KVR :: Music Theory » Major Scales VS. Minor Scales [View Original Topic]
There are 49 posts in this topic.
TVD - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:22 pm
What are your personal favorites?
tee boy - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:29 pm
C Major, cuz its easy to play
TB
DevonB - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:34 pm
Minors all the way. C minor, C# minor, D minor, G minor are my most abused keys.
Devon
rounser - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:40 pm
Minor weirds me out. Which do I use, natural minor, harmonic minor or melodic minor? I'm not proficient enough to play one on the ascending and one on the descending.
Apart from diatonic chords, what chords do you use with the minor scales? It seems to be hard to find a straight answer to these questions.
NAD - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:41 pm
D minor is the saddest of all keys, I find. People weep instantly when they hear it, and I don't know why.
tee boy - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:43 pm
Harmonic minor is you typical go to minor scale. The natural minor is a modal scale and looses the leading tone (so cadences will be less strong). The melodic minor is more of a jazz scale these days.
Really, the main ones you'll tend to use NORMALLY would be the natural and harmonic. The main difference being the major V chord in the harmonic, giving you the possibility of true authentic cadences.
TB
tee boy - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:45 pm
Do you find that the different keys have different moods?
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
TB
rounser - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:55 pm
Quote:
Harmonic minor is you typical go to minor scale. The natural minor is a modal scale and looses the leading tone (so cadences will be less strong). The melodic minor is more of a jazz scale these days.
Really, the main ones you'll tend to use NORMALLY would be the natural and harmonic. The main difference being the major V chord in the harmonic, giving you the possibility of true authentic cadences.
Really, the main ones you'll tend to use NORMALLY would be the natural and harmonic. The main difference being the major V chord in the harmonic, giving you the possibility of true authentic cadences.
Thanks very much for that, I really appreciate it. Harmonic's "gap" at the end of the scale sounds a bit odd to my ears when used melodically, but I'll persevere with it.
Quote:
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
To speculate, I think that's related to the timbre of an instrument changing somewhat when you change the key. An acid line moved up a couple of semitones can totally change the character of the acid, perhaps even moreso for acoustic instruments. But that's just an uneducated guess.
Sascha Franck - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:57 pm
tee boy wrote:
Do you find that the different keys have different moods?
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
I have quite some well-trained "relative" hearing but would never be able to tell the difference from just listening. I only notice when playing things on a (standard tuned) guitar.
tee boy - Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:59 pm
Hmmm, not sure.
I mean, some pieces sound better in some keys, but I always thought that was because of the minor registral changes between keys suiting a particular piece rather than it being a particularly quality of the key itself.
But I know some people reckon they love the sound of certain keys dont they?
TB
tee boy - Wed Oct 18, 2006 6:02 pm
Sascha Franck wrote:
tee boy wrote:
Do you find that the different keys have different moods?
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
I have quite some well-trained "relative" hearing but would never be able to tell the difference from just listening. I only notice when playing things on a (standard tuned) guitar.
Hmmm, me neither probably.
I can usually hum a C, so perhaps I could work it out from that but I might burst a few brain cells doing it, lol.
I certainly dont feel that one major keys has anything different to another one in music generally (emotionally that is).
TB
Chuck E. Jesus - Wed Oct 18, 2006 6:14 pm
i honestly never learned a scale besides major...but i have an ok ear, and i can play "the right notes"...but, it's hard for me to just jam along with stuff as i really don't know the rules very well...if there is a song i'm learning or making up, i can practice and figure out where the good notes are...i'm actually in a bit of a quandary about this: i think i've done some cool things independent of music theory, but i do like a lot of "real" music and after playing for a long time i don't think it's too hard to turn the corner so to speak...but being an old f**k it seems pretty self indulgent to take lessons, and i can't anyway (family stuff)...how the f**k do you actually teach yourself guitar?
thecontrolcentre - Wed Oct 18, 2006 6:30 pm
NAD wrote:
D minor is the saddest of all keys
Didn't Nigel Tuffnal say that in the Spinal Tap movie?
thecontrolcentre - Wed Oct 18, 2006 6:34 pm
Chuck E. Jesus wrote:
...how the f**k do you actually teach yourself guitar?
I used tablature to learn chords and scales when i started teaching myself the guitar ... helped a lot
Gregjazz - Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:18 pm
Minor... major... they're all based off of the same tones, you just have a different root.
