BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
16455 / 18210 · Workshop 119 — Writing and Hearing Tension Arcs: How to Control Dissonance, Expectation, Delay, Release, and Emotional Pressure Across an Entire Piece← prev⊞ allnext →

119.126Designing a tension constitution

For a piece, define baseline.

Example:

Harmony: mostly diatonic.

Rhythm: moderately syncopated.

Register: middle.

Texture: 3 voices.

Dynamics: mp.

Now rare events:

borrowed chord

high octave

full blocks

silence

have meaning.