Theoretical Sketching - Part 5 (Form & Structure)

This will be my last procedural post in this series on Theoretical Sketching before I post the final modest 

Midi/Audio mock-up and it's accompanying notated sketch score in my final post on this topic.

I am using this post in order to describe how I personally take a sketch that I have created… even what appears to be a convoluted one and lay it out into a final cohesive musical structure.

Once I have completed my sketch draft to my basic liking I will then take some standard paper or write on the back of the sketch itself, a verbal description regarding the sectional order, instrument suggestions, tempos, dynamics, articulations, etc… before I begin the final sequencing and scoring steps towards its musical realization.

I based this sketch on an 8 bar phrase based primarily in 4/4 with beats left off in bars 4 (3/4) and 8 (2/4) to help create a sense of forward movement.

I have decided to start this cue with a large open poly-chord voicing on synth as an Intro in order to establish a basic atmosphere and precursor the harmony that the A section will start to play as the cue's predominant theme begins.

The 8 bar A section will then play (a tempo 1/4 = 80) twice with the 1st Violin + Oboe melody introduced the second time through. 

I will also disperse some light percussion and low pizzicato strings for additional harmonic support in this section as well.

The B section will then play over the same 8 bar rhythm sequence twice with the Cello introducing a secondary theme supported by the low brass and dove-tailed sweeps occurring in the 3/4 and 2/4 bars

respectively.

The C section I will treat as the dynamic focus of this cue and it will be played in double time (a tempo  1/4 = 160) with high energy string activity overlaid with a big sustaining melody in the horns. This section will be repeated no less than 4 times and possibly upwards to 8 times as it develops.

I might decide to recapitulate the A theme at the end for it is generally nice to come back home… however this is not written in stone and I may decide to disregard this thought.

Any slight alterations from this point on that I may choose to implement will simply be in consideration for orchestration, melodic sweetening, counterpoint, recapitulation, etc… and I will without doubt stay true to the original sketch.

Now it is time to score and sequence this to see what kind of Christmas gift pops out of the box… and trust me a nice one always does. Even though some are more special than others, they all have something very musical to offer.

Thank you for your continued interest and I look forward to posting the final results.