Stupid American Pig - Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:19 pm
Chuck E. Jesus wrote:
how the f**k do you actually teach yourself guitar?
Play it. I never had a lesson, and while Im not a "good" guitarist, I can certainly work out chords or leads that I hear in my head without too much effort. I dont think that a teacher does anything except prevent the bad habits that slow yer progress...
tee boy - Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:33 pm
You really can teach yourself guitar, Im sure of that. I know some really session players who are completely self taught, dont read a note of staff notion etc. But they can sit with a CD/mp3 and a tab sheet and learn to play a song perfectly in no time at all!
I guess it all depends what you want to do. Some things you should really get a teacher for. But just wanting to play songs, well, you have all the resources you need right here on the net.
I learn guitar for years as a kid. I did the classical thing, then the rock thing, then the jazz thing etc. I really dont think I learned anything that I couldnt pick up just as easily from the net. Indeed, Iv taught myself to play piano over the last two years and I doubt I could have progressed any better with a normal teacher (Im sure I could have with a really great one though).
TB
egbert - Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:34 pm
Take a squiz at the major scale (also known as the Ionian mode) - if you look at the intervals that comprise the scale, it is unique in that it is the only scale of 7 tones with 6 perfect 5ths - and just one diminished fifth (B-F in the case of C Major/ionian). Physics dictates that this set of tones is the least dissonant set - no suprise then that it is the scale that forms the basis of european music.
The modes of the C major scale are named like so:
C Ionian, D dorian, E phrygian, F lydian, G myxolydian, A aeolian, B locrian
These seven all use the same set of tones (the white notes in this case).
If you learn to play fingerings for that same set of tones all over the neck (five positions per octave say will give you a pretty comprehensive coverage) you will be able to play all those modes in any key. Being able to play all the major/aeolian and dorian modes is a hell of a start. Transposing keys is just a matter of shifting your fingerings on guitar.
People tend to play the minor modes (dorian and aeolian) over minor chords and for tunes in minor keys although in a popular music the pentatonic scales and blues scales are very common. I would absolutely make sure that you know your bluescale and pentatonic minor all over the neck if you want to improvise in blues/funk/rock etc.
In popular styles the use of the ascending and descending melodic minor or harmonic minors are not something I hear played on guitar that much although if you want to go to town on modes and scales crack open the John McLaughlin records.
Chuck E. Jesus - Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:37 pm
honestly i have taught myself, but there does seem to be a limit...i'm not very good at reading the things and saying "oh that's how it goes"...if someone showed me it would be easier...but i gotta be honest, i'm never gonna take lessons... there is a shitload of info on the internet, i wish this stuff was available when i was a kid but it wasn't...i don't have that natural guitar ability, but i can play shit right on the money, just not too fancy...and if someone can point me to a site that shows some hardcore jazz suff (i kind of grew up in my late teens/early twenties listening to wes montgomery/coltrane)i would be a happy jr. old man....
M'Snah - Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:38 pm
The ones that I'm most skilled in: Dm is my major minor scale. And G# is my minor major scale.
Chuck E. Jesus - Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:46 pm
egbert wrote:
Take a squiz at the major scale (also known as the Ionian mode) - if you look at the intervals that comprise the scale, it is unique in that it is the only scale of 7 tones with 6 perfect 5ths - and just one diminished fifth (B-F in the case of C Major/ionian). Physics dictates that this set of tones is the least dissonant set - no suprise then that it is the scale that forms the basis of european music.
The modes of the C major scale are named like so:
C Ionian, D dorian, E phrygian, F lydian, G myxolydian, A aeolian, B locrian
These seven all use the same set of tones (the white notes in this case).
If you learn to play fingerings for that same set of tones all over the neck (five positions per octave say will give you a pretty comprehensive coverage) you will be able to play all those modes in any key. Being able to play all the major/aeolian and dorian modes is a hell of a start. Transposing keys is just a matter of shifting your fingerings on guitar.
People tend to play the minor modes (dorian and aeolian) over minor chords and for tunes in minor keys although in a popular music the pentatonic scales and blues scales are very common. I would absolutely make sure that you know your bluescale and pentatonic minor all over the neck if you want to improvise in blues/funk/rock etc.
In popular styles the use of the ascending and descending melodic minor or harmonic minors are not something I hear played on guitar that much although if you want to go to town on modes and scales crack open the John McLaughlin records.
