No judges

The tonal system of major and minor scales developed during the early part of the baroque period. This coincided with the emergence of key consciousness in music. By the end of the baroque period, the church modes had generally ceased to have any influence in music.

The major and minor keys were the basis of music in the classical period. Chromaticism was decorative for the most part, and shifts from one key to another were used to create formal divisions.

During the romantic period, chromaticism increased to the point that the major-minor key system began to be threatened. By the end of the period, composers often shifted keys so rapidly over the course of a composition that tonality itself began to break down.

With the breakdown of the major-minor key system, impressionist composers began to experiment with other scales. They were particularly fond of pentatonic, modal, and whole tone scales.

Twentieth-century composers have continued to expand the scale basis of their music. The chromatic scale has predominated in much of the music of our period, but a number of composers have experimented with non-traditional scales and micro-tonal scales (scales with intervals smaller than a half step).

Twentieth-century popular music has remained the last bastion of the major-minor key system. Until the 1960s, the great majority of popular songs were written in major keys. This preference for the major keys persists today, but songs in minor keys have become somewhat more common. The blues scale is often found in jazz and popular music with blues influence, and the modes are an integral part of jazz composition and improvisation.



How much chromaticism do you use in your musics?
Please don't curse me and also thanks for your patience!

 

Sparingly. Usually when borrowing chords/harmony from related keys, or deliberate melodic ornamentation.

I, like most western people am used to and prefer tonal music - so I prefer to think of it as temporary modulation to other keys, rather than just "free 12-tone composition".

 

Johann Joseph Fux (1660–1741) was Kapellmeister (chapel master) to the court in Vienna when he wrote Gradus ad Parnassum in 1725. In his preface to the work, Fux says that he intended to invent “a simple method by which the novice can progress gradually, ascending step by step to attain mastery in this art.” He was well aware that in 1725 musical styles had changed fairly drastically from those of the Renaissance. In fact, he laments that he cannot “call back composers from the unrestrained insanity of their writing to normal standards.” Fux’s work greatly influenced the Viennese classical composers. Haydn worked through all the exercises and it is likely that Mozart studied the work and used it as a text with his students. Beethoven studied Gradus, first with Haydn and later with Johann Schenk and Johann Georg Albrechtsberger.

What does he mean by normal standard? He means styles and genres or the confirmed realities in the music?

And also do you believe in normal standard by your definition in the music? Let me guess. You would say no. So what do you believe in then?

 

Last edited by a moderator: Apr 6, 2016

For better feeling the real power of the modal harmony, nothing better than listening to the appropriate songs have been composed in any specific mode. Most of today's songs created in Major or minor scales.

Just load a song inside your DAW and change its pitch using the below tool (Of course you can use alternatives but this tool's pitch shifting capability is awesome). First find the key of the song then transpose it to a specific mode. You'll discover what the modes are for.

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Ordinarily the seven diatonic modes are studied in a sequence of changing tonics that rises up the seven white notes of the keyboard. As a part of this sequence the Ionian mode is on note C, the Dorian mode on note D, the Phrygian mode on note E, and so on. However, to learn modal harmony, you need to think of the modes in a different way. You must think of them as emanating from the same tonic note. That is the Ionian mode on C, the Phrygian mode on C, and so on.
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You can also do this for your composition. I mean You can make a song in the key of C and then transpose it to another key or mode for finding what's best for the final result.



https://products.zplane.de/retune

 

Last edited by a moderator: May 16, 2016

Foster911 is a Troll - that can also be spelt T.W.A.T.

 

If you were participating in our discussions about the scales, keys, modes and their feeling, instead of calling me a troll, you would have a better idea. For example listen to "Kylie minougue's Into the Blue" song then try to transpose any note according to the new keys and modes.

Most people use pitch tools for tuning or correcting the wrong notes. You can use the above one for learning the music theory and harmony. This tool would be the valuable source of inspirations for your future songs.

You can make some doodles while millingly moving your fingers on a keyboard and wait something comes out or you can respect the substantiated rules.

Scales, keys and modes are 3 prime factors for starting any song. Yes, you can start from other points but what is more important is before moving your fingers, you'd know what you want to do.

Again call me a troll.

 

Last edited by a moderator: May 16, 2016