Creating a tone row
I can explain the fundamentals of serialism and create a tone row.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
- Year 9
Creating a tone row
I can explain the fundamentals of serialism and create a tone row.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Serialism developed in the 20th century, with composers searching for a new approach to composition.
- It is atonal, meaning that it has no key or tonic note.
- Everything in a piece is based on a unique tone row - the 12 notes of the chromatic scale arranged in a specific order.
- A tone row must use all 12 notes and avoid repeating any.
- Arnold Schoenberg and Elisabeth Lutyens are two well-known serialist composers.
Keywords
Atonal - lacking a key or tonic
Serialism - an atonal composition method based on a specific order of pitches (a tone row)
Tone row - a specific order of the 12 notes of the chromatic scale, forming the basis of a piece of serialism
Chromatic scale - the 12 notes used in most Western music
Common misconception
A tone row is just a scale.
A tone row is different because it isn't just a set of notes to choose from, but a specific order. When you are composing something in C major, you can use the notes of the C major scale in any order. With a tone row, they have a specific order.
Equipment
Notation software, a DAW or live instruments.
Licence
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