Ask a Music Theory Guru Anything

Seeing as how I've got years of formal training in music theory (not to mention an unhealthy obsession with it), I figured I should offer it up to the community.

Keys, scales, chords, modes, progressions, voice-leading, rhythms, time signatures, etc.

Ask away.

did you read the rules?

I can't figure out the chords he plays on the guitar in this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1upZz3a-7iM

Please help

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:27 PM, loganfive said:

did you read the rules?

Sure did. Did I miss something?

Is 'I'm gannin to the chinkies like and then gannin yem' racist?

A song I'm currently working on goes: BAGFEF#GABCDDbDEGAC#BF#EDCBbF

I'm stuck. What should come next?

Edit: It's a waltz.

How young is too young?

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:29 PM, beariksson said:

I can't figure out the chords he plays on the guitar in this video

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1upZz3a-7iM

 

Please help

Ha ha ha ha ha. Without picking up an instrument to follow, I'd say it's a I V ii IV progression in G, so G D Am C.

explain the modes of limited transportation to me.

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:40 PM, kakapo said:

Is 'I'm gannin to the chinkies like and then gannin yem' racist?

Yes.

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:42 PM, WWBJD said:

A song I'm currently working on goes: BAGFEF#GABCDDbDEGAC#BF#EDCBbF

 

I'm stuck. What should come next?

 

Edit: It's a waltz.

I assume those are the notes you're playing? It kinda depends on how you're harmonizing it. Audio clip?

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:44 PM, kakapo said:

How young is too young?

15

and also,

Discuss some of the reasons (aesthetic and otherwise) behind the disintegration of the Common Practice Era. Support your argument by drawing on appropriate musical examples.

1500 words. il be back at about 1am gmt, if you could have it done by then, that would be much appreciated.

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:47 PM, messiaen said:

explain the modes of limited transportation to me.

My car can transport me places unless it has no gas, in which case I need to refuel, which I cannot do if I have exceeded my spending limit. There are other variables, but that is the most important one.

In emergency situations I also have a bike, but it doesn't go very fast.

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:56 PM, wahrk said:

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:47 PM, messiaen said:

explain the modes of limited transportation to me.

 

My car can transport me places unless it has no gas, in which case I need to refuel, which I cannot do if I have exceeded my spending limit. There are other variables, but that is the most important one.

 

In emergency situations I also have a bike, but it doesn't go very fast.

sorry, transposition. im a dumbass

lol

Transcribe the muziq remix of geometry in full.

What happened to Vox Populi?

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:57 PM, messiaen said:

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:56 PM, wahrk said:

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:47 PM, messiaen said:

explain the modes of limited transportation to me.

 

My car can transport me places unless it has no gas, in which case I need to refuel, which I cannot do if I have exceeded my spending limit. There are other variables, but that is the most important one.

 

In emergency situations I also have a bike, but it doesn't go very fast.

 

sorry, transposition. im a dumbass

Ha ha. All good. Whole tone scale's the first with all whole step intervals between the notes of the scale. There are two of them: 0 (beginning on C) and 1 (beginning on C#). The second's the octatonic which is alternating half and whole steps all the way up and there are three transpositions (as it's just made up of diminished chords). I never really studied the others.

  On 2/4/2010 at 9:56 PM, messiaen said:

and also,

 

 

Discuss some of the reasons (aesthetic and otherwise) behind the disintegration of the Common Practice Era. Support your argument by drawing on appropriate musical examples.

 

 

1500 words. il be back at about 1am gmt, if you could have it done by then, that would be much appreciated.

That would be music history good sir.

  On 2/4/2010 at 10:01 PM, kakapo said:

lol

 

Transcribe the muziq remix of geometry in full.

 

What happened to Vox Populi?

No. :)

cant you just do my essay for me so i can go and get drunk and not do work all night? il make you a lifetime member.

  On 2/4/2010 at 10:22 PM, messiaen said:

cant you just do my essay for me so i can go and get drunk and not do work all night? il make you a lifetime member.

Perhaps you could write "People like the blues." 500 times, followed by a transcription of a 12-bar blues with all dominant seventh chords and a melody leaning heavily on the b5. It may not have been the direct downfall, but I'll be damned if it doesn't stand as a raging middle finger to classical theory from that period.

Watching this thread is like watching a train wreck about to happen.

I gotta say, I love this thread idea.

Some questions from a beginner: why do certain chords lead to others (e.g. I to IV)? What is the importance of modes and how are they used? Should I bother learning figured bass?

  On 2/4/2010 at 10:37 PM, Rabid said:

I gotta say, I love this thread idea.

 

Some questions from a beginner: why do certain chords lead to others (e.g. I to IV)? What is the importance of modes and how are they used? Should I bother learning figured bass?

Why does a major chord sound bright and a minor chord sound dark? We don't really know. Same goes for why I should go to IV and V to I. It just sounds good that way. The thing about music theory is that it's all theory. It's all just a big set of guidelines, not rules, and they were all written down because following them sounded good.

I personally put very little value in modes. I like to think of stuff I play that's modal more as having an altered scale. Take Mixolydian for example, which is the major scale but starting on the fifth. I'd rather think of it as a major scale with a minor seventh. As far as usage goes, they just give a different character to a piece. Mixolydian is one of my favorites because it's kinda epic or heroic sounding. Ever listen to Santana? He plays a LOT of his stuff in Dorian (starting on the second scale degree). I'm not one to say they are necessary as a musician, but they're cool to have around now and then.

Figured bass is wacky, but it's a common way to illustrate chord inversions. Do you plan on playing a lot of piano music? If so, you should probably learn it. If not, eh, your choice. I know it, I use it, it does the job. I rarely do full transcription though. I mostly do chord charts and use it there. Like if I were playing in C and I had a C chord that I was playing in first inversion, I'd write it as I6. The important idea to keep in mind here is that inversions are important, figured bass notation, not so much.

I was gonna be a dick but your realistic reply made me lose motivation. then my crappy internet connection made me post it anyway. then I edited the post. but I hope I confused somebody.

what is happening, technically, when a donk is put upon a piece?

  On 2/4/2010 at 11:17 PM, Alcofribas said:

what is happening, technically, when a donk is put upon a piece?

From my experience it involves sacrificing any shred of dignity for a bit of booty-shakin' dance-ability.

Heh. Even though your thread is kind of being trolled at least I got something out of it. Thanks a lot.

  Quote

Why does a major chord sound bright and a minor chord sound dark? We don't really know. Same goes for why I should go to IV and V to I. It just sounds good that way. The thing about music theory is that it's all theory. It's all just a big set of guidelines, not rules, and they were all written down because following them sounded good

If the overtone series can be used to explain consonance/dissonance then I'm sure there's some explanation for other things in theory, even if the explanation is something really technical. What you said makes sense though.