Programming sequences with Nicolas Slonimsky's Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns

[@calendries]

Enjoyed this one! Would love to see taking the idea further, maybe around the concept of "I have this composed phrase, how many ways can I manipulate it to keep it interesting?" Compositional techniques in modular is definitely an underexplored area.

[@FrapTools]

That's a great suggestion! There might be a lot of examples of theme and variations from classical music as well. Thanks!

[@wadehathawaymusic]

Cool! Excellent demo of the Frap equipment, as usual. But also, thanks for turning me on to this book. I've not come across it before.

[@FrapTools]

Glad you enjoyed it! There are a few videos on it on KZbin, especially this one by David Bruce: kzbin.info/www/bejne/goOmpXZ4aN5qo6sfeature=shared It's certainly an interesting thought exercise!

[@BEPEKKA]

Yo bro right into the rabbit hole. Combining Slominsky with Modular is really cool! I guess you can make 1000 albums by the time you reach the end of the book. Great work!

[@FrapTools]

Haha thanks, but at that point there would be so much music and so little time to listen to it...

[@intuneorange]

Nicky Rocks

[@minjikokoroniwa]

precious as gold!!

[@FrapTools]

Thank you!

[@usaroman]

Thanks for sharing this innovative modular, love the those filters and the book is pure gold and a great resource for the devoted amateur or advanced professional. Thanks 🎉

[@producedbychloerose]

this is great. i love finding ways to apply old ideas in a new context. seems like you always discover that those old ideas were pretty modern all along :)

[@FrapTools]

True! That's a bit of a Western obsession, the idea of always coming up with "new" stuff - once you realise that you can still make good music with old ideas, it's all downhill :)

[@adamsmith7058]

Most modular music I hear, that isn't totally atonal, (quite often not by design lol),or based on alternate tunings, is either modal or based in relatively simple diatonic chord progressions. These systems of composing are all pretty old. Slonimisky has a greater claim to modernism than those.

[@medusajapan]

Awesome patch & video!

[@FrapTools]

Glad you enjoyed it, more is coming!

[@medusajapan]

@@FrapTools I bought the book, thanks :)

[@FrapTools]

Awesome, that was quick - best of luck with it!

[@ehdyn]

Yes more like this please

[@FrapTools]

Sure thing!

[@bobbfett.musiclab]

Super nice

[@FrapTools]

Thank you so much!

[@mcgyrus]

Love it!

[@Jim-Bough]

The OG unison midi chord pack

[@steveambrose1734]

Really educational I need more tutorials for my usta as I'm struggling with the workflow.

[@FrapTools]

That's an interesting point. Have you checked the six episodes we put together so far? kzbin.info/aero/PLPVhsLeaCG8qqHK9Uxhm9fHHsToPNtFt3&feature=shared If so, let us know what kind of struggles you have and we'll address them in the next episodes.

[@CarlsbadSGP2007]

More Slonimsky!!

[@FrapTools]

Coming for sure, then!

[@mu0p]

Did you ever do a more in depth video behind the book?

[@FrapTools]

Actually no, but it may be a good time for it! What perspective would you be more interested in?

[@mu0p]

I purchased the book, realized how far my piano days are behind me! 😂 Need to get back to practicing. Anyways, maybe some examples of going through more/different patterns from the book and how you apply it to the sequencer etc, basically just a more detailed step by step of what you did in this video. I found myself using the patterns in their literal form, as once I heard it any other variation was sounding off to me 😅. I uploaded a small snippet of what I made to my Instagram so I can show you how I went about it, let me upload it to KZbin so it's easier to see

[@dirkbouters202]

I never has the reflex that the Thesaurus could be an inspiration for modular; i must look for my dusty old school book :)

[@FrapTools]

Me too! But as I was practicing on the piano I glanced at the modular and said "well... why not?"

[@standarddisclaimer]

I assume that someone somewhere has created midi files of the Slonimsky material. Any idea where I might find something like that? Thanks!

[@adamsmith7058]

Cool, I've been using Yusef Lateef's pattern books in a similar way. I've always found Slonimisky a bit obtuse. Where as Lateef is more clear, for me at least, ymmv. Although I've recently got hold of this book, by a Jazz guitarist, whose name temporarily escapes me, which explains Slonimisky by giving practical application and examples. Maybe I'll get it then:)

[@FrapTools]

Thanks for sharing! I didn't know Lateef's book and it seems like a more practical book, with patterns and scales that can actually be useful in an improvisational context. Slonimsky's work on the other hand seems more theoretical, a study into ways of creating new patterns rather than a collection of useful phrases. I think that both books can complement one another, but I'm definitely curious to check Lateef's one more in depth!

[@ZackMester]

What book is that?