'Super Locrian Suppositions' - New Original Song/Exercise in Super Locrian Mode - Electronic/Experimental + Walkthrough!

grapthar (74)in #music • 7 years ago

This is a weird tune in that

it wasn't written to actually be "song-worthy", I was just experimenting using only 1 mode per song, and decided to try using SUPER LOCRIAN!! Super Locrian is created by taking the Locrian Mode, and flatting the 4th. So in this song, we are in C Super Locrian, so we have C, Db, Eb, Fb (enharmonic to E natural), Gb, Ab, Bb, and resolving to C. Very strange scale, the chords it creates are equally weird, and it never feels like things really resolve to C, which can be really awesome. I was just trying out some random melodies/harmonies using some basic Ableton instruments, so this doesn't sound "professional" or anything, I would encourage you to focus more on the harmonies and stuff, that's where I was really just experimenting.

Listen to Super Locrian Suppositions here.

Track 1 is a piano tone,

which begins the song. It plays EVERY note in the Super Locrian mode all at once, and holds them for 2 measures. I wasn't sure what this would be like with other instruments, but it kind of works with the general dissonance of the track that begins to build up. Track 2 is a "bell" tone, and begins playing an actual melody using C Super Locrian. I have attached a screenshot of it below.

Track 3 is a percussion track

which has the weird digitized drums that come in before the acoustic drum kit later. Simple beat, just wanted to have a back beat to jam over so I added this. Track 4 is a saw synth which only comes in at the beginning of each 4 bar section, and plays a super fast 32nd note trill sort of thing. It's so fast, it plays every note in the mode at least once in that short amount of time haha.

Listen to Super Locrian Suppositions here.

Track 5 comes in playing

various diads using only Super Locrian notes, and has a sort of Shamisen kind of vibe to it... A percussive string tone. I was sort of selecting the harmonies at random from the mode, although I did edit a few of them that just were TOO dissonant haha. I also liked how the straight rhythm of this track gave us a swing/stutter against the beat of the percussion of Track 3.

Track 5, described above.

Track 6 is the acoustic drum kit

which just compliments the other drums... I just sort of randomly put this extra drum in, I don't know why haha, but it kind of worked decently. If this was to be "produced", I would definitely use a better kit, but it's not bad considering I didn't effect or EQ it at all.

Listen to Super Locrian Suppositions here.

Track 7 is sort of in the background,

it's kind of quiet, but it plays a very fast 32nd note triplet (maybe? it's kind of random at times) sort of melody. Because you can't hear the harmony it provides that much, it just sort of feels like another percussive rhythm. Track 8 is next, which is has a percussive piano/harpsichord sort of tone, and plays diads too, but in a cool pattern, descending upper notes, and ascending lower notes, then reversing. Check out the screenshot below, it made a great pattern haha.

Track 8, described above.

Last up is Track 9

which is synth guitar tone... I really don't like this tone at all, but I changed the overtone effect so it sounds much more like harmonics, and it is kind of cool... not sure if I could ever seriously use it, but in this song, it sort of fits with the weird and strange Locrian harmonies. It basically plays a little riff, then repeats that at 2x and 3x the speed, which makes it sound kind of like a tappy lead melody.