• HOME
  • COMPOSITION
    • ORCHESTRAL
    • STRINGS
    • PIANO
    • CHOIR
    • SOLOIST & DUET
    • MIXED ENSEMBLE
  • GUITARIST
  • TRANSCRIPTION
    • HANDWRITTEN TO DIGITAL
    • AUDIO TO NOTATION
  • REVIEWS
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
ORCHESTRALMETAL.COM

Creepy Chord Combos (Chromatic Mediant Relationships)

11/5/2016

7 Comments

 

Creepy Chord Combos
​(Chromatic Mediant Relationships)

Have you ever wondered how the harmony in fantasy film music, adventure game soundtracks, or symphonic black metal works? Do you want to create a similarly lugubrious atmosphere in your own music?

If so, here is a theoretical explanation of one commonplace family of chord progressions that can bring about that foreboding sound-world you are looking for. 
Picture

Chromatic Mediant relationships are pairs of chords that are either major or minor thirds apart, creating dark moods and a brooding feel, but at the same time maintaining a loose sense of tonality.

Chord sequences like this tend to lend themselves to chromatic melodies that twist and bend through the changes, lines which could sound totally out of place in a more functional harmonic context.  

This sort of harmony can be heard in 'The Lord of The Rings' soundtrack by Howard Shore, and in the music of bands such as Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, and Cradle of Filth. 
Picture

​Apart from the chord progressions which are underlined (chords from the same key, that share two notes), there are dramatic tonal contrasts between each horizontal pair, brought about by the chords only sharing one note.


The chords couplets that share a box in the chart are the inversion of each other (the same progressions turned upside down).  

The chart only gives examples starting on C or C minor: don’t forget that any one of these sixteen pairs could be transposed anywhere chromatically, and also that the chords could be embellished with harmonic extensions.
Something I like to do is  combine two examples a tritone apart, resulting in some really rich yet thrillingly dissonant hexatonic harmonies.  

Rules are there to be learnt then burnt: you are only limited by the breadth of your inspiration and the depth of your imagination (unless someone else is in charge, of course!).

Instrumentation, performance techniques, and texture (as well as dynamics) also contribute to the manifestation of these ominous timbres.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more maniacal insights into theory, composition, and orchestration coming soon.

As requested, here are a few references to demonstrate what these sorts of progressions can sound like:

Emiliana Torrini / Howard Shore - 'Gollum's Song'

Intro / Verse

G#m - Bm
(Chromatic Mediant Relationship, minor 3rd)
Cm - D sus 4
( iv - V in Gm, with suspension and resolution on the D, then between D and  B there is also a C.M.R (major 3rd this time)

B - Bm
(tonic major-minor pair)
Cm - D sus 4 
( iv - V in Gm, with Suspension + Resolution on the D )

Chorus

[Gm - Bm] x2
(C.M.R major 3rd)

Cm/^7 add 6
(from C melodic minor)
D sus 4
( iv - V in Gm, with S+R on the D )
Cm - D add♭9
( iv - V in Gm, with S+R on the D )

Dimmu Borgir - 'The Serpentine Offering'

Orchestral Intro
Gm - E♭m
(C.M.R major 3rd, starting in the dominant key of Gm)
Gm - B
(C.M.R major 3rd, then tritone substitution of F with B, leading into the tonic key of Cm)

Orchestral Theme
Cm - E - Cm
(C.M.R major 3rd)
Cm - A♭m - Cm
(C.M.R major 3rd, then i - iv to the sub-dominant key of Fm)

Band Theme / Chorus
Fm - A - Fm
(C.M.R major 3rd)
Fm - D♭m - Fm
(C.M.R major 3rd, then C.M.R minor 3rd into D)

Interlude
D diminished riffage + chromatic trills

Verse
E♭5 - F#5 - E♭5 - F#5 - E♭5 - D5 

Pre - Chorus
Cm - A♭m
(C.M.R major 3rd)
​Cm - E 
(C.M.R major 3rd, then tritone substitution of Bb with E, leading into Ebm)

Vocal Solo (sung by Vortex)
[ Gm - D ] x 4
E♭m - Gm
(C.M.R major 3rd, vocal in Eb major)
then 
(C.M.R minor 3rd)
B♭m add 9 - Fm (iv - i in Fm)
E♭m - Gm add 9 
(C.M.R major 3rd, vocal in Eb major, then tritone substitution of C)
F# - Cm - D (iv - V in G minor, same as in Gollum's Song)

Bridge
D diminished dissonant arpeggios, #11's and ♭9's


 

Tritone substitutions also tend to add a great deal of tension and a feeling of unease to a chord sequence: i'll post another blog specifically on that topic in the near future.

Often, the most effective harmonic cocktail for this kind of music comes from mixing up different kinds of progressions, so that the music doesn't get too predictable or repetitive, whilst at the same time maintaining an ominous and sinister vibe. 

Click on the image below to see a transcription I made of the orchestral sections of the song back in 2010:
Picture
7 Comments
Jenny
11/5/2016 12:29:23

Fantastic blog!

Reply
Sam
11/5/2016 22:38:24

I'm still new to music theory, not sure I understand what is being suggested. How are you suggesting we use those boxes?

Reply
Ben
12/5/2016 01:54:52

Can you post an audio or video example? I'm trying to use these examples and not sure if I'm getting it

Reply
Michael
12/5/2016 07:42:52

These are also called chromatic mediant relationships -- a third apart but not related diatonically. They become more common in the Romantic period of classical music. It's also useful to know what modulating to keys with this relationship sounds like. It's basically all over the history of sci-fi film scores.

Reply
Jon Phipps link
12/5/2016 10:06:04

Thanks Jenny!

Sam, the pairs of progressions within each box are inversely related to each other. For example, C-E is a pair of major chords, a major third apart. C-Ab is likewise a pair of major chords, a major third apart, but with a descending major third between them, as opposed to an ascending one. I hope that this helps clear it up for you.

Ben: Yes I will post some examples for demonstration purposes, thank you for the nudge!

Michael: Thank you for your insights into this topic. I've changed the title of the blog accordingly! :)

Reply
Jon Phipps link
12/5/2016 10:09:43

Sam: additionally, the boxes that are next to each other horizontally share the same kinds of chords in each case, but the chord pairs on the left have major thirds between them, whereas the chord pairs on right are separated by minor thirds.

Reply
Zack parsley
20/5/2016 12:28:44

Thank you so much again Jon , I will write some tonight with this my friend, your a great person for sharing this since it helps me learn, have a great day!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Hi, Jon Phipps MA here!

    I am a composer and guitarist, who works as a virtual orchestrator for award-winning metal bands and producers from around the world.

    ARCHIVES

    February 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    August 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2014
    October 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    September 2012
    May 2012
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011

    CATEGORIES

    All
    Bands
    Composer
    Concerts
    Guitar Tutor
    Orchestrator
    Session Musician

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2018 Jon Phipps.  All Rights Reserved.
✕