Music theory

[brian99]

I am very confused about basic music theory.

I realise I have misunderstood something but what difference does is make if the music is in the key of, say, C or another key? Or if the piece is major or minor?

Surely, if the music says 'Play C, then D, then E etc' that's what I do.

Can anyone point out what I am missing, please?

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Welcome aboard Brian, cannot help you with the theory as I too know nothing about it but I try not to let it interfere with my playing but, trust me you can get a toon out of a steel guitar without it, may not be 100% correct but if you have a good ear will still give you some satisfaction.......

[Will C]

Hi Brian, good questions - although there are a million and one videos out there on You Tube to give you all you want and more.

In a nutshell, "major" and "minor" is all about the size of the gaps between the notes. The brain interprets "major" as happy, and "minor" as sad. If you're playing "C, then D, then E" you are dead right - if you are just playing the notes alone. But if you want some harmony notes along with the melody, that's where the possibilities open up.

In any major scale, the gaps between the notes go (from the start note): "whole tone, whole tone, half-tone, whole tone (x3) and a half-tone" to return to the starting note, but at twice the pitch. This is called an "octave" up because there are 8 notes in a western musical scale. Other cultures have different conventions.

Generally speaking, you'll get some basic harmonies by following this rule: "play a note, miss out the next note, play one, miss out the next one" and so on. So if you start on the first, fourth or fifth note of the "scale" (or tone ladder, as the Germans and Dutch call it) you'll get a major chord. If you start at the second, third or sixth note of the scale, you'll get a minor chord. The seventh is a funny, no point in confusing the issue here. The eighth is a repeat of the first, but higher up.

All simplified, there's more detail, but that's the beauty of music - "an infinite pool where a gnat may sip, or an elephant may bathe". Enjoy!

[Ken Byng]

From Andrew Pousa

What is a Key in Music?
In music a key is the major or minor scale around which a piece of music revolves. A song in a major key is based on a major scale. A song in a minor key is based on a minor scale.

A song played in the ‘key of C major’ revolves around the seven notes of the C major scale – C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. That means the fundamental notes making up the song’s melody, chords, and bassline are all derived from that group of notes.

A song in the ‘key of F major’ uses the notes of the F major scale – F, G, A, Bb, C, D, and E.

Similarly, a piece of music can be in a minor key and revolve around a natural minor scale. For example, a song in the ‘key of D minor’ uses the notes of the D minor scale – D, E, F, G, A, Bb, and C.

Any major scale or natural minor scale can serve as a key for a piece of music.

The Center of It All - The Tonic
The root note of the key acts as the center of the key. Similar to the root notes of chords, the root note of a scale is the note on which a scale is built. For example, the root of the C major scale is C. The root note of an Eb minor scale would be Eb. When speaking of keys, the root note of the key is called the tonic.

[Danny Mitchell]

Hi Brian
this is all good advice.
Here's something else to twist your melon. If you play along with this, you'll be playing in Bflat major.



Trust in Dame Julie! &Here's the chords, blagged from some ukulele site.

Bb
Doe, a deer, a female deer.
F7
Ray, a drop of golden sun.
Bb
Me, a name I call myself.
F
Far, a long long way to run.
Bb......Bb7.............Eb
Sew, a needle pulling thread.
C7.....................F
La, a note to follow sew.
D7..................Gm........Bb7
Tea, a drink with jam and bread.
...........Cm7.....F7.......Bb............F7
That will bring us back to doh - oh - oh - oh!

-last time-
...........Cm7......F7......Bb
That will bring us back to doh!

As in most things in life, it's all about the dough!

Good Luck.

[brian99]

Many thanks for the responses!

I have looked on Youtube and probably seen a million videos, but I think I am missing the 1 that will explain all!

I usually like to understand something of the theory of any new project, so this is why I would like to understand a little more of music theory.

Now, even I have managed to understand the notes, their length, rests, intervals and chords (mostly). This information is clearly essential when playing, but whilst I understand what a C Major scale is, I am still not clear what to do with that information.
For example, I have the music for Amazing Grace and there is 1 sharp after the clef, so I presume the key is G. But how do I use that information, if I am just playing the set written notes on the stave? Or, is this information just for improvised music or when writing music?

Finally, my wife just came in to see if I was ill because she could hear I was playing 'Dame Julie' - I am not a Sound of Music person!

[Jim Pritchard]

Hi Brian & welcome,

Understanding 'music theory' can be easy or difficult, if not well prepared or presented. (I learned, in my early years, from a very good piano tutor).
I understand that you have some knowledge of the basics, which is to your advantage. However, I would suggest a few lessons....'one on one',
with a local teacher of music, explaining what you are looking for.
That, IMHO, would be of greater value to you, to actually show you how the various interpretations & chord sequences are presented.

There have been a good many suggestions by members, and all with some helpful insight as to the key/chord structures. (see Ken Bing's post)
See attached, for some more structures in the make up of the key signatures & their Minor keys etc.

As to your original question :- The music, which is written by the composer/singer, is usually in a key acceptable and accessed on the keyboard or other instrument, to either suit the style and/or the mood of the passage/words of a song. It can then be transposed to any Key which suits the vocal range of any one else.

Good luck in your studies. Jim.

[elparkirio]

Ok, i'll wade into this one...

The way to apply the knowing of a certain key (in your example G major) is to harmonise the major scale, in essence, turn the notes of that scale into chords. Stick with me, this won't take long.

First we need to establish the notes in a scale. We do this by using a major scale formula.
The formula is made up of a series of tones and semi tones. A tone is the distance between 2 frets (ie A-B) and a semi tone is 1 fret (ie A-A#). Using these measuring devices the formula runs as follows

Tone Tone Semitone Tone Tone Tone Semitone.
This gives you all the notes in the scale.

For example, G major is

Tone Tone Semitone Tone Tone Tone Semitone
G A B C D E F# G

Secondly, we need to turn those notes into chords. Because the formula stays the same the chord types will always stay the same and they are as follows

Major minor minor Major Major minor minor b5

So, the first chord in the key of G major is G major, the second is A minor, the third B minor and so on.
This is the same for every key. So whatever key you are in, take your formula, establish the scale, turn the notes into chords and you're off.

This is the easy bit. The tricky bit is finding them on your steel.

[David Hartley]

There's enough info above to make Brian quit, and some of it is wrong too.
I'm am totally with John Davis on this one.
Don't try and read piano music to play steel.
Even I would have given up playing steel, and I got to grade 6 in my piano lessons.
Play your steel by using tablature written for steel to help you along, and your own ear.

[Paul Brennan]

My tuppence worth: take David's advice and learn some tunes and licks from tab. This'll get you going and starting to enjoy playing the instrument. You don't need to get bogged down in music theory at this stage. That is unless you want to. Later on, I think, you will need to learn some theory but it'll be easier and make more sense because you'll see how it works in the context of what you're playing. At this stage, above all, you need to be training your ear. Training your brain can come a bit further down the line. There's lots of musicians who know very little music theory just as there's lots of drivers on the roads who don't really know the rules of the road. They get away with as long as they're just following the rest of the traffic and not going very far from home. Sooner or later they're going to come unstuck when they meet some unfamiliar situation. Knowing the rules will help them get through it.

Here's an interesting read: http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/theory/1 ... their.html