evo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thank you. > > Questions: > Why is the A7 chord called a bVI chord and not a > plain VI chord? See steve's answer. You're right A is strictly speaking the "VI" chord, because the key is minor. I was falling into the common "major-centric" numbering convention steve explains. ;-)by JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
ttw Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > A 3-chord major song can be rather sad even played > uptempo. > > Faded Love Good example. Obviously the lyrics are sad - and the title gives the game away somewhat - but even before the lyrics start, the arrangement is communicating the nostalgic, regretful mood by using familiar C&W signifiers: the stby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
^ What steve says. ;-) If all else is equal, then yes we can determine different "mood" effects from different modes. Not specific "emotions", but certainly different moods of a vague nature. We usually just use the words "bright" and "dark". So lydian is the "brightest" mode, and locrian the "darkest". As we move from lydian throby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
One more comment on this use of A7 in a C# minor blues. In jazz, you will sometimes hear a bVI chord substituted for the minor iv chord. E.g, a C# minor 12-bar would normally run: |C#m - - - |C#m - - - |C#m - - - |C#m - - - | |F#m - - - |F#m - - - |C#m - - - |C#m - - - | |A7 - - - |G#7 - - - ||C#m - - - |C#m - - - | But just occasionally you'll hear an A7 instead of that F#m. It does makby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
I see no link there. The only youtube version I found seemed to be an amateur cover - not a bad one, but it didn't appeal enough to me to want to check out all those chords. I would agree that the key centre of the verse is C, but beyond that (on a brief listen) I'm not sure there is one.by JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
I wouldn't say this is a "blues" exactly. It's a minor key song (with a 16-bar form), albeit with a clear and strong blues flavour. The intro chords are: |A7 - - - |A7 - - - |C#m - - - |C#m - - - | |A7 - - - |G#7 - - - |C#m - - - |C#m G#7(+)__ | The key is clearly C# minor - you can hear how it comes to rest on the C#m after the G#7. A7 is the bVI chord, and G#7 is the V7. Thby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
Sorry, but I have to ask: why do you want to know? What difference would it make to know what the key(s) is/are? (Just thought I'd ask before I listen...)by JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
mrd Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Is a key and scale the same thing in music? > I've noticed that a KEY has certain notes and > chords, and they all seem to be in the same scale. > for example. a song in the Key of C Major. all the > notes played through out the song with any > instrument have to be using notes from the C Major > Scaby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
evo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thank you Steve that made things clearer. > > As you seemed to guess I do play the Guitar :) > > I was wondering however in cases where one borrows > chords or use secondary chords; would there not be > notes added to the notes of the key then? How do > we deal with those if you want to use theby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
Bob Pearce Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > JonR Wrote: > >er, except one, and he's hugely > > famous now, at least in the UK). > > That narrows it down to shortlist of approximately > one. Indeed, no prizes for guessing.by JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
MusicSeeker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I was surprised to know that not all singers know > how to read a music sheet. The vast majority of pop, folk, blues and rock singers cannot. (It would be mildly surprising to find one that can, even those that compose songs.) Almost all jazz singers probably can (all the ones I've met can - er, except oneby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
MusicSeeker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks JonR and Stevel for your replies. I agree > that writing music is to preserve the music. But > how to sing words on my own? I guess it doesn't > happen by trying to sing a story by changing my > pitches randomly and see how they add up by > recording them, does it? More or less! If youby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
MusicSeeker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks for you lengthy reply. I was thinking > singing with musical notes is much easier than > memorizing how to sing the songs. It might be > harder to learn in the short run, but on the long > run it is easier. I disagree, but I guess it might be different for different people. Music is soundby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
evo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I have to ask: > > Can we borrow the viio dominant chord > as well? (or does it have to be the V chord). > If yes, would it also be called secondary > dominant? See above. It's the "leading tone" chord, because the vii degree is the leading tone - same as the dominant chord is named afteby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
evo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Quote it leads down to A. And it normally does > this on a C7 chord, leading into an F chord. > Alternatively, it could be on both Gm7 and C7, but > still leading to F. > > I see that both Gm7 and C7 has the Bb note, and I > am with you that it would lead to F. But if we are > in C Major where dby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
