Basics of music language

Discussion in 'Education' started by MMJ2017, Aug 4, 2019.

  1. MMJ2017

    MMJ2017 Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2017
    Messages:
    3,538
    Likes Received:
    1,688
    When we start out learning music language .
    We start with the chromatic scale
    C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B
    C Db D Eb E F GB G Ab A Bb B

    Then we want to focus in on an KEY.
    This is a center point " home" relaxed focal point . All the details center around the " tonic" center
    Of the key.

    Let's look at C major KEY to start .
    CDEFGABC
    This key has no sharps or flats do it's easier to understand . The chords in the key set the blueprint for how we use sharps and flats.
    Here are the chords in C major.

    1.CEGB
    2.DFAC
    3.EGBD
    4.FACE
    5.GBDF
    6.ACEG
    7.BDFA

    There are 3 " functions " in a key
    Subdominant ( some tension
    Dominant ( very tense
    Tonic ( relaxed landing home .

    These functions follow that direction from tense to relaxed .

    Let's look at a very common " cadence" in C major .

    Fmaj/ Gmaj/ Cmaj

    FAC,GBD,CEG

    Subdominant Fmaj
    Dominant Gmaj
    Tonic Cmaj
    It's called IV V I progression .

    It builds up tension before landing on the tonic ( hero of story)
    The tension is music's motion .
    You see we have 7 chords in the key but only 3 functions .
    That means there is more than one chord for each of the 3 functions .

    Let's now see the 7 chords and what function each is.

    1.CEGB Cmaj7 .....tonic ( home relaxed
    2.DFAC. Dmin7 ....subdominant ( small tension
    3.EGBD. Emin7......tonic ( home relaxed
    4.FACE...Fmaj7.....subdominant ( small tension
    5.GBDF...G7 .....dominant ( very tense
    6.ACEG....Amin7...tonic ( home relaxed
    7.BDFA.....Bmin7b5...dominant ( very tense

    So this is what we have.
    1Cmaj7 CEGB
    3.Emin7 EGBD
    6.Amin7 ACEG

    Are tonic , are home relaxed ( the focus of key

    2.Dmin7 DFAC
    4.Fmaj7 FACE

    Are subdominant ( the journey begins small motion

    5.GBDF G7
    7.BDFA Bmin7b5

    Are dominant ( lots tension,motion movement


    Now we looked at a " cadence " before the
    IV, V, I progression.

    Fmaj7,G7,Cmaj7

    Cmajor is the center focus like the hero in a story.
    But tonic by itself has NO movement only stillness .
    So we add subdominant then dominant then tonic
    So that we can travel, overcome obstacle then the hero wins at the end .
    This means that
    If you think of levels of detail.
    You would have this .
    1.C note ( because key of C
    2.C chord , CEG , CEGB ,CEGA
    3. a "Cadence" IV,V,I
    Fmaj7,G7,Cmajor

    Now we see the cadence is an expansion of Cmajor chord . It makes the landing on C chord
    " Resolve" at the end ( makes an impact on listener.

    Now before we seen that 7 chords in key have 3 functions .

    This means a cadence can as appear a few ways while still accomplishing the same thing
    ( You have flavors to choose from )
    So compare this
    Fmaj,Gmaj,Cmaj

    To this

    Dmin,Bmin7b5,Emin

    We swapped out chords that are same function to get a different flavor even though is works the same musically.

    In JAZZ music ( improvisation)

    We make the IV V I progression
    Instead a II V I
    Dmin7,G7,Cmajor

    It's almost the same except the chords follow the cycle of fourths which is strong motion ( feels good to ears )

    Try both ways

    Fmajor7 FACE to G7 GBDF to Cmajor CEGC

    Then

    Dminor7 DFAC to G7 GBDF to Cmajor CEGC

    See how it's almost the same?
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Love it! Love it! x 1
    • List
  2.  
  3. SceleJohn

    SceleJohn Producer

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2019
    Messages:
    192
    Likes Received:
    83
    Very nice post @MMJ2017, people new to music theory are gonna love this. Thank you for sharing.
     
  4. MMJ2017

    MMJ2017 Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2017
    Messages:
    3,538
    Likes Received:
    1,688
    So far we have seen the key of C major
    And how it's 7 chords work in 3 functions .
    The 3 functions give movement to music
    Subdominant dominant tonic

    1.Cmaj7 CEGB
    2.Dmin7 DFAC
    3.Emin7 EGBD
    4.Fmaj7 FACE
    5.G7 GBDF
    6.Amin7 ACEG
    7.Bmin7b5 BDFA

    Now this series covers the basics of music language .
    So when it comes to playing over a cadence we use the C major Scale CDEFGABC

    Let's see our IV, V ,I cadence

    Fmaj7,G7,Cmajor

    So first we use the arpeggios of the chord on our strong beats.

    FACE,GBDF,CEGC

    These are the notes to emphasize.
    But then we use the Cmajor scale combined to make melodies .

    Let's see and example.
    Our structure is IV,V,I

    So

    Fmaj7/ G7/ Cmajor/ Cmajor/

    Strong beats are in bold. Weak beats are normal .

    FACE, GBDF, CEGB, CEGC

    Let's now use the C major scale CDEFGABC
    Combined with our chord tones

    FGABCD, GABCDEFG, CDEFGA,CDEFGA


    Now let's see our II, V,I cadence

    Dmin7/ G7/ Cmaj/ Cmaj/

    DFAC, GBDF, CEGB,CEGB

    And now with the C major scale
    CDEFGABC used along with chord tones .


    DEFGAB, GABCDE, CDEFGA, CDEFGA

    End of part 1.


     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Love it! Love it! x 1
    • List
  5. MMJ2017

    MMJ2017 Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2017
    Messages:
    3,538
    Likes Received:
    1,688
    Part 2

    We seen the Key of Cmajor , it's 7 chords broken into 3 functions .
    Then how those functions make up our cadence
    ( First chord progression)
    Then finally we seen how by using the chord tones on string beats and the major scale on weak beats we can begin to make melodies.

    Now it's time to get familiar with other keys and how they work.

    The C major KEY has zero sharps and flats .

    Now we are going to look at the KEY of Fmajor.

    The KEY of Fmajor has 1 flat Bb.
    FGABbCDEF

    Everything we seen in key of Cmajor works the same in this key except instead of B natural it Becomes Bb B flat.

    1.Fmaj7 FACE tonic
    2.Gmin7 GBbDF subdominant
    3. A min7 ACEG tonic
    4.Bbmaj7 BbDFA subdominant
    5.C7 CEGBb. Dominant
    6.Dmin7 DFAC. Tonic.
    7.Emin7b5 EGBbD dominant

    So our IV, V, I is

    Bbmajor BbDFA subdominant
    C7 CEGBb dominant
    Fmaj7 FACE tonic


    Notice how our chords follow the same layout as with C major?

    Look at C majors chords
    CEGB
    DFAC
    EGBD
    FACE
    GBDF
    ACEG
    BDFA

    And now Fmajor chords

    FACE
    GBbDF
    ACEG
    BbDFA
    CEGBb
    DFAC
    EGBbD

    So in a key we follow the structure of the letter names in the chord as C major establishes.
    So in C major the B chord is BDFA
    But in F major the Bb chord is BbDFA

    The only difference between F major and C major
    Is the B becomes Bb
    ( And F as center focus)
    But the functions are same .
    So a cadence works same .
    Using chord tones then scale notes works the same.


    Let's see a couple examples .

    Cmajor IV,V,I cadence

    Fmaj7,G7,Cmaj

    Fmaj IV,V,I cadence

    Bbmaj7,C7,Fmaj

    Cmajor ii V I

    Dmin7,G7,Cmaj
    DFAC,GBDF,CEG

    Fmajor ii V I

    Gmin7,C7,Fmaj
    GBbDF,CEGBb,FAC
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Love it! Love it! x 1
    • List
  6. WannabeProducer

    WannabeProducer Noisemaker

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2018
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    5
    bookmarked to study, thanks for sharing!
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Love it! Love it! x 1
    • List
  7. MMJ2017

    MMJ2017 Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2017
    Messages:
    3,538
    Likes Received:
    1,688
    Let's look at the G major key.
    G ABCDEF#G

    This key has 1 # sharp
    It is just like C major key,
    Except F becomes F#
    ( Also center focus is on G this time)

    G major key
    GABCDEF#

    1.GMaj7 GBDF# ( tonic
    2.Amin7 ACEG ( subdominant
    3.Bmin7 BDF#A ( tonic
    4.Cmaj7 CEGB ( subdominant
    5.D7 DF#AC. ( Dominant very tense
    6.Emin7 EGBD. ( Tonic
    7.F#min7b5 F#ACE. ( Dominant very tense.

    Let's see our IV,V,I cadence in G major

    Cmaj7/ D7/ Gmaj7

    CEGB,DF#AC,GBDF#

    ( Remember we just use our G major scale along with chords tones in strong beats To play over it)

    CDEF#GA,DEF#GAB,GABCDE,


    Now our ii V I cadence in G major KEY

    Amin7/ D7/ Gmaj/ Gmaj/

    ACEG,DF#AC,GBDF#,GBDF#


    You see for every key the chord letters follow that pattern set by C major
    ( You just make sure you have the right flats or sharps and you Center in the key letter name)

    So let's look at D major KEY

    DEF#GABC#D

    It has 2 sharps F# and C#

    1.Dmajor7 DF#AC#.....( Tonic
    2.Emin7 EGBD.......(subdominant
    3.F#min7 F#AC#E.....( Tonic
    4.Gmaj7 GBDF#.....( Subdominant
    5.A7 AC#EG..........*dominant very tense
    6.Bmin7 BDF#A.....( Tonic
    7.C#min7b5 C#EGB......(dominant very tense


    Let's see our IV,V,I cadence in Dmajor

    Gmaj7/ A7/ Dmaj/ Dmaj/

    GBDF#, AC#EG, DF#AC#,DF#AD

    And our ii V I cadence in D major

    Emin7/ A7/ Dmaj/ Dmaj/
    EGBD, AC#EG,DF#AC#,DF#AD

    Now like before we simply use the notes of D major scale with chord tones on strong beat to create melodies .

    Dmajor scale DEF#GABC#D

    Dmaj Cadence ii,V,I
    Emin7/ A7/ Dmaj/ Dmaj/

    EF#GABC#, ABC#DEF#,DEF#GABC#D,DEF#GAB
     
Loading...
Similar Threads - Basics music language Forum Date
Basics of the EASIEST music language (MODAL music Education Aug 5, 2019
Arturia Prophet V - Full Tutorial and Synthesis Basics Software Reviews and Tutorials Jan 6, 2023
Arturia Pigments 4 101 The Basics for Beginners Samplers, Synthesizers Dec 19, 2022
Modular Synthesis Basics Lounge Nov 27, 2022
Recording Basics: Part 1 - Part 5 - Videos Education Mar 29, 2022
Loading...