Tip #59 – Using the Gogo Harmonic Progression and Scale

In some south and central African countries, musicians use homophonic multipart singing style in their songs.  That means that the group of people sing the same song rhythmically, but move in parallel motion at different pitches.  Typically, it is a fourth (interval) apart, but not always.

Below is an example of a multi-part harmonic progression called the Gogo progression from Tanzania as well as the derived scale. All from the tribe of the same name. Notice how skipping every other note in the scale on the right produces the functional harmony on the left.  Also, observe the pitch fundamentals that build the harmony as well as act as a bourdon (open drone).

Besides advising you, the reader, to experiment, investigate, and take inspiration from these African harmonic progressions I strictly indorse you not to impose classical theory on these progressions.  While it is tempting to analyze these progressions with the idioms of Western music notation, I recommend not to as it takes away the purity/authenticity of African music’s own stylistic practices by framing it within a box.


Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.

Tip #58 – Using the Swazi Harmonic Progression and Scale

In some south and central African countries, musicians use homophonic multipart singing style in their songs.  That means that the group of people sing the same song rhythmically, but move in parallel motion at different pitches.  Typically, it is a fourth (interval) apart, but not always.

Below is an example of a multi-part harmonic progression called the Swazi/Nguni progression from South Africa as well as the derived scale from the tribe of the same name. Notice how skipping every other note in the scale on the right produces the functional harmony on the left.  Also, observe the pitch fundamentals that build the harmony as well as act as a bourdon (open drone).

Besides advising you, the reader, to experiment, investigate, and take inspiration from these African harmonic progressions I strictly indorse you not to impose classical theory on these progressions.  While it is tempting to analyze these progressions with the idioms of Western music notation, I recommend not to as it takes away the purity/authenticity of African music’s own stylistic practices by framing it within a box.


Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.

Improve Your Lyrics – Tip #1

While some composer’s in the past, and many still do today, use another person’s poetry to set the lyrics, there is a number of singer-songwriters today that are doing both tasks. So let’s talk about some ways on how you can improve your lyrics writing.

Today will be talking about object writing using your senses.

Object writing is pretty much as the name explains: choose an object you want to focus on in your lyrics and write about it. Simple enough.

Now, try to image your senses in the process to use descriptive and detailed words about your object. Your 7 (yes, 7) senses are:

  • Sight – what you see visually
  • Auditory – what you hear acoustically
  • Smell – what you sense with your nose
  • Taste – what you sense with your tongue
  • Touch – what you feel with the outside of your body
  • Organic – what you feel inside your body (like a cramp)
  • Kinesthetic – what you feel when you are in motion

This will make your lyrics more interesting and life-like to the individual listening to your next amazing song. So give it a try!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.

How To Beat Writer’s Block – Tip #5

Sometimes the best way to expand your creative is by doing just the opposite. By creating limits for yourself and certain parameters, one can experiment within a certain frame… instead of being intimidated by the vast openness of endless possibilities.

This tip revolves around creating the rhythm to a motific idea.

Out of all the possible pulses within the measure, limit yourself to a specific amount of pulses to accentuate. For example: in a 4/4 time signature piece of music, limit yourself to accentuating 10 of the 16 possible sixteenth-notes.

The allows you to find creative possibilities within the limits of the rules you set for yourself – and eliminates the time spent wondering “where to start first.”


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Tip #57 – 24 Pulse Asymmetric Time-Line Patterns and Practice

Asymmetric time-line patterns are these rhythmic patterns commonly found in Central and Western Africa.  They are intended for percussion parts of one single pitch (or at most two – we’ll discuss more of this soon).  A time-line pattern is distinguished by the number of pulses within the cyclical pattern, the number of hits, and the asymmetric grouping.

Below is the 24 pulse cycle broken in a 11+13 asymmetry.  The measures on the left show the 13 strike pattern, while the left shows the 11 strike pattern.  Notice how they complement each other.  While these patterns are intended for a single instrument, a percussion part of two distinct pitches can play these opposing patterns.

In addition, these patterns can be phased into different variations.

While these patterns are not common at all in blues music, I do challenge the creative composer to use these patterns creatively in conjunction with different stylistic combinations.


Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.

