Chords etc. in Schmigadoon!

[shawshawraw]

Starting a thread for this finely crafted TV musical. There's a ton of things to listen to and analyze, especially if you're theatre/opera/classical lover... and I just love every song and am brainwashed now

Anyways, I'll start with my takeaways!

[shawshawraw]

The favourite of my favourite -

With All of Your Heart (Emma Tate's theme)

https://youtu.be/39UCSfQwO8E

The arrangement is just perfect. Nothing more, nothing less. Biggest goosebumps on "a life that's lived partway / is no way to live."

[shawshawraw]

You Can't Tame Me (Danny's theme)

https://youtu.be/gH1v-_cOQxE

Whoa. I thought the verse was fancy, but the density of chords were just mind-blowing. Knocked off.

[shawshawraw]

Somewhere Love Is Waiting for You (Mayor Menlove's theme)

https://youtu.be/QQT7v7cMHZw

All the carefully arranged "little voices" on strings and woodwinds! Goosebumps all the way.

[shawshawraw]

He's a Queer One, That Man o' Mine (Florence Menlove's theme)

https://youtu.be/-ACXR7H-AbA

Oh my gawd that Db7 chord!

[N__K]

Thanks for effort and sharing!
I can especially relate to "With All of Your Heart", on meta level



Are you transcribing chords entirely by listening, or do you play along and compare?

[shawshawraw]

Thanks for effort and sharing!
I can especially relate to "With All of Your Heart", on meta level



Are you transcribing chords entirely by listening, or do you play along and compare?

I have to play along and compare, a LOT. The music is way above what I can immediately tell! I'm learning so much from these songs.

And I make errors all the time with listening alone

[N__K]

I have to play along and compare, a LOT.

Yep, same thing for me. I've got relative pitch hearing, so reference tones are constantly needed. When unsure, I fall back on spectrum analysis (16384 FFT, semitone grid overlay), but that's not 100% solution either.

Time expenditure of it can be enormous - and, in line with the song, it usually stops being fun at some point. At which time I often become a "shirker", postponing the work for days (or even years, LOL) until it's again fun, or at least tolerable. But eventually, once the work is done, it is quite rewarding

[Markjohnsonii]

I am really enjoying Schmigadoon and have a question: Why do many of the songs feel flat or perhaps in a minor chord? Something just feels a bit weird with some of the songs and I’m trying to understand or codify what I’m hearing and why it sounds a bit weird; good, but weird. Even the electronic song played at her friend’s wedding was a bit ‘off’ (albeit intentionally so).

[shawshawraw]

I am really enjoying Schmigadoon and have a question: Why do many of the songs feel flat or perhaps in a minor chord? Something just feels a bit weird with some of the songs and I’m trying to understand or codify what I’m hearing and why it sounds a bit weird; good, but weird. Even the electronic song played at her friend’s wedding was a bit ‘off’ (albeit intentionally so).

Yes, many of them sound pleasantly weird! I think I kinda know what you're feeling... A large part of this comes from instrumentation and voice leading choices, not necessarily the chords as a whole.

But as for the matter of chords itself, maybe you're feeling "minor" on a C6 chord, for example?

I think the electronic song "to the left, to the right" has the vocal doubled and detuned!

[Markjohnsonii]

I am really enjoying Schmigadoon and have a question: Why do many of the songs feel flat or perhaps in a minor chord? Something just feels a bit weird with some of the songs and I’m trying to understand or codify what I’m hearing and why it sounds a bit weird; good, but weird. Even the electronic song played at her friend’s wedding was a bit ‘off’ (albeit intentionally so).

Yes, many of them sound pleasantly weird! I think I kinda know what you're feeling... A large part of this comes from instrumentation and voice leading choices, not necessarily the chords as a whole.

But as for the matter of chords itself, maybe you're feeling "minor" on a C6 chord, for example?

I think the electronic song "to the left, to the right" has the vocal doubled and detuned!

Thanks for replying! Yes many of the songs have some interesting melody/harmony combos… I just heard the Mildred Layton song and she was very flat/monotone and had a really strange pitch to it throughout. I don’t get some of the songs for sure.

[shawshawraw]

Did 4 more songs today!

Enjoy the Ride (1st romance)

https://youtu.be/ih7wCT8pacE

It's the most expensive blues I've ever heard! Fancy and delicate. Part 2 with Betsy features the minor tonic chord on phrases 1-3.

I find it very jammable

[shawshawraw]

Suddenly (2nd romance)

(Song starts at 0:47)
https://youtu.be/_nMH8ut1MDM

Lovely tune! The key changes in interludes are very worth digging.

[shawshawraw]

I Always Never Get My Man (Blerky's theme)

https://youtu.be/V4Z-6l2i4EY

Yet another bluesy tune with an unbalanced form! (Note the odd-numbered bars and phrases)

[shawshawraw]

You Make Me Wanna Sing (Josh's theme)

Finally Josh joins the musical! A very moving scene with sentimental arrangement.

https://youtu.be/v_jQVDdyELI