Schillinger System

Hiya Peeps

I've just been reading up on Schillinger system recently, I kinda get the basic theory.

Is anyone kind enough to add a few pointers in 'layman terms' about applying the system to time signatures?

ta

P

I heard about this "system" a few years ago but didn't have the time to fully understand it. Part of the reason was that a lot of it was very technical and theory-based. Without much knowledge on theory, it all went over my head.

But out of curiosity I decided to take another look. But like you, I really need some of the concepts to be explained in laymen terms. You might find out something helpful at this Schillinger forum: www.schillingersystem.com/phpBB2/index.php

- xpander

Hi,

I saw this post and thought I would chime in. I'm a big advocate of the Schillinger System, I use his methods for almost all the composition I do. It's a little complicated to break down in a post like this, but I'll mention some basic principals.

He breaks music into several categories: rhythm, melody, harmony, counterpoint, orchestraion, etc. He starts with rhythm and the concepts used in rhythm are later expanded upon in all the other categories, thats why it's important to grasp the concepts in the first chapters.

His ideas are basically ways to take a really simple musical fragment, like 2 or 3 notes and to get endless variations and material out of it by making permutations, geometrically expanding the rhythms and the notes, inverting the intervals (or rhythms), reversing the phrase, etc. It's a pretty awesome concept.

It is all very useful, but I found his chapter on counterpoint particularly useful. I took a counter point class in college and really didn't learn anything about writing counterpoint. Shillinger gives you a couple simple tendencies to follow and that's it. I was able to write good counterpoint right away after observing his methods.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone.

peace, Nicnut

Aw shucks, man, I mean, do we need a system? Can't we just write music the old-fashioned way anymore?

Hey, just kidding. Nicnut, thanks for answering this thread. I've been curious about this system myself.

Hi,

 

I saw this post and thought I would chime in. I'm a big advocate of the Schillinger System, I use his methods for almost all the composition I do. It's a little complicated to break down in a post like this, but I'll mention some basic principals.

 

He breaks music into several categories: rhythm, melody, harmony, counterpoint, orchestraion, etc. He starts with rhythm and the concepts used in rhythm are later expanded upon in all the other categories, thats why it's important to grasp the concepts in the first chapters.

 

His ideas are basically ways to take a really simple musical fragment, like 2 or 3 notes and to get endless variations and material out of it by making permutations, geometrically expanding the rhythms and the notes, inverting the intervals (or rhythms), reversing the phrase, etc. It's a pretty awesome concept.

 

It is all very useful, but I found his chapter on counterpoint particularly useful. I took a counter point class in college and really didn't learn anything about writing counterpoint. Shillinger gives you a couple simple tendencies to follow and that's it. I was able to write good counterpoint right away after observing his methods.

 

Anyway, I hope this helps someone.

 

peace, Nicnut

Yes, thank you.

I am wary of anything calling itself a "music" system.... but, from the Wikipedia article....

"My system does not circumscribe the composer's freedom, but merely points out the methodological way to arrive at a decision. Any decision, which results in a harmonic relation, is fully acceptable. We are opposed only to vagueness and haphazard speculation".

It would appear that Schillinger's group of ideas and practices might be a great way to explore possibilities.

Here's a link showing the Table of contents of the Book.

Schillinger

Here is something neat ...