Notes that want to go to other notes? What is this called?

[The Telenator]

The Op asked a very, very simple question, and in a layperson, nontechnical way stated it absolute right. Instead of answer simply in return, this went off into hair-splitting, arguments over terminology, chest-pounding, attempts to show how smart you are and the like. All of it uncalled for, and if the Op is somewhat of a novice as I'm supposing -- or even if not -- the responses probably served only to confuse further, None of you even answered the real question about why does it 'feel' like certain notes are 'pulling' you, your ears, your dog, who cares, in a certain direction, e,g., needing to resolve to tonic.

Hey OP, go online and search if good at that sort of thing, or see a prof,. briefly at your local college, who would be more than happy to show you a good theory text that can help and not waste your time dealing with egos and squabbling. Or PM me later and I'll mention a few. Not all of the newer ones will bore you to tears these days, either! Cheers!

[jancivil]

I love how *you* sorted out this 'simple' question.

it's not so simple a question; the question is going to reside in the context of a lot of information.

Mike provided that there are 'special interest' tones such as in 'classical' practice, 'leading tones'.
The B in C major, in a context such as a harmony, a 'G7', G B D F, will carry an expectation to 'resolve', in a certain convention. The reasons for that reside in that context. The B in C major, on the other hand, may be part of a nice C major seventh chord in a pop number or jazz and just sit there relaxed.

I've noticed in music when you do a couple notes the next note seems to want to go to a certain note. Or the last note of your melody wants to go back to the tonic. Is there a field of theory on this or info on this? I'd really like to study this in depth.

The first reply to this was 'look into tension/dissonance etc'. The question, such as there was one with a concrete answer, was answered at once.

There are fields of theory such as writing four part harmony according to the 'classical' practice period, with principles that are to be followed. That is information found in this thread as well. If Teh Telenator is upset on cj31387's behalf that this hasn't been explained sufficiently, perhaps more is in order than 'consult a professor'? Which I agree with, certainly in preference to blindly canvassing the 'nets. I'm not being paid to be that person. This quality of question asks for music lessons for free, basically.

Q: Are there also more degrees to it. For instance maybe when you have a melody that has a few notes already the next one kind of wants to be a specific note.

A: in some contexts this is going to be true, in some it won't be as true or true at all. There is more to it, yes.

[The Telenator]

Oh, get off it! I suffered through all the 4-part chorale, voice leading crap. I think 3 years of it. Stop bluffing. My argument here is, instead of explain why tension results and just give the OP a basic answer -- and it's NOT that complicated -- a couple of you went off correcting each other's terminology, trying to show how much you think you know, and blah, blah, blah. All ego BS. All of it.

Still fairly new to KVR's forum part, I was warned off going anywhere near the Music Theory part of the forum -- without even asking. It's ridiculously plain to see why!

[Hink]

It's why some chords are called 'Dominant', or 'Sub-Dominant', or 'Root'.

Don't confuse Root with Tonic.


Also, as non-harmonic notes have been mentioned, my introduction to ornamental, unessential, and non-harmony notes might be useful.

imho there should be a sticky for your threads Thank you for these

[VicDiesel]

There aren't any notes that "need" to go to other notes. There are however special attention notes in classical music known as "leading tones" These are generally the major 7th note which "wants" to resolve to the root. It is this type of framework which is why the leading tone is often omitted from counterpoint.

There are of course "neighboring" and "passing tones" A passing tone is a tone between two scale tones. In the blues the flatted 5th is often treated in this manner. A passing tone between the 4th and the 5th. The "Blues Scale" is no more then the minor pentatonic with the added flat five and many blues rock and other popular forms of music gravitate around the use of the blues scale. Blues as well as other popular forms utilize the flatten third in conjunction with the major third. this is a neighboring tone. Rarely one finds all those notes in the same constructed form. Blues and rock players often mix and match the Mixolydian scale with the blues scale. Taking a phrase from one then possibly adding a "color" tone then following with the other scale.

A neighboring tone is a tone that is near (a half tone) above or below the chord tone. Blues and Rock often mix and match the minor third and the major third. And jazz especially the likes of Duke Ellington like to move int a chord ton from a non chord tone above of below it. This is commonly referred to as "Bumping"

Quoted in its entirety for a concise statement of classical theory (which is what the OP was asking) yet acknowledging that this functions is dependent on context.

Victor.

[JumpingJackFlash]

As others have said, if you want a simple answer it has to be that it depends on context.

By itself, the note B for example has absolutely no inherent "desire" to go anywhere.

In the context of the dominant chord of either C major or C minor, it usually functions as a leading note that "wants to" resolve up a semitone to the tonic.

In the context of the subdominant chord of G major though (for example), the B functions as a major seventh and thus "wants to" resolve down a tone to the supertonic.

In the context of the dominant chord of B major though, the B might be functioning as a 4:3 suspension, in which case it "wants to" resolve down a semitone to the leading note.

In the tonic chord of B major though, the B is normally perfectly stable and "wants to" go nowhere.

All of this though assumes a tonal context. A lot of music isn't necessarily tonal though; if you were talking about Indian Ragas for example, the note would have completely different connotations.

It depends entirely on context.

[someone called simon]

In the context of the subdominant chord of G major though (for example), the B functions as a major seventh and thus "wants to" resolve down a tone to the supertonic.

Huh? a B in G just wants to sit there, happily being a major 3rd! Actually, just as I'm typing this I realise, subdominant, that's 4th right? so you're talking key of D? That was a bit obscure, to me at least, without clarifying that.

[JumpingJackFlash]

In the context of the subdominant chord of G major though (for example), the B functions as a major seventh and thus "wants to" resolve down a tone to the supertonic.

Huh? a B in G just wants to sit there, happily being a major 3rd! Actually, just as I'm typing this I realise, subdominant, that's 4th right? so you're talking key of D? That was a bit obscure, to me at least, without clarifying that.

As I said, I was talking about the subdominant chord of G major. That would be the chord of C major. In this context, the note B is a dissonance - it turns the chord into a major seventh, and in a classical context that seventh "wants to" resolve down a tone to the note A (which would normally be realised as the fifth of the dominant chord; D major).

In other words, I'm talking about the progression Cmaj7 - D (in G major), with one of the parts moving from a B to an A.