Ricardo -> RE: How to compose in the style of Passion, Grace & Fire ??? (Oct. 30 2006 17:20:32)
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Here is a transcription fairly accurate: http://www.italway.it/morrone/Aspan.htm I think of the rhythm as written, 6/8, although if you watch those guys play fast tunes in 3, they are really feeling it like a waltz in ONE. So the foot goes on the downbeat only, and regardles if you feel the subdivision as 2 groups of 3(6/8) or 3 groups of 2(3/4), does not really matter. Infact switching between those feels is a big part of flamenco rhythm too. Anyway, we can think of it as 6/8 for now. There is a meter change not in the score. Page 2 pretty much should all be 4/4, where the previous 8th note speed stays the same. Then after that A phrygian line (measure 53) it resumes the 6/8 feel and repeats. Towards the end that section of 4/4 repeats, and I feel the rest of the song to the end in 4/4 (all the trade offs and stuff). So that is about it for the rhythm stuff, you can hopefully get the idea of the timing and beat from this score and your ear. So the Harmony and Melody stuff. Starts of on E, then E11 (D6/E), Cmaj7/E, E11. Just chords. This transposes down a 4th to B. B, B11, Gmaj7/B, B11. But the cool thing is the fast harmonized run is the hole/half diminished or symmetric scale. Harmonized in minor thirds, sound wicked. At the end of this run, the chords do phrygian dom motif (Am-C-B) then modulate to relative major (Am-D7-G) using good ol ii-V-I. They are now in G,(0:14) but the melody modulates parallel to G phrygian, and the harmony does the same motif as before, but in this key. (Fm-Ab-G, then Fm-Bb-Eb). Notice the rhythmic stop on Eb using rasgueado. Very flamenco idea. Now a differen section (0:23) with a decending bass line, which changes key 2 chords at a time. (Bb/D-Cm7-G/B-Am-E7/G#, then E7#9). So the bass moves D-C-B-A-G#. The waltzy melody changes accidentals to imply the chord changes. Then a fast run in G Dorian followed by a jazzy hit chord, D7#5#9. That pulls to the next section Gm, with another decending bass theme (Gm,F#+,Gm7/F,Em7b5, Dm7, Bb7/E, then resolve to A phrygian, C-Bb-A). Then next section is for the solos, and the time changes to 4/4 (0:40). A phrygian, simple chords, but with rhythmic hits that have a pattern of decreasing the subdivdisions between the chords. Here is way to get the groove of the chord hits.(A 123456789 Bb-C 1234567 C-Bb-C 12345 Bb-A 123 A-Bb-A repeat). This is more of an indian rhythmic idea, to count down the rhythm, but Paco uses this chord section in his rumba on "Siroco", and throws it in often to his live show rumba when improvising. The solos could be based on A phrygian, but notice how Al does some cool out notes (G-G#, C-C#, etc) The end of the solo section has Dm7-C, C+ or Bb9, A(b9)(flamenco style), and repeats until the C+. The fast melody doubled up (1:28) uses partly the whole half diminshed, and the A phrygian. They rhythmic phrasing of it exactly like a falseta Paco uses in his Tangos "Solo Quiero Caminar", but with different notes of course. After that last run and rasgueado ending, there is change back to 6/8 (1:39) and a very classical sounding waltzy melody again. Decending bass again, but this time not just chords, it is sort of polyphonic (Dm-E7/B, Am-B7/F#, Em7-F#7, end in Bm). Then strumming on Cmaj7-Gmaj7-Am7-E#9, Am, Fmaj7, then back to the top. Mclaughlin solos over all that crazy stuff up to the Aphrygian section(1:55-2:38). Then Paco solos. The ending trade offs.(3:36) It stays in 4/4, but there is afeeling like the rhythm is up in the air. Actually, you gotta keep feeling the time or else you won't get the point of the trade offs. The lines at first are a wierd mix of Ephrygian and A phrygian, but then end up being a variant of E phrygian dominant. EFG#ABD, same as the mode used in "JOY" by Shakti. Notice the 6th of the scale is omitted (C note). The long shakti run using this scale is at (3:46). The final is perhaps a big birds eye fermatta (no time, they watch for a cue, but man they are tight.) Dm chord held with rasgueado until it resolves on E(b9). The FINAL run is another shakti run from "India". He uses the tritone sub to imply chord and key change. Bb lydian domiant is the scale. (mode 4 of F melodic minor, BbCDEFGAb), and he resolves it to A. And plays A(b9) as the final chord. So there it is the way I am hearing it. The really hardest part soloing wise is what Mclaughlin does over the whole form in the beginning of ths song (6/8). But if you get his DVD you can clearly see how he uses modes to handle those changes. Hope this clears some things for you. Ricardo
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