The modes of the C major scale are named like so:
C Ionian, D dorian, E phrygian, F lydian, G myxolydian, A aeolian, B locrian
These seven all use the same set of tones (the white notes in this case).
If you learn to play fingerings for that same set of tones all over the neck (five positions per octave say will give you a pretty comprehensive coverage) you will be able to play all those modes in any key. Being able to play all the major/aeolian and dorian modes is a hell of a start. Transposing keys is just a matter of shifting your fingerings on guitar.
People tend to play the minor modes (dorian and aeolian) over minor chords and for tunes in minor keys although in a popular music the pentatonic scales and blues scales are very common. I would absolutely make sure that you know your bluescale and pentatonic minor all over the neck if you want to improvise in blues/funk/rock etc.
In popular styles the use of the ascending and descending melodic minor or harmonic minors are not something I hear played on guitar that much although if you want to go to town on modes and scales crack open the John McLaughlin records.
i'll be honest: i've had some books, but now that i got the computer thing AND i've been getting back into playing guitar, i'm finding it a little easier....i can sit in front of the computer with the acoustic, f**k with the stuff, find something else quick if i get bored, and go back to the other bits that have been bookmarked...
believe me, any tips i get i try to absorb...sometimes not right away, but a good tip can come up in a certain situation/riff/pattern/etc..
nuffink - Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:40 pm
Modern harmonic theory blurs the lines between major and minor. The basis is, as ever, the major scale but with chords freely borrowed from other parallel scales (typically the various minor scales and modes of the major). This is known as modal interchange. What this means in practice is that while working in, say, C Major you can borrow any chords from C Mel Minor, C Harm Minor, C Dorian, etc. etc.
Naturally, if you borrow all the chords from C Harmonic minor you're back to working in a "traditional" minor context.
Rangtangtang - Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:59 pm
Iv forgotten all the theory stuff now. If I pick up the guitar it all comes back, but I work from my ears and feel. Sheet music to me never realy lends itself to guitar. I do think it is a problem if you get too lost in the classical and even the jazz discipline and you loose sight of what its about. Im bassicaly self tought, and started off whith a Jazz rock funk fusion type of style, then got a bit experimental/discordant and moved on into a more bluesy feel later. I know all my scales. I use the keyboard mostly now which I was self taught in too, anyway so......mmmm....
zeoy - Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:12 am
thecontrolcentre wrote:
NAD wrote:
D minor is the saddest of all keys
Didn't Nigel Tuffnal say that in the Spinal Tap movie?
Yeah, esp. when you play something between Mozart and Bach. Mach for example
zeoy - Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:19 am
tee boy wrote:
Do you find that the different keys have different moods?
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
TB
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
TB
Shouldn't sound different on a piano or keys in general provided it is tuned the way we tune today. It probably did matter with an older kind of tuning but don't remember the details.
However in stringed instruments it's still different. Different open chords in each key etc.
Scales that I am not very familiar with make me think differently esp. when we're talking about chord progressions.
Johnny Cherry - Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:52 am
Ive only really been trying to teach myself music theory this year can anyone send me any links or recommend a book to me?
At the moment a normally find a scale or mode from http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/piano/ but I still don't know any theory behind what chords fit into what scales and chord or scale progression, I normally just try to work it out on my own although I see this as being very important to learn.
I find all the music theory books I look at have things written in staff which I can't read, Im really looking for a book or website that covers everything and explains it clearly.
Radek - Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:19 am
Gregjazz wrote:
Minor... major... they're all based off of the same tones, you just have a different root.
Exactly and it's a root of chord what is really counting. Scales are just a tool (or a guide) for playing melodies what might fit a harmony.
Better question would be - what is your favorite chord?
Mine is dimished 7th.
nuffink - Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:19 am
Johnny Cherry wrote:
Ive only really been trying to teach myself music theory this year can anyone send me any links or recommend a book to me?
At the moment a normally find a scale or mode from http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/piano/ but I still don't know any theory behind what chords fit into what scales and chord or scale progression, I normally just try to work it out on my own although I see this as being very important to learn.
I find all the music theory books I look at have things written in staff which I can't read, Im really looking for a book or website that covers everything and explains it clearly.
At the moment a normally find a scale or mode from http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/piano/ but I still don't know any theory behind what chords fit into what scales and chord or scale progression, I normally just try to work it out on my own although I see this as being very important to learn.
