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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
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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
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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.
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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)
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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)
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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.
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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
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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.
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Negative AXIS Positive
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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
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C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab A Bb B
Bb B C Db D Eb
A Ab G Gb F E
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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
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C major C D E F G A B C Axis
C minor G F Eb D C Bb Ab G
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& 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
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Original
Original
OriginalAs an exercise
(Néstor Crespo)
(Nestor Crespo)
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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
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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
www.nestorcrespo.ar
www.serie20y20.com.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.
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All the backing tracks belong to the author
of this book, done in the recording
studio of Prof. Federico Palmero
Cover Design: Edi Vallarino
www.edivallarino.com.ar
Translation: Tomás Lidejover
Made in Buenos Aires, Argentina on August 2020
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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