Thanks for sharing and keep on sharing. Stay Happy and Healthy.

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Thanks for watching! :-)

[@audielavalos9619]

Loved the video. Thank you for the in depth explanation and examples

[@jloiben12]

I really hope this becomes a regular series. These types of videos are very helpful

[@robertmgeerts]

Hi Ann-Kathrin, Thanks for all your educational videos. I'm learning a lot. This time I really appreciated your 'Call To Action' - so true that only by applying yourself the things you explain and demonstrate, it will become something of yourself. Thanks again and hope to see and especially hear more of you and your work!

[@ironfront9573]

First one of your videos I have come across. Liked it a lot, subscribed

[@DeGuerre]

It's worth noting that Ravel understood the pipe organ, and in some cases (e.g. horn plus piccolo) he was probably trying to simulate the effect of mutation stops.

[@lgmgold]

I'm so glad I watched this. I was always amazed by these kind of harmonies and for the first time I was able to see how it works and make some sense out of it. So good! Please keep on making videos like this. Thank you!

[@Joel-Monterra]

Anne-Kathrin - you are such a wonderful source of knowledge!!! Love all your vids!!

[@ccwaggoner]

I really appreciate you harping on practice and practicality in learning these skills vs "theoretical" knowledge. Thanks as always!

[@mortengu1385]

thanks Anne-Kathrin for another inspiring video!

[@djfull4442]

You are my biggest discovery of this year. Absolutely phenomenal.

[@taubenangriff]

This is some of the greatest music content on all of KZbin.

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Thank you!

[@grobinson9352]

Thank you for this. It may be bare min techniques but your videos help to open my brain cells! Welcome back--off to go experiment now. THANK YOU!

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Have fun! 🙂

[@alexpapas99]

This channel is seriously insane! You're an amazing composer and teacher too!

[@isaactakeuchimusic]

Thanks for the video! As others have mentioned, when I studied this in school they called it parallel harmony. Fun technique, easy way to modulate.

[@igor.cherny]

Thanks, Anne! Very helpful! And inspire me!

[@percussiveseer415]

Well that will become very useful very soon for me, with the whole magic-y vibes. Great thanks!

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Glad to hear that!

[@paulussantosociwidjaja4781]

Thank you for sharing your ideas, Anne. Love Ravel's Bolero, too!

[@marklarm]

Excellent video Anne, i've listened to Ravel for years and always loved his harmonic depth in his pieces. It was great to hear this piece in particular be dissected. Kudos!

[@mbaldwinlobue]

Welcome back! Hope you had a great time off and are recharged :-) Thanks for a great video. As a member of your audience and being so absolutely new to trying to compose, I for one don't think of the information you are imparting as tools added to the tool bag but concepts you are introducing to me and your message...that it is up to me to go out and really learn how to apply those concepts is well received and in progress. I do very much appreciate though that you cover the subject with a great explanation and EXAMPLES both from other works and your own work. My ear isn't very good (yet) but Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand is something I heard live recently on a trip to Gdansk Poland and it was astonishing and another good example I think of the Harmonic Planing you describe. I don't know if Chopin's Piano Concerto in F Minor is a great example but I think I'm hearing it in the strings under the piano melody and even if it isn't planing...my god...it is mesmerizing...absolutely and hypnotically beautiful.

[@Theobelieving]

Great video. Thank you so much!

[@eylam9690]

I used to do this on the piano when I was 11 years old. They have a name for everything, it seems.

[@TomStrahle]

Excellent examples. Thanks for this.

[@yichaozhang7933]

what a great master class!

[@Shuna2011]

Love it! I knew this was a ‘thing’ but I never had a term for it. I really enjoy your examples from the classical world. 🎶😊

[@Hartproduktie]

Very good examples of classic Hollywood. And well explained ,the most clean and learning points, thank you so much for the time. Loved it, thanks greetings from Holland

[@buzzsmith8146]

Very nice and explanatory installment.

[@Specklewingdun]

Vids help with understanding. Skill comes with application.

[@paulc3037]

Another excellent video Anne-Kathrin. I was already aware of this technique but the way you explain it and demonstrate it is very useful! Many Thanks :)

[@raymondspagnuolo8222]

Very helpful. Thanks for posting!

[@ArtmanBass]

Great explanation of this technique - as always.

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Thank you!

[@DaveBessell]

Thanks for this, I did already know what planing was but its nice to be reminded of these techniques from time to time. Nice examples too.

[@1hotday1]

This is awesome. Thanks Anne! I'll be working this today.

[@LAghemo]

This is definitely another good one, very good actually! And I particularly like and underline your last note about the difference between "hearing about it" and "knowing it". This is very true when we have a good teacher like you, so clear and linear. One gets the feeling that he understood everything so well, and he is ready to go and compose the new super score. Tsk tsk tsk... 😂 You are not selling your youtube channel here, you are telling the truth. Oh, how I love that. Brava, bravissima! Speaking of Bravo bravissimo, what about a nice video on Crescendo and Diminuendo? Something that seems trivial but I think it’s so easy to make it become… trivial. Anyway… keep going!

