I just can't relate to major scales.

[Functional]

This is how I feel about minor & major scales;

Two girls ask me simultaneously on a date.

Major asks me whenever I want to watch TV & eat chips with some pepsi.

Minor asks me whenever I want to go to go climb mountains, perhaps go camping, maybe go to Italy or France or even skydiving.

What's up with this?

I honestly don't know myself (for the lack of my knowledge) too much practice for major scales.

Somehow, I understood that "most music is written in C Maj", but on the other hand, all I ever hear is songs written in minor. All I can relate to are songs that are written in minor.

So, what is the role of major scales in modern music?

[GeckoYamori]

Every major has a minor parallel though, and the line between them can be blurred at times.

[Sendy]

I can relate to this to a degree (no pun intended!). I find with electronic music (as opposed to traditional instrumentation like piano or voice) the major scale can just sound horribly cheesy, and taking most of my major-scale ideas and flattening the thirds and possibly sevenths or whatever to take it to a minor mode would often seem to improve the idea and make it sound more "mature" to me.

On the other hand, when I get inspiration in the form of major-scale material, it's usually some of my best and most enjoyable stuff to work on. I think for major-scale tonality to work in electronic music, the supporting arrangement etc needs to be a lot stronger to produce an "acceptable" result, as do the base ideas.

The only way to battle this is to try using more major chords in your minor-mode works, and also try regularly to write in a major mode, even if nothing comes of it.

[Gillman]

So, what is the role of major scales in modern music?

It's cultural because the major scale works perfectly well.

proof:

[NKF]

in tonal harmony,

major key's can encapsulate minor keys where as the minor key can't. Key's are just points of reference. I find the use of the major key in many pop tracks that might seem like they are in a minor key more apt to describe it as it tends to actually frame a key where as using minor key doesn't.

Example

i VII VI in minor which happens quite often does not really outline a key as you have no dominant and would be a mode rather than a tonal key. But if you use a major point of reference, you could view this as vi V IV where you now have a dominant although never actually fulfilling its function due to the evaded cadence but none the less outlines a key much better.

it is all semantics but this is the way i prefer to frame things in my mind.

[deathwish]

I can relate to this to a degree (no pun intended!). I find with electronic music (as opposed to traditional instrumentation like piano or voice) the major scale can just sound horribly cheesy, and taking most of my major-scale ideas and flattening the thirds and possibly sevenths or whatever to take it to a minor mode would often seem to improve the idea and make it sound more "mature" to me.

On the other hand, when I get inspiration in the form of major-scale material, it's usually some of my best and most enjoyable stuff to work on. I think for major-scale tonality to work in electronic music, the supporting arrangement etc needs to be a lot stronger to produce an "acceptable" result, as do the base ideas.

The only way to battle this is to try using more major chords in your minor-mode works, and also try regularly to write in a major mode, even if nothing comes of it.

This exactly how I feel in regards to the cheese factor. It's a complete mystery to me as why some songs end up being corny/cheesy. I used to believe it was writing something too simple in ionian, but even writing complex melodies / rhythms ended up being cheesy(think prog rock). I'm starting to believe it's all about choosing the correct sounds and knowing the genre of the song one is creating. Songs that are too ambiguous genre-wise usually end up being cheesy, if they aren't "ground breaking."

Btw I love your music. I really like what you've got so far in Heartstrings and Clockwork... reminds me of Aphex Twin with the breakbeats and the acid bass/ tb303 sounds

[qa2pir]

haha lovely topic

I kinda agree although I would say the major girl asks me to do pointless outdoor exercises while the minor girl asks me to smoke weed and draw together and watch documentaries.

or more abstractly the major girl says things are okay as they are and you have to be like everyone else, the minor girl says the unknown must be explored and you have to be different.

but this is just very general... not 100/0 more like 70/30

[Doug1978]

To be honest, it's probably just a question of balance.


Maybe see the first girl on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

And see the second girl on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Keep Sunday as a free day.

[tapper mike]

Re cheesy.

Most of that has to do with technique and timing. If you play with a little "bounce" in your meter where you are not exactly on top but slightly ahead of the beat it will sound more energized. If you play slightly past the beat it can sound draggy or swaggering like Keith Richards

[jancivil]

[ATS]

This is how I feel about minor & major scales;

Two girls ask me simultaneously on a date.

Major asks me whenever I want to watch TV & eat chips with some pepsi.

Minor asks me whenever I want to go to go climb mountains, perhaps go camping, maybe go to Italy or France or even skydiving.

What's up with this?

I honestly don't know myself (for the lack of my knowledge) too much practice for major scales.

Somehow, I understood that "most music is written in C Maj", but on the other hand, all I ever hear is songs written in minor. All I can relate to are songs that are written in minor.

So, what is the role of major scales in modern music?

You are really being very vaugue, in other words you aren't saying much at all. At least that is how I see it.

[Functional]

Sorry for bit late reply

Actually, I do use major chords nearly in every chord progression I'd do. I think they're quite exciting. It's rather that I wouldn't write the chord progressions in a major key, usually the biggest problem comes with the tonic chord. Since in my eyes, it defines a big part of the chord progression itself.

And the song that Gillman posted, I indeed understand the role of Maj in some cultural and folk music. But I was seeking more something like jan posted, which was by the way great example, thanks.

So here's another thought. To me, it seems like it's easier to create an uplifting feeling with minor mode than it would be to create a sad mood with Maj. Anyone else agree with this? And I wonder, why would it be like that?

[Functional]

You are really being very vaugue, in other words you aren't saying much at all. At least that is how I see it.

To sum it up, I've heard so many times how Maj scales are being so popular and such. But in modern pop music, seems like it's rather rare. And whenever I've tried to work with Maj scales, I just can't relate to them at all.

As my mother said as well that she can't work with Maj scales either, her favorite being the F minor. She even claimed that it's quite common that people don't really like to work on major mode.

So I'm interested whenever it's true that people really prefer minor scales like she and I do. And modern pop music at least correlates with this. As well as I keep hearing mostly minor modes in alternative rock. (Much more important point in terms that Radiohead, for example, seems to write only in minor mode. And I think people would agree with my opinion, that Thom Yorke is quite the artist)

[Nystul]

I tend to prefer minor keys and find it easier to present some emotions there as you suggest, but there is a ton of pop music in major keys covering a wide gamut of styles.

Here's something a bit sad in C major... hard to believe it's been 20 years since this video!

[Acid Mitch]

Here's something a bit sad in C major...

If I ignore the singing and listen to the music it doesn't sound sad to me, unlike somewhere over the rainbow.(Good example Jancivil)