A Theory Question

eagle670
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Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:41 pm

Okay so I am going to start asking some real stupid questions, but I really want to learn more about music theory. Let say that I am learning a new tune in the key of G. If I want to pick out the melody notes of that tune, is it logical to assume that all of those notes will come from the chords, within the key of G. i.e. G-Am-Bm-C-D-Em or D7?

I want to try and work out some stuff on my own and need to know how this all fits together.

Kevin


rcsnydley
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Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:28 pm

Kevin,
The notes will be all the notes in the key of G. I'm assuming you are talking about G major so that is what I will address. In a major key the steps or tones between notes are Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half. So to apply that to the key of G start with the G a Whole step to A, a Whole step to B, a Half step to C, Whole to D, Whole to E, Whole to F# and finally Half step back to G. Hence, the notes in the key of Gmaj. are G, A, B, C, D, E, F#.

Now moving on to chords, as I'm sure you know chords are constructed from the Root, Third and Fifth. Starting with G we get G, B, D = Gmaj, A - A, C, E = Am, then Bm, C, D, Em, Fdim and yes the 7th of the number 5 chord, D7.

So, to make a short answer long the notes are contained in the key and the chords are constructed from the notes found therein. Just remember the W, W, H, W, W, W, H formula for major keys. FYI - for minor keys the formula is W, H, W, W, H, W, W.

Please, don't hesitate to continue to explore music theory. If this is not clear ask for more clarification. I personally believe knowing and understanding music theory puts you ahead of the curve.

Keep Playing
Ric


map4242
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Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:50 pm

I don't know about Kevin, but this is one of the best explanations I've ever seen.
At least it really clarified what I've been reading in books recently.

Mark


rcsnydley
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Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:06 pm

Thanks Mark, I'm glad I could be of assistance. I suggested to the powers that be that they add some new boards to the forum and one of them was Music Theory. Neil seemed to think it was a good idea so we may soon have a board exclusively to explore the wonders of music theory.

I personally love music theory and the more I explain what I do know of it the more I understand about it. In explaining that to Kevin and anyone else who can benefit from it, I came to a realization about the steps of the major and minor keys and how they are related. If anyone cares to hear about it let me know and I will endeavor to explain it.

Keep Playing
Ric


eagle670
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Fri Jun 12, 2009 8:01 am

Thanks for the explanation. I am going to admit that much of it makes no sense to me right now. I am going to have to take a step back and really get some basic knowledge down, before I can even start to understand it. I hope that Neil does put up a thread for music theory discussion, I beleive it would be a very useful resource. In the mean time, where would you suggest I start my education of theory. I just need someone to point me in the right direction. Thanks so much!


rcsnydley
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Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:53 am

Kevin - here is a short list of website you may want to check out.
www.guitarnoise.com
http://www.cyberfret.com/theory/index.php
http://www.wholenote.com/
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/cat/3
http://www.musictheory.net/index.html
http://www.torvund.net/guitar/index.php?page=theory

This site has a chart of the chords in all the keys.
http://www.free-online-piano-lessons.co ... riads.html

This is a good resource site.
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/instruction.html

I hope this helps out a bit and don't hesitate to ask questions.

Keep Playing
Ric


map4242
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Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:00 pm

rcsnydley wrote:
In explaining that to Kevin and anyone else who can benefit from it, I came to a realization about the steps of the major and minor keys and how they are related. If anyone cares to hear about it let me know and I will endeavor to explain it.
Sure, go for it.

What seemed to really work for me was the concise presentation with an example so that it all got in my head at the same time.

Maybe I (or someone) will get some blanks filled in.

Thanks
Mark


rcsnydley
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Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:46 pm

OK, here goes. I could always remember that the step pattern for the major keys was W, W, H, W, W, W, H, but I could never remember the pattern for the minor keys, I allows had to look it up. Yesterday, explaining the major scale pattern I saw the relationship between the two.

The relative minor key of any major key is the sixth degree of the major key. So, in the key of C, C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6 and B=7 hence Am is the relative minor key of the key of C and all of the notes are the same. If we start on D the sixth degree is B, so the relative minor of D is Bm and so forth. With me so far?

Now back to the step pattern if we take the major key pattern W, W, H, W, W, W, H and count it the same way we did with the keys, i.e. W=1, W=2, H=3, W=4, W=5, W=6, H=7. If we start with the sixth position and wrap back around to 1 after we reach 7 we will have the minor key step pattern, i.e. W=1, H=2, W=3, W=4, H=5, W=6, W=7. So, if you know the major pattern it is easy to figure out the minor pattern.

Since I realized this I don't have to look up the minor key pattern every time I want to figure out the chords in a minor key. That's it, that's my epiphany.

Keep Playing
Ric


map4242
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Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:24 pm

I forgot where this thread was to reply after I let my brain chew on this idea for a while.

Thanks, this does make sense to me, And I like deriving the new key from something I know, i.e. the pattern of the major key.

I also feel like I'm on the edge of using it as a breakthrough to understanding something else, but I haven't been able to find where I read it to get what I was not getting before.

If it pans out, I'll let you know.

thanks again
Mark


rcsnydley
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Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:42 pm

Great Mark, ask away whenever you are ready.

Perhaps the moderators can move this thread over to the new Theory board for easy access.

Keep Playing
Ric


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