I find all the music theory books I look at have things written in staff which I can't read, Im really looking for a book or website that covers everything and explains it clearly.
You could try my theory pages... http://www.chordspace.com/Intro.htm
If those don't work for you there's a list of links here... http://www.chordspace.com/Links.htm
O.L.T - Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:25 am
Radek wrote:
Better question would be - what is your favorite chord?
Mine is dimished 7th.
Minor 7th or 9th
Like the sus chords as well (no pun intended) and add 6
O yeah, and Maj 7th too
advaya - Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:34 am
Radek wrote:
what is your favorite chord?
Mine is dimished 7th.
Mine is dimished 7th.
Am7 strummed out on my nylon string is my all-time favourite musical sound...
(I might change my mind if I had the patience to learn another chord though)
soulata - Thu Oct 19, 2006 11:23 am
oh well,
you only have to learn major scale (and all modes) and minor melodic (and some of the modes, modi?), and diminished, and augmented, and whole-tone...
deggy - Thu Oct 19, 2006 2:03 pm
My recent fav scales:
Messiaen's Mode of Limited Transposition #2 (otherwise known as the diminished scale)
(example)
D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C,
take two diminished 7 chords that don't have any notes in common and you have all the notes of the scale...
Also:
Lydian b7, Nikris, Saba and Kurd
nuffink - Thu Oct 19, 2006 2:39 pm
deggy wrote:
My recent fav scales:
Messiaen's Mode of Limited Transposition #2 (otherwise known as the diminished scale)
(example)
D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C,
take two diminished 7 chords that don't have any notes in common and you have all the notes of the scale...
Messiaen's Mode of Limited Transposition #2 (otherwise known as the diminished scale)
(example)
D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C,
take two diminished 7 chords that don't have any notes in common and you have all the notes of the scale...
Bloody 'ell, that's brave. Used like that (half-whole as opposed to whole-half) it's a whole load of dissonance.
tee boy - Thu Oct 19, 2006 4:35 pm
deggy wrote:
My recent fav scales:
Messiaen's Mode of Limited Transposition #2 (otherwise known as the diminished scale)
(example)
D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C,
take two diminished 7 chords that don't have any notes in common and you have all the notes of the scale...
Also:
Lydian b7, Nikris, Saba and Kurd
Messiaen's Mode of Limited Transposition #2 (otherwise known as the diminished scale)
(example)
D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C,
take two diminished 7 chords that don't have any notes in common and you have all the notes of the scale...
Also:
Lydian b7, Nikris, Saba and Kurd
Iv never really looked at Messiaen's techniques. I must admit, I find stuff like this hard to work with. I get the theoretical side of it, but the practical often eludes me.
I mean, the serial row thing is another really interesting idea with a squillion applications... but my experiment with the method rarely sound like anything but that - experiements!
TB
TVD - Thu Oct 19, 2006 4:51 pm
tee boy wrote:
C Major, cuz its easy to play
TB
TB
My favorites are C Major/A Minor (because they're easy!), E-flat Minor, and F Major.
donkey tugger - Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:05 pm
nuffink wrote:
whole load of dissonance.
Sonic yoof plays ver zep?
Err, major keys 90% of time for me. Easier for the geetar. Plus as Hetrotuds (sp?) said in another thread, it aint the key, it's the associations, tempo, cultural references and loads of other shite that goes with music that sets the mood, more than just the key of it. 'Atmosphere' by Joy Division, one of the most major key songs you'll ever hear. You're never going to be avin a larf at a party to it.
AndrewSimon - Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:35 pm
For those looking for free guitar lessons on-line check out:
http://www.riffinteractive.com/archiveLessons.htm
It's a great learning site.
New lessons every few days.
deggy - Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:48 pm
tee boy wrote:
deggy wrote:
My recent fav scales:
Messiaen's Mode of Limited Transposition #2 (otherwise known as the diminished scale)
(example)
D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C,
take two diminished 7 chords that don't have any notes in common and you have all the notes of the scale...
Also:
Lydian b7, Nikris, Saba and Kurd
Messiaen's Mode of Limited Transposition #2 (otherwise known as the diminished scale)
(example)
D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C,
take two diminished 7 chords that don't have any notes in common and you have all the notes of the scale...
Also:
Lydian b7, Nikris, Saba and Kurd
Iv never really looked at Messiaen's techniques. I must admit, I find stuff like this hard to work with. I get the theoretical side of it, but the practical often eludes me.
