Using the Octatonic Scale in Your Compositions

Paul demonstrates how to use the octatonic scale in your compositions to create a more classic sound.
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[@billyruss]

Not to forget Messaien and his incredible use of the octotonic. Rick Beato has an amazing video on this scale too.

[@malluxmusic]

You posted this at exactly the right time Paul... I was just wondering how to score a particular action sequence and now I have something a lot more original than I would have come up with otherwise! Thanks!

[@spitfireaudiollp]

Glad we could help. Would love to see the final product!

[@tronam]

The entire score for Predator is basically Alan Silvestri riffing on octotonic for 2 hours. Love it.

[@elijahgrajkowski2505]

Stravinsky used it in his Symphony of Psalms.
Jazz musicians will use this scale when improvising over altered dominant chords-using it will immediately make your improvisation sound more sophisticated.

[@houdinididiit]

Stravinsky used it in nearly everything. Especially the early stuff and notably in The Rite.

[@BenMartinBox]

Thank you for sharing this one. Have a nice 2024.

[@davidsinclair699]

Thanks Paul. Very informative with some really nice ideas to try.

[@andrewmusician]

Yes, I love all forms of the octatonic. Great for horror and especially villains or battle scenes if it fits the mood.

[@dimass1008]

Thanks for such informative tutorial 🙏

[@jonremimuziq]

Really awesome demonstration of the Octatonic Scale. I love both demos!! That amount of chord connections that are possible within this scale is crazy! And giving it that John Williamsy' sound with that those fast trumpet stabs is so satisfying.

[@deeppc]

This is also known as Diminished scale right?

[@jonremimuziq]

@@deeppc Absolutely ... I love using it to create "spice" in harmony, or to add tension to a chord for a scene. Similar to Paul's 2nd example.

[@deeppc]

@@jonremimuziq yess✨✨ Best wishes for your projects man!

[@jonremimuziq]

@@deeppc Thank you. Likewise

[@damiangonzalez_esp]

Wow, this blew my mind. I never "saw" the minor and major chords on the octafonic scale (I never saw the perfect 5th, actually). I've been analysing it the last hours, and the fascinating thing is they are not formed in odd/even notes, like chords in major and minor scales.
- In the G-WH* scale you mention (starting in G, first whole tone, then half tone), the chords are A, C, Eb and F#, both minor and minor, but never G. And they are formed like this:
Eb with notes 1, 3 and 6 (in 1st inversion), but it's really from the 6th
Gb with notes 3, 5 and 8 (in 1st inversion)
A with notes 2, 5 and 7 (no inversion)
C with notes 1, 4 and 7 (in 2nd inversion)
So major chords are formed, in no inversion, starting from 6th, 8th, 2nd or 4th notes of the scale, then go up 3 notes (actually a diminished 4th) and then 2 notes (a proper minor 3rd)
And minor chords are formed, from the same notes, but going up 2 notes (minor third) and then 3 notes (diminished 4th)
But in the G-HW* (first half tone, then whole tone) the chords are others: G (there you have a "tonic" chord), Bb, C# and E, both minors and majors, and formed similarly.
More intresting: In any WH* scales, the chord formed by [1,3,6] is major. In HW* scales, [1,3,6] is a minor chord.
...Ok, sorry I got carried away.
*) Made up notation

[@tomemitsu9402]

Looks like I’m not the only one keeping the new Rick Rubin hardcover handy ;-) thanks for the lesson!

[@gigabruzinho]

Thank you very much 🙏🏼 ! Happy new year 😊😊😊🎆🎇

[@beMOTIONdESIGN]

This was such an amazing set of examples…the first one was totally in the style of John Williams…I thought I was listening to a Star Wars score. 😂
That second example…TOTALLY Jerry Goldsmith!! He was soooo good at those darker moods…and making them feel so lyrical.
Thank you for this!

[@Alchemetica]

Seasons Greetings Paul. Thank you for the video, as usual you always have the best Spitfire related demos and tutorials. If you read this - Is that scarlet box with 8 faders a custom unit or can it be purchased?

[@dafingaz]

Nice

[@drakebaileymusic]

Love the setup/arrangement of the studio! Where is the desk from? Or was it custom built? Cheers!

[@AnthonyLambson]

So.... everything meshuggah plays in 😊

[@edbuller4435]

I know it's wrong, but I am overcome with jealousy for your baked bean pencil tin !

[@damiangonzalez_esp]

that's what christmas is for!😁

[@soulscape5083]

Maybe you could try finding a more stacattisimo patch to explain a scale.

[@mikrokosmiko1]

MESSIAEN