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Sneaking

Around

Musical

Example

Sneaking

Around

Secret

Score

Sneaking

Around

Animated

Score

Descending Chromatic Motion

We will now use another common device that helps create a sly, comical sound – the descending chromatic motion. In bar 3, beat 3, we have just completed one entire octave of the A diminished scale. On this beat, we will only hit unison A notes:

This is our cue to leave the diminished scale temporarily and just concentrate on the A note. This gives us a chance to pivot to another A scale. On beat 4, we will choose the A minor scale. Here the clarinets and 2 solo violins play the 2 top notes of an A minor chord, the C and the E (the E being the perfect 5th of the A minor scale). From this point, we will move down a half step to the downbeat of bar 4:

By doing this, we not only get to use this amusing half-step movement, but we also get to land on the Eb as our new top note. This Eb is the raised 4th of the A minor scale. A quick look at our other humorous topics (in particular, "Light Comedy") will reveal that the raised 4th is the interval we most frequently want to use to express fun in our music. Beat 2 brings a slight pause - almost a silence - with the exception of a triangle and a pizzicato cello note:

The cellos play a B because it provides the root note of the B chord suggested by the clarinets and violins. In beat 3 of bar 4, this unfinished B chord moves down another half step to an unfinished Bb chord: