Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
for anyone who’s a fan of A minor and the white keys — the Giuseppe Ottaviani school :) — the approach isn’t scale-by-scale but chord-by-chord. As I mentioned(on reddit), the two basic triads (minor and major) already map directly onto the A minor scale tones, so what you really need are the triads, the sus chords, and the three standard extensions:
Add9 / 9th (e.g. A–C–E + B)
The third stays in place, and the B is added.
One of the most common trance extensions.
Gives a bright, floating character.
Add11 / 11th (e.g. A–C–E + D)
The third stays, and the D is added.
Adds a stronger, more “mystical” light.
Often used in breakdown pad layers.
Add6 / 13th (e.g. A–C–E + F#)
All of that will sit very nicely with Bitwig 6, so the workflow will look something like this: start with the basic triads and sus chords, add a bit of ornamentation, create the typical chord shapes, and then it’s just a matter of connecting them. The placement of sus chords and extensions is already familiar to us anyway. (just drop in the Picardy third by hand at the end...if needed) aad then at the end you just transpose, as needed.
for anyone who’s a fan of A minor and the white keys — the Giuseppe Ottaviani school :) — the approach isn’t scale-by-scale but chord-by-chord. As I mentioned(on reddit), the two basic triads (minor and major) already map directly onto the A minor scale tones, so what you really need are the triads, the sus chords, and the three standard extensions:
Add9 / 9th (e.g. A–C–E + B)
The third stays in place, and the B is added.
One of the most common trance extensions.
Gives a bright, floating character.
Add11 / 11th (e.g. A–C–E + D)
The third stays, and the D is added.
Adds a stronger, more “mystical” light.
Often used in breakdown pad layers.
Add6 / 13th (e.g. A–C–E + F#)
All of that will sit very nicely with Bitwig 6, so the workflow will look something like this: start with the basic triads and sus chords, add a bit of ornamentation, create the typical chord shapes, and then it’s just a matter of connecting them. The placement of sus chords and extensions is already familiar to us anyway. (just drop in the Picardy third by hand at the end...if needed) aad then at the end you just transpose, as needed.
