negative harmony

NEGATIVEHARMONY

ONLY 4 LESSONS

by Nestor CrespoPractical and dynamic studying methodology for self taught

students and classroom teachersserie20y20.com.ar

ISBN 978-987-28103-1-3

FREE VERSION Does not contain:

THEORY FOR ALL

THE INSTRUMENTS

43 Audios

Exercises Solutions

Book without watermark

The remaining exercises

The remaining 15 Lessons

MUSICIAN FRIEND

You’ve just downloaded the Free Version of this Ebook:

Theory / Negative Harmony for all the instruments by Néstor Crespo

If you wish, you can purchase for a very low cost the complete version, which includes a greater number of exercises, solutions, audios, etc. with the objective of securing the addressed concepts.

As an independent publishing house, we will be so thankful with your purchase, because in this way you are helping us to create even more teaching material.

From Buenos Aires, Argentina, we send you the best wishes for your musical career.

Néstor Crespo Serie20&20 Director

www.serie20y20.com.ar

CONSIDERTIONS NEGATIVE HARMONY - FREE VERSION

The Free Version (PDF with 13 pages – 4MB) only contains:

* 4 Pages (Total 20 pages with exercises, solutions, audios, final summary, etc)

* 43 Audios

* Printable Book (without Watermark)

If you wish, you can obtain the complete Ebook by purchasing at a low cost

the Paid Version at www.serie20y20.com.ar

OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSES

Ernest Levy in his book "Theory of Harmony" is the one who raises this concept although he does not do

so under the name of negative harmony.

Educators and musicians like Steve Coleman, Bill Harris, and currently Jacob Collier are the ones who

develop this concept by posing the chord movement within a progression in a gravitational way.

The term gravitational is raised because negative harmony is not governed by the tonal functions of tonal

music. (Subdominant - Dominant - Tonic)

I have developed the present note from the melodic as well as harmonic point of view (Triads, Seventh

Chords, Scales, etc.)

It is presented in colors (blue: original - orange: negative harmony) for the purpose of an easy

understanding and reading of each one of the concepts that are approached.

Although it is true that it is very difficult to find songs or complete works under this concept by the simple

logic that we should know before which would be the original song, we can incorporate it as one more tool

in our study of harmony.

I invite you through your subjectivities to include this concept which will allow us to search for new colors

or textures in a musical fragment as well as in a chord progression or in a song.

CONTENTS

Each of the lessons, exercises, and solutions are painstakingly described in the index.

Also included is a Summary Table or Final Synthesis which will allow us to quickly develop the Negative

Harmony concept in other shades by means of degrees. (Roman numerals)

The book has 43 essential audios for the complete study of this concept, thus facilitating listening without

having to do it on the instrument.

[email protected] / www.nestorcrespo.com.ar / www.serie20y20.com.ar

INDEX NEGATIVE HARMONY – FREE VERSION

Introductory concepts to Negative Harmony................................................................................................................................................................ 1

• Considerations from the mathematical, reflection and overtone series point of view.

Constitution of the dividing axis between Positive and Negative Harmony.................................................... 2

• How to determine the axis or intermediate point between positive and negative harmony.

(Analysis from physics - Hertz and musical from the Circle of 5ths and the Chromatic Scale)

• Positive and negative notes in the key of C major.

The melody.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

• Definition and treatment of Active and Stable notes in C major.

Examples about original musical fragments and negative................................................................................................................. 4

• Over the Rainbow - Cinema Paradise - Exercise. (original melody)

Exercise 1: Write the negative melody of Fly me to the moon. (only in Paid Version) ........................................... 5

Solution Exercise 1 (only in Paid Version) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................................................................................. 6

Harmony - Triads (only in Paid Version)............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

• Harmonization of the Major Scale in Negative Harmony (Authentic Progressions, Plagal, various)

Harmonizing musical fragments with Triads in negative harmony (only in Paid Version)............................... 8

• Over the Rainbow - Cinema Paradise - Exercise. (original melody)

Harmony - Seventh Chords (only in Paid Version)............................................................................................................................................................................ 9

• Harmonization of the Major Scale in Negative Harmony (Authentic Progressions, Plagal, etc)

Harmonizing musical fragments with seventh chords in negative harmony................................................... 10 (only in Paid Version)

Exercise 2: Harmonize with Seventh Chords in negative harmony: Fly me to the moon........ 11 (only in Paid Version)


Solution Exercise 2 (only in Paid Version)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………............................................................................................ 12

Scales - Greek Modes (only in Paid Version)................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13

Melodic and harmonic tensions - Relationship: Scale / Chord - (9, 11& 13)

Harmonizing musical fragments with Greek Modes (only in Paid Version)..................................................................................... 14

• Over the Rainbow - Cinema Paradise - Exercise

Modal Interchange and Negative Harmony (only in Paid Version)................................................................................................................... 15

• Over the Rainbow - Cinema Paradise.