[@whiskyngeets]

I love your voice and that slight hint of German accent. Great videos 👍

[@jazzdude7014]

great Video Anne-Kathrin! Thank you so much! Viewers watch this LIVE Concert later: links are not allowed here. so search in YT for: Ravel : Bolero (Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France)

[@Wayne_Robinson]

Thank you for this very timely video. I was working on a composition today that I've been stuck on for a while and this gives me lots of ideas. It's already non-diatonic by design and now I'm going all in with planing chords! Functional harmony need not apply.

[@meis18mofo77]

finaly a good video about planing, as a dubstep producer, thanks, I'll overuse the crap out of this ^^

[@tristandietschmusic2516]

Wie du für mich den Mythos von dem John Williams Sound entzauberst ist ein echter Segen. Nach der Information habe ich schon lange nach getrachtet.

[@jonalex_io]

great video! loved the end note~😂

[@everrime]

I'm far from being a film composer, but I love to expand my musical horizon. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and views. Gruß aus Hannover.

[@DaveDickens]

Really interesting and helpful video. Thank you.

[@MichelBarbaro]

Thank you!

[@classixdrummer]

For whatever else Ravel’s Bolero might be, I can tell you it is an orchestral snare drummer’s nightmare. Simple and relentless.

[@kappabravomusic2101]

So great. Love this material!❤

[@aaronbird9437]

Thank you! As a new composer, my knowledge is limited. My university is you tube, and I can learn only so much from video. I'll spending time on this today for sure.

[@Anna_RetroSynth]

The scores from The Empire Strikes Back and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom are my favorite. Perfection.

[@edbuller4435]

just love that polychord C# over C !..in your Scene Transition !. Dou you know Dukas's La Peri ?.....full of rich Star Wars goodness....

[@maggle1891]

You're the GOAT. Thank you so much.

[@sandalero]

min 23:45 now wait a sec : C over Db(maj triad) to C over Amaj to C/Abmaj to C lydian over Ab maj triad. . . .she found a shortcut to "goldenthal" EVERYTHING: THIS IS INCREDIBLE ! i'll follow this channel .. .. and i'll copy it all . haha (jokin) but its really incredible

[@telaim]

Thank you so much for sharing your great and huge knowledge! Merci Madame😊

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

My pleasure!

[@patrickdineen4994]

Great video. Thanks very much.

[@andyisacsson7503]

Fantastic lesson , I knew the sound of this from pieces but didn’t know the concept - I’m going to enjoy playing with this…many thanks 😊 , Can I make a suggestion for future videos? The changing flashing lights on the computer behind you make this a difficult watch if you have visual impairment .

[@els1f]

"I'd say Ravel, Stravinsky, Debussy are the kings of...." You listed my 3 favorites lol Edit: since I'm obsessed with electronic music, I'd like to add that a lot of musicians who would never have known the term used this a ton- mainly from the limitations of old gear. For example, synthesizers that had "chord memory" would remember the notes you play in and build the chord over the note you hit completely ignoring key. Also, old samplers with short sample times, you'd sample a chord and play it all over 😋 I love the back and forth of things like this

[@TorbenFugger]

Holy cow, this is super helpful and inspiring. Thank you so much!

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@dariusofwest]

Really fun examples! :D

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

26:34 In addition to parallel planing, Anne-Kathrin also uses a very common, and very well working treatment of various triads superimposed on top of each other, but with spread (open) voicings and a register gap. Here you have static C Major triad in upper register, and Db/Ab AMaj AbMaj in lower Strings and brass against it. That creates a very nice tension in scoring suspense, uncertainty etc. Also look at CMaj to DMaj triads shift. It’s not only parallel, but also changing inversion. Same thing happens in brass. Tip : there are two ways of practicing planing on the polyphonic instrument : 1. Parallel as a constant structure 2. Planing with modifying triads inversions. We use that technique in jazz performance all the time 😊

[@edouardapariciocomposer6326]

another nice video. thanks

[@johncillo88]

Excellent communication and examples, suscribed

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Thank you!

[@andrewlord3398]

A really great example is the 'Game of the pairs' from Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra. Here he explores planing with each interval - getting wide variety of effects.

[@itznoxy7193]

Great video. I would love to see more like this.

[@danielpicard3994]

Merci!

[@paws-h8p]

John Williams and Mark Isham composed my 2 fav movie scores. Jurassic Park and Blade 😸

[@norpfl]

Excellently well done kickstarter surface level information ⭐🌟✴🌠

[@persistence_of_vision]

The way you are describing this technique makes me think of Joni Mitchell's guitar work in "Just Like This Train"

[@wrightstuffmusic]

Love your videos!

[@caleb-hines]

I think I first noticed this techinique while studying the horn line from Holst's Mars.

[@DarioRamosMaldonado]

Gracias por este excelente video!

[@tanukibrahma]

Excellent lecture! Don’t forget Holst’s The Planets, lol.

[@AnneKathrinDernComposer]

Yes! Another great example of harmonic planing indeed!