Lately, I am starting to have a greater appreciation for guitar since I have been messing around with the piano. As Scotty had mentioned, I took a music theory course a couple of years back taught by a fun-sucking taskmaster named Generalissimo Lydy. In the course we learned that a major scale is: Whole step (2 frets), Whole step, Half step (1 fret), Whole step, Whole step, Whole Step and Half Step from your bass note (a minor scale would be W, H, W,W,H,W,W). Therefore, all the white keys on a piano are in the key of C. Whereas with the guitar it means all the normal notes (no sharps or flats) are in the key of C. However, if you did the major scale in A then C, F, G would be sharp. Further, music nazis name these notes in a major scale as (using the C major scale as the example):
I or Tonic (C) is the key note.
ii or Supertonic (D) establishes the Dominant as the secondary tone.
iii or Mediant (E) is the middle note in a triad (the three notes that make up a chord).
IV or Subdominant (F) is considered a good harmony note to start with since it is not in the triad.
V or Dominant (G) is the running mate of the Tonic and is also the third note of the triad to make a chord therefore C, F & G make up a C major chord
vi or Submediant (A) is the note that passes to the IV or ii. It is the second chord in the example passing to the IV.
vii or Leading Tone (B) is the note that music theorist say a song cannot end on cause it "naturally" directs you towards the Tonic note. It's the third chord in the example.
VIII or Octave is the same note as the Tonic only higher or lower. If you ever see the notation 8va or 8vb that means they want you to play the note higher or lower than the notated note.
Finally, the reason some of the roman numerals are lower case is because those chords in the major scale are supposed to be played as minor chords and the vii chord is diminished (which the fifth is flatted). Which means if you are playing the chords in the C scale it would be: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, B dim (A scale would be A, Bm, Cm#, D, E, Fm# and D#dim which most guitarist simply achieve by capoing their guitar and playing like they are in the key of C). The reason I am boring you with this is because from this base we can get into some interesting conversations about scales, modes (Mixolydian, Dorian etc), and general theory and rule breaking of this theory that makes music unique. Also, I would like to know when you're making up songs do you follow any music theory or do you just wing it?
Anyway here are some songs in the key of C:
Dust in the Wind
Let It Be
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
10 comments:
"I don't know what you just said kid but, you touched me."
i WING IT.
nice little primer, johnny! music theory is fascinating to me but i haven't really learned enough of it to really "get it" but i guess that's why you can be a music major in college, eh?
for me piano really helps to make music a bit more clear... have you found that to be true too?
i rarely use theory when writing unless i'm stuck and need another idea or just to try to experiment with different modes for kicks. my favorite mode for solos would prolly be Aeolian but beyond that i really have forgotten everything about the diatonic scales... geesh, use it or lose it!
how about you?
Heh. I thought I might go past the geek out level. I think it would be easier if I showed you.
I would say piano makes things a lot clearer than guitar. It all clicked when I was learning how to figure out major chords on piano. I think it is easier on piano cause it is literally laid out for you on piano. The notes are easier to find than on guitar. Guitar is deceptively tough to learn and winging it has gotten me no where. So piano is going to be my second chance.
To me, learning diatonic scales is like learning calculus. I can get by for a semester or so by simply memorizing the formulas but if I don't understand why then it won't stick with me. At one point I memorized the scales but I didn't really understand what diatonic scales where. And I didn't practice my scales on guitar (metronome!?! who needs a metronome!?!) and if I did it was the wrong techniques (pinky finger and a pick!?! who needs a pinky finger and a pick!?!). So, no I hardly remember the blues scales with the blue notes much less the diatonic scales. I am hoping if I learn the foundation of what makes these scales I will be able to retain it easier.
Yeah, the piano (or mallet percussion, in my case) keyboard really helps you visualize music. Each scale looks different, learning the look of each chord helps you remember Major triads (C, F, G all white keys; D, E, A black key in the middle; B 3rd and 5th are both black keys) you can quickly make adjustments from Major to any other quality. It really helps to learn new theory concepts on a keyboard instrument before applying them on guitar.
One plus of the guitar is that it is very pattern oriented. When you learn a major scale, you can play it in any key by starting the pattern on whichever root note you want. Same with triads and intervals, just be careful once you get to that B string :)
Stupid B string! :-D
Still lol about "Generalissimo Lydy". Careful Johnny, Brandon knows her. If it gets back to her you may get a classical guitar upside the head, at work.
I still feel like a toddler when it comes to theory. I've memorized the modes (the patterns) on guitar but I'm not thinking in terms of notes or intervals, I'm still just playing the pattern. Taking that class gave me a huge appreciation for the Beatles songwriting abilities. I didn't "get it" before that. They usually have that one chord (for me usually a 7th chord, B7,C7,D7,Em7, etc) that just strikes a chord (pun intended) in me. Sometimes even chills. I love the C to Cmaj7 to C7 progression in the song Something.
I don't have much original stuff but learning theory definitely helps to pick the right chord.
I've not had much personal experience with her, but I've heard the same sentiments from many other people :)
lol. ok, to be fair, now we need a youtube link of the "fun-sucking taskmaster named Generalissimo Lydy" so we can all enjoy her specialness ;-)
Lol. When she comes after with her classical guitar I will make sure someone is documenting it on their cell phone to post on youtube. Honestly, I think Lydy would like that title. I don't think she was concerned at all with her students having fun.
The Beatles chord progressions are the main reason why I really respect the Beatles. Now that I am taking this social history of rock and roll class to finish my degree I see why they were so special. Before them most music had that familiar blues progression to it. They helped make music unpredictable.
My teacher said that when The Beatles were coming up they would drive across the country cause they heard some guy knew how to play some interesting chord. I don't know why they just didn't go on Wikipedia. Silly Beatles.
Yeah, Paul talks about that early on in the Anthology DVDs
Post a Comment