Combining: Original, Modal Exchange and Negative Harmony (only in Paid Version)............................................ 16

• Exercise

Secondary Dominants (only in Paid Version)............................................................................................................................................................................................. 17

How to re-harmonize with secondary dominants in negative harmony (Progressions)

Dominant Substitutes (only in Paid Version)............................................................................................................................................................................................... 18

How to re-harmonize with substitute dominants in negative harmony (Progressions)

Asymmetric and Symmetrical Structures (only in Paid Version)......................................................................................................................... 19

Final Summary (only in Paid Version)..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20

• Quickly develop the Negative Harmony concept in other keys by means of degrees. (Roman numerals)


NESTOR CRESPO (Teacher - Guitarist - Composer - Arranger)

AS A TEACHER

Studied guitar playing under Prof. Armando Alonso and Composing with Prof. Claudio Schulkin while also studying on his own.Founding teacher (1986) of Avellaneda's Popular Music School (Escuela de Musica Popular de Avellaneda - EMPA) as teacher of Jazz Guitar. Meanwhile, collaborates in the writing of four workbooks for the previously named class.

Professor of Functional Harmony I and II virtual classes in the Music and Sound Arts Department (Departamento de Artes Musicales y Sonoras - DAmus) of the National University of the Arts (Universidad Nacional de las Artes - UNA) corresponding to the Musical Arts Degree.Professor of American Cypher I and II in the National Arts University Music and Sound Arts Department

corresponding to the Musical Arrengament degree.

He has taught numerous master classes on Improvising and Functional Harmony on Popular Musica in prestigious study halls such as: Hochshule für Music Karlsruhe (Germany), Conservatorio de Palma de Mallorca y las Aulas (Barcelona, Spain), and as well also he has taught master-classes about Tango Elements in Germany and Switzerland organized by Germany's Tango Academy (Stuttgart, Germany).

He creates in 2008 the 20&20 Series workbooks, which consists of 20 lessons and 20 exercises about different areas in the musical science (for more information: www.serie20y20.com.ar)

In 2013 and 2014 respectively, DAMus (National Arts University's Music and Sound Arts Department) publishes Functional Harmony I and II workbooks in an Ebook format.

PROFESSIONAL WORK

In the 80's, he forms part of different jazz bands, doing shows in the most prestigious clubs and music halls in Buenos aires and all over Argentina.

In 1989, he lives in Palma de Mallorca (Spain), working along european musicians, distinguished among the Ola Calamayer (Dexter Gordon's pianist). He then participated in the "Festival Internacional de Jazz de Mallorca" (Mallorca's International Music Festival), invited by the prestigious trumpeter Woody Shaw and his Quintet)

At beginning of the 90's, alongside Juan Dargenton, creates "El Tranvia Tango", and records 9 LP's in Argentina and Europe. During that time, he tours 25 times in Europe, averaging 80 annual concerts and playing in the most important concert halls, cultural centers, theaters, etc.

He shared stage with the Sexteto Mayor, Daniel Binelli (Astor Piazzolla's bandoneon player), Alfredo Marcucci (bandoneon player), and the singers José Ángel Trelles, María Graña, etc.

He was given important awards in Argentina and overseas: ACE Awards (Asociación Cronistas del Espectáculo - Entertainment Chronicler's Association) as "Best Tango Group", "Future Tango" Award given by Germany's Tango Academy (Stuttgart, Germany). "Ocher Buenos Aires" LP was given the "Best CD" by The Frontier magazine (Stockholm, Sweden), etc.

He produces and arranges tango as well as world music for different record labels in Germany.

He writes the Vision Siete Internacional music, winner of the 2009 Martin Fierro, broadcast by Canal 7 - Argentina.

In 2006 he creates alongside Tomas Pérez (Puerto Rico) and Joselo González (Chile) the band Sur Tres, recording the first LP in which he did the arrangements himself.

Likewise, he has worked as an arranger and musical director for tango singer Omar Mollo, and for bandoneon player Rubén Juárez.


Thanks to

To each and every one of the musicians with whom I have played, for so much generosity

I humbly expect to be useful

Néstor Crespo

NEGATIVE HARMONY (Néstor Crespo)

Ernest Levy proposed the term Negative Harmony in his book “Theory of Harmony”. This concept is based

in an opposed polarity change, that is to say: what was positive becomes negative and vice versa.

(We should also mention the important contribution of the saxophonist Steve Coleman).

As an introduction, we could establish that in the world of

mathematics we call positive and negative numbers due to their

relation to the zero value

In other words, zero is the axis from which we divide positive

and negative numbers.

Levy uses a tree image in which the leaves are the positive, the roots are the

negative and the ground is the axis.

In physics/acoustics terms, when we play a C note we produce a series of harmonics of decreasing amplitude

above, which we call overtones series.

This series has a constant intervallic structure, independent from which note we begin. The harmonic series

is the tonal music basis.

Levy writes in terms of reflection the negative polarity concept.

Positive

overtone series

Negative

undertone series

Now, after this brief introduction, we’ll talk in music theory terms.

In Occidental music, and centering our study in the C major scale, we say that

the first degree (C) is our tonic, and gives a repose sensation, meanwhile the fifth

degree (G), called the dominant tends to resolve or rest on the tonic, C.


