Drama

Musical

Example

Drama Secret

Score

Drama Music/

Score

Introduction

To create a sense of drama, we first need to attract the listener's attention. Then we need to sustain a feeling of tension and anticipation. Musically, we can recreate these elements very simply. We can easily attract someone's attention by the use of loud percussion. So, first let's analyze the music to which we will add percussion.

Melody

Perhaps the fastest way of composing a tension filled melody is by using the diminished scale. Listen to the sound of the French horns as they play this melody based on the diminished scale:

Here we use the C diminished scale. We have chosen the version of the scale that begins with the half step. A closer examination of the melody will demonstrate why this scale is so effective for dramatic music.

Let's look at the very first two notes of our melody. We begin with a C, followed by an F#. This interval is a raised 4th - also known as a tritone. This interval is the most dramatic interval in all of music. So, we immediately establish an unsettling feeling with just our first two notes.