THE RAJAZZ THEORY
THE RAJAZZ THEORY
The rajazz theory proposes a new way of structuring musical material. It consists of a few simple rules which, when combined, lead to a new way of managing modes. The resulting experience is distinctive. The system can be applied in different ways and provides new tools
for composers and improvisers.
Rajazz comprises 155 pentatonic modes organized into 31 groups of five related modes. The musical material, limited to five notes per mode, is considered invariant—as in Indian ragas—but can be transposed by creating “reflections” of the same mode from each of the 12 possible tonics. In order to transition to one of these transpositions, a “pivot” interval is used, which must be common to both reflections in order to act as a hinge. This results in new ways of organizing the musical material. Il en résulte de nouvelles façons d’organiser le matériau musical.
The name “rajazz” is a contraction of raga and the word jazz. The reference to raga honors the modal culture of India, whose tendency to remain within a single color and explore it in depth is echoed here. The reference to jazz highlights both the propensity to modulate, which is characteristic of our Western tonal music, and the fact that this musical theory lends itself as much to composition as to improvisation. However, beyond the nominal reference to ragas and jazz, it is important to emphasize that rajazz does not correspond to any particular style in itself: it consists solely of a system for organizing notes according to a
predetermined type of material and a few well-defined rules. Composers and improvisers who wish to do so can therefore create works based on rajazz in the aesthetic of their choice.
The theory of rajazz is based on three essential rules
Rule 1: The basic material of rajazz always consists of five notes. In this respect, rajazz borrows from Indian raga the tendency to limit itself to an invariable melodic material.
Rule 2: No interval between two successive notes will exceed a major third.
Rule 3: Rajazz can be transposed from 12 tonics to obtain a series of “reflections” of itself. To move from one reflection to another, a “pivot” interval consisting of two common notes is used as a hinge. In this way, rajazz succeeds in combining the desire to remain within a single color – characteristic of Indian ragas – with the propensity to modulate – characteristic of Western music.
We speak of a “closed” rajazz circuit when we restrict ourselves to a single rajazz and limit ourselves to moving between the reflections of a single color, via a limited and defined number of pivot intervals. We speak of an “open” circuit when we mix two or more rajazz, multiplying the number of pivot intervals and potential modulations.
Geometry offers much clearer ways of representing a rajazz than a musical score would allow. Rajazz can be represented by a kind of musical mandala. There are 31 mandalas for the 31 rajazz. Modulation Wheels have been developed in parallel to provide a simultaneous view of the same rajazz from 12 different tonics and all the links between them. There is also a third, more symbolic representation in the form of a dodecahedron. On dispose de 31 mandalas, pour les 31 rajazz.
In addition to improvisation techniques based on rajazz, which require a great deal of study since they literally recondition the mind to a new “multiconnective” way of thinking about intervals, rajazz theory can also feed one’s exploration as a composer. This system allows to go further in the quest for music at the crossroads of styles, integrating elements of jazz, contemporary music, and world music. This is a general approach that once again aims to consider music as a whole, avoiding stylistic classification as much as possible. A general approach that once again aims to consider music as a whole, avoiding stylistic classification as much as possible.
For those who wish to use the rajazz, an online tool makes it easy to find the pivot intervals between different rajazz you want to combine: www.rajazz.manuelhermia.com
A book on the theory of rajazz is available in PDF format (free) and printed version (in French or English) via the following link: https://creationmusicale.be/fr/catalogue/hermia/la-theorie-des-rajazz