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Sneaking

Around

Musical

Example

Sneaking

Around

Secret

Score

Sneaking

Around

Animated

Score

You can compose music that depicts the action of sneaking around in both a comical setting and a dramatic one. Although they describe the same secretive action, the musical moods would be very different. The comical setting would have a much lighter (and obviously humorous) touch.

Trills and Diminished Scale

Two very fast ways of establishing this lighter mood are: 1) using light woodwind minor 2nd trills, and 2) using the diminished scale in the pizzicato strings.

In bar 1, we immediately employ both of these devices. Here, the flute plays a trill between Eb and E natural:

Played by other instruments, such as the violins, this trill would conjure up a menacing tone. But played by the flute in a relatively low register, this trill has the air of light mystery, but with a playful touch.

In beat 4 of bar 1, the pizzicato cellos, joined by the bassoon, begin playing an A diminished scale. They play the first 5 notes of the scale and then take a brief pause. In beat 4 of bar 2, they continue the A diminished scale, but starting from the 3rd note of the scale, a C. At bar 3, beat 3, they complete the last note of the scale. Let's listen to bars 1-2: