Basic Music Theory

Hey fellow musicians… Ron Greene here,

There are a lot of decent basic music theory books, tapes etc. on the market these days, and many of them provide good technical content. However, most of the information in them seems to lack specific details that otherwise, really never get you to the point of playing your instrument.

For example, this free music theory publication does a good job of explaining Key Signatures and the history of music, yet, this subject might not interest you as much as getting your instrument out and actually getting down to the matter at hand… playing it! Continue reading Basic Music Theory →

Transposing Music Using Charts

Transposition Music Charts

Consider an example of a C major chord. The root note, C can be transposed to other keys by moving it up or down the scale. For example, the same chord in D major would be followed by the notes D-E-F-G-A. If we wanted to play this chord in A minor, it would go A-C#-E (or E as a sharp).

When musicians want to play music that has been written for a different key than they are playing it at, they will often transpose it. This is done either by playing an instrument in a different key or singing or performing with different instruments and voices that are tuned to match the notes of the song being played.

You might consider using a transposing chart…

– Like the Music Dials Transposition Chart

Transposition Music Charts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A single piece of sheet music could be used for many songs in different keys because all of these songs have at least one note which is common between them (i.e., they share at least one note with each other).

When sheet music is transposed into another key, not only do all of these common notes change but also some unexpected ones may change too! Often times there will be two options: one which uses sharps and another which uses flats.

Jam On!
Ron Greene
Founder of the Music Dials Charts

What Are Chord Progressions in Music?…

According to Wikipedia… “In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice era of Classical music to the 21st century. Chord progressions are the foundation of Western popular music styles and traditional music. In these genres, chord progressions are the defining feature on which melody and rhythm are built.”

The sponsor of this Musician’s Blog is the Music Dials, which are effective at-a-glance visual reference guides for showing you the best sounding musical scale notes for playing solos and chords for accompaniment in every key.

Enjoy playing your instrument by watching and learning more here…

The Music Dials Charts Working Example

Bringing Back Analog in Music…

Is the rise of the digital machine really a cause for celebration?… This music artist in me believes not… especially when it comes to musical instruments…

Give me my analog tube amplifiers and my screaming ‘steel’ stringed guitar opposed to digital devices, for any live stage or studio experience.

This article covers the existence and the rise of the (digital) machine as it’s associated with the musician. It’s something to consider to say the least…

Jam On!
Ron-

analog-vs-digital-music
Source (By: Gary Cooper / via:www.musicinstrumentnews.co.uk)

“I’m no Luddite and I doubt many of MIN’s readers are, either, but equally, I am not yet ready to surrender control of either my car or my sound system to robots which seem to have more in common with 1960s Japanese horror movies than Robbie from Forbidden Planet…”

… Read more about this article here:
https://www.musicinstrumentnews.co.uk/2016/11/21/really-sure-rise-machines/

Invention of the basic Jazz beat…

It was the late 30s’ and there was a drum cat named, Kenny Clarke. This dude could swing! Little did I realize that he created a very cleaver way (amoungst many other insightful trap notables) to use the ride cymbal as the one-beat.

Most drummers in those days struck the bass on every beat in the measure, a technique known as four-on-the-floor. For some of the faster songs back then, it was virtually impossible for drummers to keep-up this way.

Instead, Kenny kept the pulse going on the cymbal, using the bass and snare to ‘cut the time up’.

Now, with the advent of double bass and drums and pedals, the 4 on the floor is an option for trap players.

This article talks more about the history of this patriarch of drumming in modern jazz.

Jam On!
-Ron

Jazz-Beat-Kenny-Clarke

(by: Michael J. West via: NPR.org)

 

Spang-a-lang was only part of Clarke’s innovation. Marking time on the ride cymbal with his right hand — previously, jazz drummers employed the bass drum with the right foot — gave his left hand and feet the freedom and sonic space to play thundering accents (“dropping bombs”) at irregular intervals…

Read the rest of the article here…

https://www.npr.org/sections/ablogsupreme/2014/01/08/260769892/the-drummer-who-invented-jazzs-basic-beat

Symphony Orchestras Find New Ways to Stay Afloat…

There was a time when the classic and staunch Orchestra crowd wouldn’t dare mess with the delivery of its musical history, as it was played many many decades ago. Keeping the original masterworks of classical music is important, however, making enough money to stay afloat has been the Achilles heel of many Symphony Orchestras. It appears that (at least) a couple have taken to step outside of the proverbial historic scene, to explore new territories to keep their organizations alive.
In this article you’ll learn what the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, which rose from the ashes of the Denver Symphony when it closed in 1989 did, to make a comeback from bankruptcy for others to emulate.
Jam On!
-Ron

Colorado_Symphony

 

 

 

 

 


(By Candace Horgan / Photos by Mike Pappas – via MixOnline.com)

In a challenging cultural landscape in which some symphonies have closed their doors and others have had to file for bankruptcy protection, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, which rose from the ashes of the Denver Symphony when it closed in 1989, might point a way forward for others to emulate.

Pay to Play Music is Going Away in Canada…

Back in July of 2013 this blog mentioned the story regarding the requirements of issuing permits without which restaurant owners are barred from playing live music. Well, recently (as of this blog post) Canada has reversed similar laws directed at smaller venues and bar/pub owners. Now smaller acts have something to celebrate regarding silly regulations that have no reason to exist in our music world… rejoice!
Jam On!
-Ron

No dollar sign

… Update on Regulations regarding Payment to Play Live Music.

(via: by Lee-Anne Goodman  The Canadian Press/GlobalNews.ca)
Ottawa has effectively eliminated a fee charged to international musicians that critics complained was deterring acts from abroad from playing in Canadian bars, pubs and restaurants. The removal of a work permit requirement for foreign musical acts, part of the government’s overhaul of the controversial temporary foreign worker program…

… read rest of article here:
https://globalnews.ca/news/1416999/canada-has-done-away-with-international-musician-fee/

432 hz tuning vs standard 440 ‘A’…

This might be considered controversial however, it is definitely interesting to note that 440 hertz ‘A’ tuning only found its way to modern music within the last century. Jamming in the 432 hz tuning can be not only different and soothing, it’s fun to note the response of your audience compared to standard tuning… Give it a go and see what you feel.
Jam On!
-Ron

(Credit given to Jamie Buturff)

Listening to Vinyl Records/Albums…

Here’s a curious follow-up to the original vinyl age of dics. Vitaphone offered something stranger than time travel… They pulled back the screen from another dimension.
In this video (and further reference hereof) you’ll discover some very interesting facts about getting the best sound out of your Vinyl listening pleasure.
Jam On!
-Ron

(credit to: Seth Winner, via: Bob Kosovsky)

Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system and the only one which was widely used and commercially successful.

The name “Vitaphone” derived from the Latin and Greek words, respectively, for “living” and “sound”.
via Widipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitaphone

Pi and memorizing the music scale…

the Music Scale (using Pi)

Wow, this enhanced my ability to recognize the power of math and the musical scale. Incredible to learn that thirty-nine decimal places of Pi are enough to compute the circumference of a circle the size of the known universe with an error no greater that the radius of an hydrogen atom… Now, that gives one another way to ponder the depth of music!

Jam On!
Ron

music dial Pi symble

(by JUR re: Sciencedump.com)
This guy wrote a song to help him memorize Pi, since he can memorize music easier than strings of numbers. In his mind, he can hear the melody, and figure out the numbers…
See this insightful video here:
https://www.sciencedump.com/content/guy-creates-song-using-numbers-pi