Negative AXIS Positive

-2 - 1 0 1 2 www.nestorcrespo.com.ar

Negative Harmony

(Néstor Crespo)

The question is: How do determine in music where the axis that divides positive and negative polarity

should be?

As Levy posts, the middle point should be between the tonic and its

dominant, which is located between: Eb and E.

(Note: the totality of this lesson is in C major, to transpose it to another scale

we should establish the axis between the tonic and the dominant of the new

scale)

As we know, in music there’s no note between them, so it’s important

to present AXIS from the science or math’s point of view, using

frequencies (hertz) that represent each note.

With a simple mathematical equation, we’ll see as a result that the

middle point between C and G is neither E nor Eb, but the AXIS is

precisely between them. (327.32Hz)

And so, we have established the AXIS and which notes are positive and

which are negative.

AXIS VIA CIRCLE OF FIFTHS

The division AXIS via circle of fifths, as we established, is located

between C and G, the notes to the right of that AXIS are

positive, and the ones on the left are negative.

We can also call those notes as bright and dark.

So in this way, we see that a positive G becomes a C in the

negative and vice versa, a positive D to an F in negative, and so

on until Gb and Db.

Another way for getting the AXIS is via the chromatic scale, tracing it between Eb and E, getting in this way

the positive notes above the negative notes or vice versa.

AXIS


C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab A Bb B

Bb B C Db D Eb

A Ab G Gb F E

www.nestorcrespo.com.ar

MELODY Negative Harmony (Néstor Crespo)

We are going to divide each note on the C mayor scale into stable notes (C triad, Tonic chord) and active

notes (all the others)

Active means that they want to resolve into stable notes

C D E F G A B C

• The I degree - C is stable because it has only stable notes ( C E G )

• The V degree - G is unstable because it has two active notes ( G B D ) (and tend to resolve into stable notes – C major)

Authentic Cadence

• The IV degree - F is unstable because it has two active notes ( F A C ) (and tend to resolve into stable notes – C major)

Plagal Cadence

Now, if we took the C major scale and transform each note using the AXIS we get a C minor natural scale.

Something important to mention is that only when we establish de Axis between the tonic and the

dominant is when the C major stable notes become stable in C minor, and the same occurs with its active

notes.

Positive

A simple melody example:

Negative


C major C D E F G A B C Axis

C minor G F Eb D C Bb Ab G


& 44 ˙ ˙. œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ w

& ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w

& bb b 44 ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ w

& bb b ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w

& 44 .˙ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙

& bb b 44 .˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙

& 43 .œ jœ ‰ jœ.

œ œ œ .œ jœ ‰ jœ .˙

& .œ jœ ‰ jœ œ ˙ œ3

œ œ œ .˙

& bb b 43 .œjœ ‰ jœ œ œ œ .œ

jœ ‰ jœ .˙

& bb b .œ jœ ‰ jœ œ ˙ œ3

œ œ œ .˙

Over the Rainbow

Negative

Negative

Cinema Paradise

Melody examples: Original and Negative

(Arlen / Harburg)

(Andrea Morricone)

Negative


Original

Original

OriginalAs an exercise

(Néstor Crespo)

(Nestor Crespo)


MUSICIAN FRIEND

You’ve just downloaded the Free Version of this Ebook:

Theory / Negative Harmony for all the instruments by Néstor Crespo

If you wish, you can purchase for a very low cost the complete version, which includes a greater number of exercises, solutions, audios, etc. with the objective of securing the addressed concepts.

As an independent publishing house, we will be so thankful with your purchase, because in this way you are helping us to create even more teaching material.

From Buenos Aires, Argentina, we send you the best wishes for your musical career.

Néstor Crespo Serie20&20 Director


LEGAL

Crespo, Néstor Rubén

1st bilingual edition - Buenos Aires: Nestor Crespo, 2020.

EBook, DXReader

Spanish-English Edition

Digital Archive: download online

1. Music. I. Title.

ISBN 978-987-28103-4-4

Date of registration: 12/08/2020

NEGATIVE HARMONY

1st edition

© Nestor Crespo, 2020

[email protected]

www.nestorcrespo.ar


Date of publication: August 2020

Replication Date: August 2020

The deposit established by Law 11.723

EDITED IN ARGENTINA

Graphic Design: Edgardo Vallarino

Recording Studio: Federico Palmero

Translation: Tomas Lidejover

The backing tracks belong to the author of the work.

The content and originality of this document is the sole responsibility of its author.

The content and originality of this document is the sole responsibility of its author. No part of this

publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,

electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the

publisher. editor.Your violation is punishable by laws 11,723 and 25,446.


All the backing tracks belong to the author

of this book, done in the recording

studio of Prof. Federico Palmero

[email protected]

Cover Design: Edi Vallarino

www.edivallarino.com.ar

Translation: Tomás Lidejover

[email protected]

Made in Buenos Aires, Argentina on August 2020


01. Cover Negative Harmony - FREEPage Free Version Negative Harmony03. Considerations - FREE04. Index Free - OK02. Bio - Nestor Crespo05. Thanks01. Intro 102. Intro 203. Melody04. Exc. Melody Original & Excersice07. Legales - OK08. Back Cover - OK

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