Mr.Scruff - Jazz potato

Chords, scales, harmony, melody, etc.
Post Reply New Topic
RELATED
PRODUCTS

Post

Hi guys:
Any kind soul with a good ear could tell me which chords and the notes of the melody in this amazing song by Mr.Scruff?





I'd love to analyze this theorically, to get why it sounds so cheerful and groovy....


Thanks a lot in advance.

Post

Bro, this song is VERRRRRY simple!

Key: D minor. I think a lot of other people here would say it's G dorian.

Chords: Gm9 Am9 Cmaj7/D Gm9. So, if you're thinking G dorian, and wanted to use Roman numerals to analyze the progression, it would be im9, iim9, V7sus, then back to the im9.

Rhodes melody is based on Dm7: F D C D A D C

The other synth line is from D minor pentatonic: A G F G D F G F

All the other weird noises and crap pretty much fall within the key. :)

Post

to call it D minor when the tonic is clearly G is confusing the issue.
There is one flat. With a G tonic, it would be CORRECT to say 'it's G dorian'.

'D minor' will have attributes based on the fact of a D tonic. A row of notes that coincides with it does not automatically mean it's that. You may as well say 'it's F major'.

One should not confuse the name of a thing for the thing itself; 'it's D minor' confuses the key signature for the actual function of key.

For instance, someone new to the terms might now be looking at the chord "Dm" as the more important harmony. It isn't even in your transcription. A clear indication of 'not D minor' I think. This will not help them get the idea.

Post

Well, we will just have to agree to disagree. I think modes are useless and we are not even using them according to the rules those old time monks came up with, so why bother with them?

I actually do think of D minor as F major. Even though it is common practice, I would never recommend anyone to think of G dorian as a tonic. This unnecessarily complicates things.

Maybe if I was a jazz guitarist and a disciple of Pat Martino, I would look at everything in music theory from a minor point-of-view the way that he does.

But seriously, this song is VERRRY easy. Just smash all the white notes on the keyboard in any order and manner you please, include the Bb and you are good-to-go!

Post

Thanks a lot! I owe you a beer.

Guess I should practice a little bit more to be able to spot them by ear...

Thanks again!

Post Reply

Return to “Music Theory”