evo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > QuoteYes. You can borrow any other chord from E > minor too, such as G, C or Am. Very common > practice - in rock music at least. > > So how does this work theory wise exactly? I mean > if we are in, for example, C Major, and borrow a > chord, say Gmin7 (V), from C minor. We then have a > new noby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
MusicSeeker Wrote: > Thanks for replying. I think you are right, > getting a teacher is a better option. But will > music theory differ if the instrument is guitar or > piano, or it is instrument-related? No. "Music theory" can be summed up as any information about music that is independent of the instrument - i.e., it's the same for all instruments. It's a system oby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
You're right it should be singable. So sing it! It helps to start with some words, some kind of verbal phrase, even a nonsensical one - so that you can begin with something that has its own rhythmic shape, and maybe a vaguely melodic one. Something you can imagine singing anyway. If you have a chord or two, then sing notes in the chords. Sing a note in the first chord, followed by the neby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
evo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It seems to me to be borrowed from E Major's > parallel minor. E minor scale. It has a DMajor > chord. > > Am I on the right track? Yes. You can borrow any other chord from E minor too, such as G, C or Am. Very common practice - in rock music at least.by JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
Brizadley6417 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So your saying if it sounds right I'm following > the rulles? But what rulles should I be looking > into so I know "all the rulles"? I really do want > to learn more .... Give me an example? Just to expand a little on Bob's list: IMO, there are essentially two main categories of chromaby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
Why wouldn't it? "Why" is the wrong question. The rules of music are based on what sounds right. So if it sounds right, it's following the rules. You probably just don't know all the rules yet... E.g., the idea that a piece only uses chords from one scale is not a "rule". It's just a "common practice". Because it happens some of the time (even most of the tby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
You're overthinking this. :-) Firstly, "key" and "key signature" are two different things. "Key" is the note that "sounds like home", the tonal centre (gravitational centre) of the music, the point at which it seems to come to rest. "Key signature" is a piece of notation indicating which notes in the piece (if any) are altered from the standaby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
maciekrogowiec Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks Jon > > "Absolutely. As you may know, that sequence is > probably the most common stock sequence in > pop/rock over the last 40 years or so. " > > To be honest I didn't know not consciously :-).I > read about music all the time so I might know that > without realby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
maciekrogowiec Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Jon Can I have just one quick qestion > when I see chord progression written like this: > > I–V–vi–IV > > Can I play this sequence in any order. > > Can I start with V and end on I > > like this V-vi-IV-I ???? Absolutely. As you may know, that sequence is probably tby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
Just to add... In these kind of discussions on harmonising, I always think of one of my favourite examples of vocal harmony (just 2 voices), and usually can't resist posting it. And this is no exception :-) I'm showing it in tab so you can play it on guitar if you're a guitar player. Above the tab is the chords. Below the tab is the notes of each line, and below the lyrics is the chord tonesby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
Those aren't chords, it's just a riff in octaves (piano and bass playing single notes). The only chord is the organ playing various Gm(7?) voicings or blues scale fills. (At one point it plays a blues b5, Db!) At 3:35 it breaks into an actual chord progression for a few seconds (and bizarrely speeds up briefly!), with three descending major chords: Eb - D - C. Then it's back to the Gm groovby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
steve will probably have more to say on this, but I'll start... :-) By ear is usually the best way for singers to work in harmony - especially if they don't know much if any music theory! Partly because of natural resonances, partly because of the way most of our harmonised music is written, it tends to feel natural to harmonise in 3rds. So if one persons sings a root, and the next persons tby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
I mean that the traditional "key of Bb minor" would use an F major chord to provide a leading tone (A) to resolve to the Bb tonic. Not Fm. If you try a simple experiment with Am, Dm and Em. Playing those at random will probably make Am feel like the "home" chord. But as a tonal centre it's weak. Change the Em for E major, and you'll hear a much stronger pull to the Am.by JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
maciekrogowiec Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi John > > Thank You for your anwser. > > Here is the original if you want to have a > listen. > > > > All the best John. Thanks. Definitely sounds like Bbm key centre to me (listen how it comes to rest at 0:24, and wherever it hits Bbm). Not that it matters, particby JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers
The chords all come from one diatonic scale: Db major, but more likely with Bbm as key chord. It's admittedly a little unusual to begin a minor key tune with a v-iv-VII sequence (Fm-Ebm-Ab), and I haven't listened to the original, but there seems to be only one scale here.by JonR - Music Theory Questions and Answers