Definitely not for everyone... but, sounds so natural to others. Okay, I stole a title from an old standard song. Don't think anyone will confuse this with that one.

Out of Nowhere: http://schicksville.com/Out%20of%20Nowhere.mp3

John

Where is Rod Serling?
I kept waiting...

That's cool, but I wish there was a power chord at the start of each 8th note arpeggio...

Thanks Sunset! Yes, I think Rod would approve.

John

Thanks 9ne! I'm afraid my power chord days are gone forever. I barely have enough power to get up in the morning.

John

Very spooky and ideal for setting the atmosphere in a movie. I enjoyed it, which surprised me. I was exposed to atonal music as a child and embarrassed my father by booing at the end of the first act of a Schoenberg opera. I think maybe what works with a violin just grates when it's people singing. Of course, being 13 at the time, I maybe just didn't have the patience.

Yuck! Sounds like what I hear when I sing...

Thanks Gavin! Glad for your surprise.

Best, John

Yes, atonal music isn't for everyone. It's kind of like raw fish.

John

Lol... I go fishing for melodies all the time, but I happen to love sushi!

I like it, but there must be some underlying chord going on there, sounds like a dissonant scale, maybe one chord vamping on top. Sounds more like a bizarre scale. but it does the job, it doesn't let you settle in keeps you unnerved.

Its funny I wrote a piece on guitar that I never did anything with, which is the case of hundreds of my things. And I was playing it at guitar center,along comes a guy...hey what is that...... What's what.... What you were playing, I just love atonal music..... Pretend I know what atonal means...I do now.... I don't know I was just fiddling around a bit.

I was riffing on a b flat, which I picked notes like the open d g and e. So u had this b flat bass, with a d, g and e picking back and forth, then I slid down to c and did the same thing , started moving the position to like f# and eventually it was just the bass moving around but those notes don't all play nice .but it sounded cool as he'll.... Little did he know that was the first time I even did that, I went home and worked on it, and then, it sat quietly like alot of my stuff

I'm sure there is a theorist out there who would argue there is a chord to be had behind those notes making it....not atonal but tonal.

What's interesting about your piece the violin gives it a calming presence . if you choose to focus in that you don't hear the piano.

Cool, a power chord would probably work over that it does on mine!

Thanks Fde! Well, maybe at least the broader meaning of atonality: "music that does not conform to the system of tonal hierarchies that characterized classical European music between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries" - which it doesn't conform to. To answer whether this falls into atonal music such as Schoenberg, I'd have to do a complete theory analysis of this piece, which would be hypocritical because of my signature: "Stop analyzing; just compose the damn thing!" So whether a broader meaning or narrower meaning, I won't explore it. I will say that the violin part gives the false presentation of tonality.The piano by itself sounds atonal to me - but like dissonance, a pleasure to my ears.

Best, John

I like it. I've written a few atonal pieces myself. Although I'm proud of them, I find that most people can't see the genius behind them.
Thanks for sharing this.

Actually we have quite an expert on this from the awards. I will see if Stan will com and discuss this with us. His performance name is Cinema Braille.

Brian

Thanks Aaron!

Best, John

Thanks Brian. I think this track lies somewhere between tonal and atonal music. The broading meaning of atonalism.I listened to several of Stan's tracks. He uses a lot of "sounds" rather than tones. Although his digital dreams for piano I think would be in the same category as my track. I guess it's up to the listener’s interpretation. I’ve grown to love dissonance in music. I’m not even sure if I’m capable of picking out mistakes any longer -

Best, John

Here's a good example of pure atonal piano music:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=atonal+piano+music&&view=detail&mid=DD0D760D886F7F36E31DDD0D760D886F7F36E31D&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Datonal%2Bpiano%2Bmusic%26qpvt%3Datonal%2Bpiano%2Bmusic%26FORM%3DVDRE You'll have to cut & paste the link.

John

Satan hides subliminal, sub-texted messages of evil-ity in atonal music. That is why there is always something slightly disturbing about it. Somewhat similar to Revolution #9 by the Beatles. The atonality is a signal to gain his flock's attention.

Just kidding.
As you may have guessed, I made that up. But...you cannot be absolutely certain.

Again...just kidding.

I enjoy dissonance too,particularly if its for a reason, not just saying hey let me grate on f# and f at the same time.

It can serve a very artistic purpose, creating a mood. Atonal might be a bit much for me. Its like it leaves me saying huh?

Ie..... If your gonna end a phrase with a dissonant note, or chord, make sure the lyric doesn't rhyme......

And make sure the meter isnt even flowing and sing songy , unless your looking for a contrasting view

More to lyrics than just the words.....

This is out of my wheelhouse but I sent a note to Stan to see if he would jump in. He teaches this stuff I believe.

Brian


This is out of my wheelhouse but I sent a note to Stan to see if he would jump in. He teaches this stuff I believe.

Brian

Great track, John. I really like the sense of progression and resolution. Did someone say “dissonance”? What dissonance? Lol. But seriously, good composers make dissonance less dissonant, and this track is a great example of this, as well as proof that atonal music does not equal dissonant music.

My soapbox is more microtonal than atonal, but you might like my track Grid Eulogy I. It’s based on a custom microtonal scale.

Stan

Thanks Stan! Do you have a link to Grid Eulogy. Can't find it.

Best, John

And here is the YouTube link if you don’t have Spotify:

https://youtu.be/sNnuMv0OzZs

Great mood track for a romantic night. Be good for film scenes as well.

Best, John

Seems like what is not commercial and more an alternative slant.
I have looked at reaching out from formative influences that are more familiar.
I would never eat raw fish, but with creating and attempting to expand ones horizons, that leaves people that are still trying to find out what they want to do to have more to go on.

Missed Stans response. I dont agree that "good composers make dissonance sound less dissonant" Dissonant is not a negative its an intentional use of notes that dont normally sound resolved or comfortable. Thats like saying good painters make the color gray look less gray... your doing it because you WANT it to sound like that. Unless your so bad you dont know how off it sounds. Not the case with John.

You could say good players, or good singers make something sound less dissonant, cause they are so smooth. But thats more about hitting the correct notes.

Stan never came on even though he said he was going to. Not sure why. Will follow up with him.

Isn't that StanKozadayev who replied, the Stan you contacted?

John

I can't say myself whether I am good or bad
. But what sucks more or less.
There are likely many that want to navigate beyond the familiar and better.

A whole lot of that in the rock scene and what set the pallets for listeners was kicked out the most in the late sixties to mid seventies.
The most experimental phase.