Tip #56 – 20 Pulse Asymmetric Time-Line Patterns and Practice

Asymmetric time-line patterns are these rhythmic patterns commonly found in Central and Western Africa.  They are intended for percussion parts of one single pitch (or at most two – we’ll discuss more of this soon).  A time-line pattern is distinguished by the number of pulses within the cyclical pattern, the number of hits, and the asymmetric grouping.

Below is the 20 pulse cycle broken in a 9+11 asymmetry.  The measures on the left show the 11 strike pattern, while the left shows the 9 strike pattern.  Notice how they complement each other.  While these patterns are intended for a single instrument, a percussion part of two distinct pitches can play these opposing patterns.

In addition, these patterns can be phased into different variations.

While these patterns are not common at all in blues music, I do challenge the creative composer to use these patterns creatively in conjunction with different stylistic combinations.


Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.

Tip #55 – 16 Pulse Asymmetric Time-Line Patterns and Practice

Asymmetric time-line patterns are these rhythmic patterns commonly found in Central and Western Africa.  They are intended for percussion parts of one single pitch (or at most two – we’ll discuss more of this soon).  A time-line pattern is distinguished by the number of pulses within the cyclical pattern, the number of hits, and the asymmetric grouping.

Below is the 16 pulse cycle broken in a 7+9 asymmetry.  The measures on the left show the 9 strike pattern, while the left shows the 7 strike pattern.  Notice how they complement each other.  While these patterns are intended for a single instrument, a percussion part of two distinct pitches can play these opposing patterns.

In addition, these patterns can be phased into different variations.

While these patterns are not common at all in blues music, I do challenge the creative composer to use these patterns creatively in conjunction with different stylistic combinations.


Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.

Tip #54 – 12 Pulse Asymmetric Time-Line Patterns and Practice

Asymmetric time-line patterns are these rhythmic patterns commonly found in Central and Western Africa.  They are intended for percussion parts of one single pitch (or at most two – we’ll discuss more of this soon).  A time-line pattern is distinguished by the number of pulses within the cyclical pattern, the number of hits, and the asymmetric grouping.

Below is the 12 pulse cycle broken in a 5+7 asymmetry.  The measures on the left show the 7 strike pattern, while the left shows the 5 strike pattern.  Notice how they complement each other.  While these patterns are intended for a single instrument, a percussion part of two distinct pitches can play these opposing patterns.

In addition, these patterns can be phased into different variations.

While these patterns are not common at all in blues music, I do challenge the creative composer to use these patterns creatively in conjunction with different stylistic combinations.


Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.

Tip #53 – 8 Pulse Asymmetric Time-Line Patterns and Practice

If you ask anyone about the origins of the blues genre, more than likely you will get “Africa” as a response.  And while you can most certainly trace origins of blues from early African culture – ponder this:

“Why do blues, which is ‘African’ in origin, have a lack of the percussive rhythms that are typically more associated with African music?”

That is more up to a historian to answer that question, but I want to talk today about these asymmetric time-line patterns.

Asymmetric time-line patterns are these rhythmic patterns commonly found in Central and Western Africa.  They are intended for percussion parts of one single pitch (or at most two – we’ll discuss more of this soon).  A time-line pattern is distinguished by the number of pulses within the cyclical pattern, the number of hits, and the asymmetric grouping.

Below is the 8 pulse cycle broken in a 3+5 asymmetry.  The measures on the left show the 5 strike pattern, while the left shows the 3 strike pattern.  Notice how they complement each other.  While these patterns are intended for a single instrument, a percussion part of two distinct pitches can play these opposing patterns.

In addition, these patterns can be phased into different variations.

While these patterns are not common at all in blues music, I do challenge the creative composer to use these patterns creatively in conjunction with different stylistic combinations.


Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.

Tip #52 – Framing with a 16-Bar Blues

Opposite to shortening the standard blues structure, there is also the option of lengthening it. By adding another 4 measures, you get a full 16-bar blues that has a sense of completion and symmetry more commonly found in classical-based music.

Below are some variations of the harmonic progression in a 16-bar framework that you can play around with:

Once again, this is just a beginning frame. You can most certainly experiment with substituting chords and changing other factors. Like how an artists needs a canvas to first structure their genius, so does a composer.


Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.