Moods from Chord Progressions

[bobsguitars09]

In the book Hearing and Writing Music. there is a exercise on page 267

EXERCISE 104 does not have a answer to it in the back of the book like
a lot of the other exercises do.


EXERCISE 104

6 Styles or Moods. Using chord symbols only, write a chord progression
(at least 8 chords) to describe each of the following styles or moods. Use
modality, alterations or inversions as needed.

1) Serene 2) Majestic 3) Bluesy 4) Excitement 5) Terror 6) Sadness


Any examples of what chords to use in a given key to achieve each of
these moods? as in I ii iii IV V vi viidim and so on so its easy to apply to other keys?

Thanks!

Especially interested in what chords would make a Terror

[fep]

I have chord progressions in mind... but this exercise is very subjective.

I don't have the book so I don't know what kind of information has been given you leading up to this excercise.

And most importantly imo:

I think the benefit of this excercise is in experimenting and putting things together yourself to come up with a solution. Writing music is sort of like working with a jigsaw puzzle.

Having someone give you and using their answer will eliminate most of the benefit you would derive from the exericise.

[bobsguitars09]

thanks fep. I plan on doing the exercise. I just want some more insight.
I learn better when I have some sort of answer before or after doing it on
my own.. Could you share your chord progression please? I am going to work
on this in a bit and will not check the thread until late late tonight.

Thanks for all the help in all my threads!! means a lot. everyone else also

[fep]

Bob, how do you like the book?

I just looked it up and I'm intrigued... and it looks to be a real bargain at $19.

[fep]

Okay, I just wrote up a serene:


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[fep]

Here's one for majestic:


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[fep]

That's enough from me for now...

I'll reiterate that this is very subjective and that there isn't really a right or wrong answer to this.

I will say this, terror... since the assignment restricted you to chord symbols only, I'd have a hard time. For terror my mind immediately goes to tone clusters (e.g. the shower scene in psycho). I don't know how to notate that with chord symbols, I'd want to write it out in notation form.

[bobsguitars09]

Thanks for taking all the time to do this fep!! you rock!!

[Robertkoa]

I think it may be instructive to nail specific VOICINGS of the chords for this where you have intervals of seconds and minor seconds( sharp nine, flat nine , etc. etc.) adding more "tension" and other more consonant intervals creating more "release".