I mean, the serial row thing is another really interesting idea with a squillion applications... but my experiment with the method rarely sound like anything but that - experiements!
TB
that messiaen mode of limited transposition#2/Dim scale... It can give ya some interesting stuff if you just wrok with it a bit and noodle around...
if we were in D Dim for example (D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C)
you have a bunch of interesting chords to work with to give ya these odd/kinda simetrical progressions
D major, D Minor, Ab Major and Ab Minor, F Major and F Minor, B Major and B minor
make a progression with a bunch of those chords and then use the notes of the scale to solo over it... at least, that was my way of introducing myself to the mode (or any mode for that matter). You'll be making bad Alan Silvestri scores in no time...
nowadays, I live in the harmonic language of messiaen's Modes of Limited Trans and those quasi middle eatern modes like Lydian b7, Phrygian #6, Kurd, Saba (example - C, D, Eb, Fb[or E natural], G, Ab, Bb,), Purvi, Nikris, etc...
There's a lot more in life than Major or Minor,
but those two (and variations of them) often tend to be the tried, tested and true you could say
tee boy - Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:00 pm
deggy wrote:
tee boy wrote:
deggy wrote:
My recent fav scales:
Messiaen's Mode of Limited Transposition #2 (otherwise known as the diminished scale)
(example)
D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C,
take two diminished 7 chords that don't have any notes in common and you have all the notes of the scale...
Also:
Lydian b7, Nikris, Saba and Kurd
Messiaen's Mode of Limited Transposition #2 (otherwise known as the diminished scale)
(example)
D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C,
take two diminished 7 chords that don't have any notes in common and you have all the notes of the scale...
Also:
Lydian b7, Nikris, Saba and Kurd
Iv never really looked at Messiaen's techniques. I must admit, I find stuff like this hard to work with. I get the theoretical side of it, but the practical often eludes me.
I mean, the serial row thing is another really interesting idea with a squillion applications... but my experiment with the method rarely sound like anything but that - experiements!
TB
that messiaen mode of limited transposition#2/Dim scale... It can give ya some interesting stuff if you just wrok with it a bit and noodle around...
if we were in D Dim for example (D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C)
you have a bunch of interesting chords to work with to give ya these odd/kinda simetrical progressions
D major, D Minor, Ab Major and Ab Minor, F Major and F Minor, B Major and B minor
make a progression with a bunch of those chords and then use the notes of the scale to solo over it... at least, that was my way of introducing myself to the mode (or any mode for that matter). You'll be making bad Alan Silvestri scores in no time...
nowadays, I live in the harmonic language of messiaen's Modes of Limited Trans and those quasi middle eatern modes like Lydian b7, Phrygian #6, Kurd, Saba (example - C, D, Eb, Fb[or E natural], G, Ab, Bb,), Purvi, Nikris, etc...
There's a lot more in life than Major or Minor,
but those two (and variations of them) often tend to be the tried, tested and true you could say
Supperb mate, thats for the advice!
Alan Silverstri isnt my No1 composer, but hey, Id be happy to pick up a little of his sound and see how it ticks.
Btw, did you down load his free scores? On his site? So cool of him to do that.
TB
herodotus - Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:43 pm
Tee Boy:
A lot of metal employs the diminished scale (Or Mode of limited transposition #2 as deggy pointed out).
Just play 2 triads a minor third apart, a tritone apart, and a major sixth apart. The fun part is that (get this) they can be either major OR minor.
pretty nifty, huh?
The symmetrical modes seem weird at first, but they are actually much more intuitive after you get over the initial hurdles.
My favorite is the one made with two augmented triads a half step apart (e.g. c, c#, e, f, g#, a, {c}).
Sorry, this is fun, but I have to work.
