Understanding Forward Motion by Hal Galper

Hi Everyone,

I am interesting in

Rhythmic Forward Motion

http://www.halgalper.com/articles/understandingforwardmotion/

can anyone help exaplain this concepts

Originally Posted by: bcraig4J

http://www.halgalper.com/articles/understandingforwardmotion/

can anyone help exaplain this concepts

Hal Galper is an amazing teacher & musician. That particular article is about rhythmic motion & syncopation. How it's important to emulate or impart what sounds like physically moving forward in your musical melodies, phrases, licks.

There are a wealth of Galper vids on the internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2XnB5G6oSc

Hope that helps!

Hi Christopher,

I been watching he's videos and I am just not get how the forward motion work 🤪

I understand that certain rhythms do create forward motions

but what are those rhythms ?

Originally Posted by: bcraig4J

I understand that certain rhythms do create forward motions

but what are those rhythms ?

[p]Galper's forward motion is mostly about how the second line rhythms in jazz provide the syncopation against the straight 4 count. This is essentially a clave rhythm, but he's referring more generally to the origin of the blues & jazz rhythms in the New Orleans brass band parades. The parade band (the main or "first line") provided a solid beat & the parade followers (the "second line" to the main line) danced along and added their own variety of rhythms to the band.

Essentially, the idea is that a straight 4 count is steady, but boring.

1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, etc.

And to make the music interesting, or sound like it's going somewhere, or has forward motion, you add syncopations in between the beats & stress those syncopations.

1-2-AND-3-4, 1-AND-2-AND-3-4-AND, etc.

So that you wind up with notes on a combination & variety of notes on downbeats (counted numbered beats) & upbeats (the ANDs in between the beats).

Some rhythms have this sort of rhythmic syncopation built in. The classic example is the gallop rhythm: 1/8th note followed by 2 16th notes, repeat! And that implies a lot of forward motion obviously!

Galper's material is pretty heavy duty. But it's based on very basic ideas of rhythmic syncopation that is used to some degree in all music. This makes me curious exactly what you are doing with it! What are you working on to wind up watching Galper?

That make sense 😀

here I working on a assignment for Abmient sound scape Project for my midi keyboard with my DAW Logic Pro X

the idea is I wanted to create a very smooth transition from chord to chord (Voice Leading)

and using the motion concepts of (Oblique Motion)

and been learning how to use basic Synthesis about Sine Wave

So I have 3 layers

1.top layer Chords to blend smoothly into each other as like a airy cloud using a a lot of reverb - meaning each chord will not draw attention to one itself - Voice Leading

2.middle layer Using a recorded MP3 of a flowing water sound and I mapped it to my midi keyboard within Logic so I play up or down in pitch to create and try to convey moment And motion underneath the the chords - Oblique Motion

3.bottom layer Using the sine wave to also create some subtle movement in the bass range which is also map to the midi keyboard - Synthesis

So for layer 2,3

is where I want to use forward motion

I wanted to learn forward motion so I could propel rhythm forward just abit to create that movement

i hope this make sesne I am in beginnings stages of learning

Originally Posted by: bcraig4J

here I working on a assignment for Abmient sound scape Project for my midi keyboard with my DAW Logic Pro X

[p]Okay, but one of the main characteristics of ambient soundscapes is the lack of rhythmic emphasis. :) Maybe you are trying to add an unexpected element?

It's supposed to be very calm & smooth. But if you want to include some forward motion sounding rhythm, then add syncopations. Make one voice fairly static rhythmically by having it just play on the downbeats, or just use whole notes or half notes!

Then have another voice play notes on the upbeats, the "ands" between the beats. Or make a melody that has a mixture of rhythmic values.

Anything that breaks up the static pulse is going to give it some motion. Hope that helps!

Okay, but one of the main characteristics of ambient sounds scapes is the lack of rhythmic emphasis. :) Maybe you are trying to add an unexpected element?

Yes this in what I am after

and the anykind of rhythm is going to be very very subtle

Thank You 👍😎