All Questions
55
questions
2
votes
1
answer
67
views
Would writing my main vocal part (lyrics) to a drone help me stay in key, and without limiting pitch variation?
By drone typically I mean one note, though from my understanding a drone could be one note, two notes, a chord or even 6 notes usually played on string instruments such as the tanpura or guitar. I’m ...
- 29
11
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Why is the key typically the first and/or last note (or chord) of a song?
Is there a strategical reason when composing for the key to commonly be the first and/or last note (or chord) of a song?
- 347
2
votes
1
answer
220
views
What are the main concepts that aid singing in key?
In my previous question I asked about how many notes are needed to establish what key you are in. That kind of dodges around the purpose of me asking so here’s a more direct question.
With an ...
- 994
3
votes
3
answers
293
views
How many notes does it take to state the key? To Have "Tonality"?
I'm referring to "tonal dominant function" as this gentleman is talking about in this video.
How many notes in a "melody" do you need to state the ...
- 994
5
votes
3
answers
518
views
Usage of sharpened subdominant in minor key: what is the diatonic function?
The piece Für Elise uses a D♯ in the key of A minor in the first bar, which is the sharpened subdominant. (I'm focusing on the first part, up to halfway through bar 23 in this score.) D♯ and G♯ are ...
- 559
3
votes
1
answer
132
views
G# major vs Ab major in the Liszt's Les Preludes
In this video at 6:21, the instructor says that
In measure 62 of Liszt Les Preludes (image below), the intonation is difficult if you think of as a "G sharp major."
Instead, it will be ...
- 921
2
votes
3
answers
168
views
Is it mulitple Key change?
Zion. T - Snow
Chord progression:
Am7 - D7sus4 D7 - Gmaj7 - E7sus4 E7
Am7 - D7sus4 D7 - Gmaj7 - E7sus4 E7
Am7 Bm7 - Cmaj7 D7(9) - Gmaj7 - Fmaj9 Fdim7
(Interlude:) Cm9 ...
- 109
6
votes
3
answers
423
views
Is the melodic minor a key as well as a scale?
The title, basically. I always understood that the natural, harmonic and melodic minor scales were 3 different scales deriving from the same "minor" key. I hear people talking about a ...
- 794
25
votes
7
answers
8k
views
Why does G# sound right when my melody is in C major?
I composed the following melody using notes from the C major scale. In the third bar a G# (Ab) seemed a natural choice to complete the loop, but I don’t understand why.
G# is not in C major nor its ...
- 379
5
votes
4
answers
585
views
Does this modulation make sense?
I am wondering how to assess the following modulation from C major to Bb major according to rules of traditional harmony:
I threw the modulation together without thinking about it much, and thought &...
- 1,396
5
votes
3
answers
677
views
Why is there no fourth minor scale with a natural 6 and a flat 7?
These scales are considered the minor scales:
natural: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
harmonic: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7
melodic: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 (ascending)
However, this scale:
4th min: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 ...
- 85
2
votes
0
answers
563
views
What is the tonalilty/mode of Sitting on the dock of the bay -Ottis Redding? [closed]
I was wondering what is the tonality of Sitting on the dock of the bay (
) since no diatonic scales fit the chord progression.
Here is the chord progression :
G | B7 | ...
- 121
2
votes
1
answer
85
views
Is it better for the voice to match the music?
I'm 18 and very new to music theory. I was in band and middle school for a year and took Music Appreciation in my senior year of high school.
But one thing I never came to understand was sound keys ...
- 21
0
votes
7
answers
321
views
Which minor scale/mode do you use to harmonize the chords, when improvising in minor key?
When improvising in minor key (let's say classical harmony, non-modal), I guess the minor melodic scales (asc. and desc.) are used to play, well, the melody (hence the name melodic?). Or is the ...
- 471
1
vote
3
answers
2k
views
Why does the relation between E major and Ab major feel especially connected?
I find that whenever I improvise in E major, I naturally move back and forth between E major and Ab major key areas. It's like E major and Ab major feel especially connected in a way that say Bb major ...
- 6,614