Lessons with relinquished

Alright, let's kick this off.

I'm pretty busy these days, so lessons will be scarce, but I will try to work with you on the stuff you want to.

What would you like to start off with?

That's a really big question...

One of the biggest problems I have is writing down the chords that I can hear in my head. I have a basic to good understanding of chords (maj, min, aug, dim, secondary dominants, and sevenths), but I would like to take my knowledge farther so I can incorporate more into my music.

In classical (or modern orchestral, film music, etc.) you hear amazing chords and progressions that have some dissonance to them, but almost in a pleasant way, or sometimes they even sound horrifying.

I can write great sounding melodies, and I can hear the background parts in my head but I can never get them down. I guess what I'm asking is, how do you write harmony that supports the melody, and how do you go about doing it (ie. write the chords first, then find a melody that works, vice-versa, etc.)?

Hopefully that isn't too vague, let me know if you need more clarification. :)

Here's your first exercise, and I want you to spend a couple of days finding examples and things for it. There's no point rushing it, because then you won't have thought about it enough, and I won't be able to reply anyway.

1) Look through YouTube or wherever and find me at least 3 good examples of a time when a film (or classical) composer has incorporated dissonance into a 'strong' chord progression or sequence, and used it to good effect.

2) Write a melody which you think could work in a progression like the ones you've found in part 1. Don't worry about harmonising it yet, but do start to think over harmonic possibilities, and see if you can use the melody to 'set up' the possible dissonances in the progression. So think about possible suspensions, passing notes, or even dissonant leaps (7ths are particularly nice).

Get back to me in a few days. I am totally busy on Tuesday, so very unlikely to respond.

Good luck. Post me any questions you might have.