Part 5/11:
He explains that combining these intervals with consonant ones—like thirds, sixths, or perfect fifths—can mellow their impact. For example, adding a perfect fifth to a major seventh interval dramatically reduces its tension, making it more palatable.
This idea emphasizes the importance of "tempering" dissonance through intelligent voicing and interval layering, which allows composers and arrangers to evoke desired emotional responses without overwhelming the listener.
Complex Chords and Polyrhythms: Harnessing Dissonance
The exploration extends into complex chords such as augmented intervals and clusters.
- For example, stacking augmented chords like C augmented over D-flat augmented produces rich, layered dissonance with multiple flat ninths.