What is music theory?, Why do we care? Options

[cpinegar]

Like language, music is something our brains are wired to understand in one form or another. We can all at least hum and tap our foot in time with music, if not sing and dance. Even non-musicians are experts in knowing what music we like or don't like. We can talk about our musical preferences all day long.

Music theory is the study of the underlying structure of music. Once we understand the hidden or deep structures, we can use that knowledge to save time as we create music for some particular effect (usually to feel good). All the funky terms, concepts and notations are just ways of describing the structures of music in objective ways (when the music is not playing).

That said, don't let music theory intimidate you. Ask your questions here.

Cheers,

Craig

[curve7]

Scales, major minor.. etc.. confuse me alot
i can understand tutorials until the Chords part. and that was my one stop bus.

[curve7]

Scales, major minor.. etc.. confuse me alot
i can understand tutorials until the Chords part. and that was my one stop bus.

[joshimax]

I first started learning the guitar when I was about 15 and wish I'd paid more attention to it then. I'm 28 now and starting over (well, basically) and now I find the theory fascinating.

Curve7 my only advice would be to go at your own pace with the theory - it's working for me so far. I know there's a lot out there that I don't get but I will eventually. One step at a time

[cpinegar]

My music teacher explained theory as just understanding what it is that your musical ear hears. That said, understanding of theory begins with learning some vocabulary and associating those terms with music you hear (and preferably like).

If you have any terms you would like to understand better, just let us know.

Cheers,

Craig

[Mack]

ok, i have an understanding of theory, i understand how keys function, when to play a major, and when to play a minor scale. but something has been troubling me... In a Major chord, u use the I-III-V, now, in a Cmaj chord u wound count that as C d E f G meaning that I-III-V would be C-E-G, but in an Amaj chord when u count A b C d E, you get A-C-E as the I-III-V but an Amaj chord has a C#. Now, i kno that there is no half step inbetween b and c, and e and f, but the math here just isant adding up, any insight would be appricated.
if u sent your answer to TheoriginalMack@ymail.com it would have a better chance of reaching me. thx

[joshimax]

It comes back to the intervals between the notes in a scale. Sticking with the examples you've given you're spot on for the Cmaj - C-E-G. The reason for this is a major scale follow this pattern:
T = Tone (whole step)
S = Semi-tone (half step)

T-T-S-T-T-T-S

So for the C major scale its:

T T S T T T S
C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C

When you move the same set of intervals so that the root note is an A; it looks like this:

T T S T T T S
A B C# D E F G A

No matter what major scale your in it's the same pattern of whole and half steps up the scale.

Hope it helps

[ianb]

and for a Minor Scale the pattern is different (but related)

TSTTSTT

so for A Minor the notes are

A,B,C,D,E,F,G,A

and an Am chord (triad) contains the notes

A,C,E

[ianb]

Joshimax nails everythin in Harmony and Melody with the mention of intervals.

Interval - The distance between any two notes semitones (1 fret = 1 semitone)

It is the intervals that you hear that convey all of the feeling, not the notes.

an A note does not sound happy or sad or tense.

an A not heard with a C note sounds sad (minor Third) and A note heard with a C# sounds happy (Major Third) and an A note heard with an Eb will sound tense (i mean really &^% tense) (diminished 5th, augmented 4th depending on your glass half full/half empty outlook, also known as a Tritone).


Scales are sets of intervals and because the pattern of intervals is always the same on scales of the same type (Major Scale, Minor Scale) the scale types sound similar, this is why the A Major Scale sounds more like a G Major Scale than it does an A Minor Scale.

Chord are just sets of intervals, each type of chord sounds the way it does, because of the pattern of Intervals.

[joshimax]

Thanks for expanding Ian, I'm glad I got that bit right because I'm only learning this stuff myself! You can see the relationship in the two patterns visually can't you?

Ian, you said that an A with a C sounds sad (minor Third) and with C# sounds happy (Major Third) those I'm comfortable with.

But i'm murky on the Eb part, is there another pattern for Tritone? are the diminshed 5th, aug 4th etc.. all part of that?

[ianb]

An interval of 6 semitones also 3 tones (hence tritones) is a very tense sounding interval.
It can also be called an Augmented 4th or a Diminished 5th.

Just play and an Eb together and hear how creepy it sounds, then move the Eb to either D or E and hear how much difference moving changing the interval makes.

now try the same thing with any 2 notes that are 6 semitones apart, you will get the same effect.

Just listening to that example gives a good insight into why intervals are important.

The Tritone interval plays a huge part in Music.

Play a G7 followed by a C chord, or a D7 followed by a G chord.

That sound is called a Perfect Cadence, it is used to establish the second chord as the Root chord of a chord progression and to bring a progression to a conclusion.

What is happening is this (example using the key of C Major)

G7 - (notes G,B,D,F) moves to C chord (notes C,E,G)

The B and the F in the G7 are a Tritone, which makes the chord sound tense

The B moves up a semitone to a C, The F moves down a semitone to an E, this resolves the tritone to a stable Major Third. the G stays put and the D dissapears.

The important part is the resolution of the Tritone to a Stable interval.

[joshimax]

Thanks Ian, you've really got a good handle on music theory!

[ianb]

I hope it helps.

Intervals are your basic vocabulary in music, so it is worth the effort of learning what they sound like.

Learning how they work is like learning grammar to structure words into thoughts

[joshimax]

Oh yeah, it really does help Ian.

I know I'm only just scratching the surface with this stuff - but i'm understanding it more.

[BRF]

I'm having a doubt about modulation, that means the change of key during a song.

My doubt is if is considered as a modulantion or change of key when the key is, for exemple, A, and turns to Am, or is Am and turns to Adim.

In other words: does it means a change of key when the root note is the same but the the chord or harmony is diferent?

If someone could help me whit this one i'll aprecciate.

[joshimax]

Great question BRF! I'm not too sure about that too be honest.

I would have thought that it's still considered modulation but hopefully one of the other guys can provide a definitive answer.

Welcome aboard btw.

[ianb]

Modulation is a change of key and the key is set by the root chord.

So A Major is a different key to A Minor.

Adim as a chord would normally only exist in the keys of Bb and G Minor, it is not a key in itself.

If Adim was the root chord you could also be playing in A Locrian, which is a modal harmony and not a functional harmony.

[joshimax]

Locrian, Lydian, Mixolydian...

Is there an easy way to remember whats what? These names really confuse me...

[ianb]

It is actually better to leave these alone for a while and start with a good grounding in the Major Scale.

However.

Each mode is the Major scale heard from a different note as the root.

They are always in the same order.

Ionian - Looks like a Major Scale
Dorian - Major Scale heard from second note
Phrygian - Major Scale headr from Third note
Lydian - from fourth note
Mixolydian - from fifth note
Aeolian - from sixth note (looks the same as Natural Minor
Locrian - from seventh note


There are lots of ways of thinking about the modes e.g. is like a Major Scale with a flat 7th.

The best place to start needs 2 musicians.

1st musician plays through a Major Scale. 2nd musician plays each of the 7 basic chords that can be made from the Major Scale.

Listen to the way the scale sounds over each chord, it's feel or mood changes. These are the basic sounds of the modes and it is all about context

[joshimax]

Thanks Ian,

Maybe you could kick off a thread with some basics of the major scale and we can get some Q and A going for it?