Re: Yet Another Key Question

"Les Cargill" <lcargill@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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Steve Freides wrote:
"Les Cargill" <lcargill@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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js wrote:
why do I punish myself with these threads?...

As I believe I said before in one of these threads - rock is
largely modal,
so you need to distinguish CHORD harmony from MODAL harmony.

The first section is definitely MODAL. Because of the chord
progression (Am
D
Isn't that a Bm instead of a D?

Em) it looks like ii V vi in G. However it has nothing to do with G
major;
none of the chords function as if they were in G at all. A's own
"dominant"
is minor instead of major, so it's not even then key of "A minor".
I'd say
it's just A Dorian.

... which works out to G. Then again, I never found much use for
modes.
*As I understand it* (and I could easily be wrong), that just means
"notes from G major, but starting on an A". Which is exactly how the
melody works....

js has got this one right. To say "I never found much use for modes"
just means you're not concerned with what makes the thing tick.

It's worse than that - essentially, A Dorian and G Major are
equivalent, and my little tiny inner mathematician optimizes them
into one thing.

That's OK if all you're trying to figure out is how to play it and
not understand it from a theory point of view, but there's a
difference between G major and A dorian, just like there's a
difference between C major and D dorian even though they're both all
white keys on the piano. And not that it's always black and white,
but this one, if you listen to it, is pretty clearly A dorian. There
is a ton of rock-n-roll that works this way, btw.


Yup. I stopped being a music major a *long* time ago.

I know just enough modal theory to understand when somebody orders
it. I usually have to ask (for Dorian) "second degree, right"? just to
confirm. Dorian, Mix and Lydian I usually get pretty close, and
anybody
needs Locrian did something seriously wrong :)I think Zappa is about
the only guy who could work in Locrian.

And I sprinkle them throughout my own writing without ever needing
to discuss them.

If you be happy, I be happy. :)

-S-


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Questions about permissible scales and modes
    ... of the C major pentatonic scale. ... technically proper to say they are playing D Dorian? ... If the tune is in Dorian, ... You don't change the key by simply putting a chord under ...
    (rec.music.theory)
  • Re: The case against modes
    ... something to be "pure nonsense" then winds up fully agreeing with it two ... If it is a dorian progression then you need to ... In the sense of thinking of one mode per chord. ... When you're soloing over a progression, ...
    (rec.music.theory)
  • Re: Questions about permissible scales and modes
    ... of the C major pentatonic scale. ... technically proper to say they are playing D Dorian? ... If the tune is in Dorian, ... You don't change the key by simply putting a chord under ...
    (rec.music.theory)
  • Re: Questions about permissible scales and modes
    ... of the C major pentatonic scale. ... technically proper to say they are playing D Dorian? ... If the tune is in Dorian, ... You don't change the key by simply putting a chord under ...
    (rec.music.theory)
  • Re: Yet Another Key Question
    ... so you need to distinguish CHORD harmony from MODAL harmony. ... OK if all you're trying to figure out is how to play it and not understand it from a theory point of view, but there's a difference between G major and A dorian, just like there's a difference between C major and D dorian even though they're both all white keys on the piano. ... needs Locrian did something seriously wrong:)I think Zappa is about ...
    (alt.guitar.bass)