God damn employers!!
deggy - Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:49 am
herodotus wrote:
Tee Boy:
A lot of metal employs the diminished scale
A lot of metal employs the diminished scale
I'd be curious to hear some of that. can you think of any examples (i know jack about metal but i've been curious about that genre now and then.)
i know they're not actually metal but a bunch of us saw the band "Tool" play at this festival that my friend's band played at. those guys were amazing entertainers. they had all these songs in cool meters and things... My buddy lent me a cd for a few days (with this human body innards on the cover). the first track (i think he said it was called "Grudge") was this cool thing in 5 that was divided into groups of 2.5 beats while the vocals did this cool syncopated thing. also that Lateralus track is great. those 2 tracks were on my ipod and i showed it to the guys in my funk band and the drummer freaked out... lol
O.L.T - Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:54 am
Danny Carey (Tool's drummer) is only the best (modern) drummer on the planet
Hanglow - Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:44 am
Chuck E. Jesus - don't know if you've been through all these http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1160513
i was looking for online lessons for blues, there are a bunch on there. I'm sure there will be some jazz ones as well.
hibidy - Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:49 am
I seem to lean towards minor scales/chords........maybe cause I'm a depressed/adhd/anxiety freak?
just a thought...........
xtp - Sat Oct 21, 2006 6:06 am
tee boy wrote:
Do you find that the different keys have different moods?
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
TB
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
TB
yes, some tunes i hear in my head dont sound right if i transpose them. Keys sound quite different to each other.
The keys I can sing in are not always the ones I compose in. I use my singing keys because of the restriction of my voice, but instrumentally I compose in a key that is triggered by the inspiration.
deggy - Sun Oct 22, 2006 12:04 pm
xtp wrote:
tee boy wrote:
Do you find that the different keys have different moods?
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
TB
Like, does Eb Major mean anything different to you than F Major?
TB
yes, some tunes i hear in my head dont sound right if i transpose them. Keys sound quite different to each other.
The keys I can sing in are not always the ones I compose in. I use my singing keys because of the restriction of my voice, but instrumentally I compose in a key that is triggered by the inspiration.
Messiaen also talked about this as well. There are famous pieces (Scriabin's Prométhée, poème de feu comes to mind) that often highlight different colors that the composers associated with each key...
i'm sure people have talked about this type of synesthesia a ton here at kvr already though...
hibidy - Mon Oct 23, 2006 2:00 am
Yep,
to my ears there are some significant diff's between certain key sigs......
Just as an example, I'ts hard not to do major songs in G, It's an extreamly happy sounding key. Ab, not so much.
Eb minor is the best sounding key for allot of people, E is "easier" to play....but there is a certain sadness or dramatic effect that Eb gives.....
Of cours, it's really subjective.....
Sascha Franck - Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:45 am
xtp wrote:
yes, some tunes i hear in my head dont sound right if i transpose them. Keys sound quite different to each other.
There's several reasons for such things to happen.
- One may have something I'd call "perfect pitch for starters". This means that, while not being able to actually point out a certain pitch/note immediately, different keys/tonalities would still reveal a different "feel".
- One may have a certain instrumental background which would make some keys more familiar to you. The obvious examples: White keys on the piano. All black keys on the piano. Open chords on a guitar. When you're a guitar player, a key such as, say, G major usually is quite more familiar than, say, Bb minor. And apparently, with most people the hearing adjusts to that, at least a bit.
- One may have a strong classical background. In classical music, keys don't seem to be treated as "equal" as in modern music, where you just pitch things around as much as you like (such as in simply tuning your guitar to Eb). Might have something to do with the pre-equal-tempered times. Back then some keys simply wouldn't work.
- There's the "low interval limits". I don't have any concrete numbers at hand, but you can only go that low with, say, a minor third interval. As an example (just randomly picked), an interval such as A-C might still work fine whereas transposing it down a halfstep to G#-B would already start to sound undefined.
I guess for most of us it's a mixture of some of these things, making certain keys sound "special".
Personally, when I'm away from the guitar, I don't experience these things a lot. In short: You could just transpose a keyboard a halftone down or up and most likely I wouldn't notice. I seem to be completely free from anything remotely close to absolute pitch, even if I have a rather well-trained relative pitch. Sometimes it's a bit different, for instance, when looking at a guitar, I may just know what the open strings will sound like, once I strum them. But usually this isn't the case for me.
In the end, while I'm sometimes quite jealous about some of my music mates to have perfect pitch, I never found it to be a problem, in my practical experience I even found it to be an advance. For instance, some years back we had to do a slightly longer tour with a rockband (no keyboards involved) and the singer's got quite some problems with his voice after a few days, constantly pushing it to it's upper limits. So we just tuned all guitars and basses down a half-step and things went a lot easier for him. I didn't notice much of a difference, others than things probably sounding a bit fatter.
Timerider - Sun Oct 29, 2006 4:46 pm
Chopin loved his minor keys - "I'm happiest, when i'm sad"
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