Key changes (Music Theory)?
- Thread starter Executioner213
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dan weapon
Planet Smasher
Finally! +1 for you sir.
Music theory is great to learn for so many reasons but relying on standard tricks can end up sounding cliched. There's a fine balance between using and choosing to not use theory, but I think it should be something that helps you get where you want to go a lot quicker rather than dictate the songwriting process. eg it really helps if know you want to go all spacey, so you can try out some shit in lydian, or if you want to make something sound eastern you can go straight to the fifth mode of harmonic minor etc etc.... But for key changes it's definitely worth trying anything and everything.
Experiment with heaps of different changes and see what sounds best. The amount of times I've tried to write music thinking 'this should sound good because musical theory says it should', and been totally unhappy is ridiculous. At the same time there's been loads of times where I've thought 'how the fuck can this flat 5 key change actually work' but it does. It's all about context and what you are trying to achieve.
Also... it's often not the key change itself as opposed to the accompanying parts that make a key change so successful or rewarding.
I personally like semi tone key changes, flat third key changes, and shifting from one mode in a certain key to another mode in a different key.
And also to never leave the house without my front door key.
I think it's important to remember that music theory was largely devised AFTER music had been played with the same notes/etc. for a long time, and things were named accordingly - so when they decided to call something a "perfect cadence", you'd expect it to sound pretty good. Certain changes are clichéd because they work so well.
Not that it means anything to me, I don't know any music theory at all. The way I like to think of it is that a theory is something that hasn't been proved right yet
Steve
The MGMT song "The youth" has a key change that moves the progression down 1 semitone out of nowhere. Sounds very cool. So, there are no rules.
Kazrog
Kazrog, Inc.
There's lots of ways to do it, and there's tons of info in [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0155062425?ie=UTF8&tag=backmask-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0155062425"]Aldwell and Schacter's Harmony and Voice Leading[/ame] (which was the required theory text when I went to University of California):
If you can find this book used at a good price, go for it. I sold all of the books I used in college EXCEPT for this one - it's an awesome reference.
Specifically, one technique that is great and can never really become cliche', since it's very specific to each piece of music, is common-tone modulation - where one instrument (say a guitar) holds out a note while every other instrument rests, and this note is a common tone to both the old and new key. Then, enter the new key around the held out note. Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear The Reaper" is a great example of the technique (at the end of the midsection, going back into the verse.)
One strategy I employed while I was a music major was to find examples in my CD collection of techniques discussed in the book. Pretty much everything in Aldwell and Schacter happens at some point somewhere in metal, because modern metal is more similar to classical music than it is to blues at this point. If you go the Jazz/Pop route with theory, rather than classical theory, you'll find that it's a lot less relateable to most metal.
If you can find this book used at a good price, go for it. I sold all of the books I used in college EXCEPT for this one - it's an awesome reference.
Specifically, one technique that is great and can never really become cliche', since it's very specific to each piece of music, is common-tone modulation - where one instrument (say a guitar) holds out a note while every other instrument rests, and this note is a common tone to both the old and new key. Then, enter the new key around the held out note. Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear The Reaper" is a great example of the technique (at the end of the midsection, going back into the verse.)
One strategy I employed while I was a music major was to find examples in my CD collection of techniques discussed in the book. Pretty much everything in Aldwell and Schacter happens at some point somewhere in metal, because modern metal is more similar to classical music than it is to blues at this point. If you go the Jazz/Pop route with theory, rather than classical theory, you'll find that it's a lot less relateable to most metal.
Via Noctis
Member
I went to a VERY reputable guitar teacher for many years he taught me all about theory as it pertains to guitar. And I have to say I never use it unless I am Stumped on writing a part from another instrument... like bass. But even then like Dan said, I am NEVER happy with what I come up with. Especially when it comes from a piece of paper first. I find it best to learn as much of Theory as you can and then practice, practice, practice. Eventually it comes subconsciously. I thing.
Dom Ostarig
Member
- Dec 17, 2007
- 249
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The best way to change the key, is to forget any theory and go by your years..... to me, it awalys will be the best way to get a smooth passage.
There are a lot of ways to modulate. I prefer to find common tones when modulating myself.
The "classical" way of modulating was to end on a half cadence, and then simple play the next section on V. (e.g start in C, end on G, start the next section on G, then back to C) A B A
Major/minor relationships are also commonly used. I personally don't really like to write in major but I'd use a similar relationship in a different mode. For example, instead of going from A minor to C major, I'd simply go to E phrygian.
If you employ 7ths in your music and have a lot of jazzy parts its even easier to modulate because you can just omit 5ths and go all over the place, go from a 7 chord to a m7 either by descending the 3rd or raising the root and 7th, you can go from 7ths to half diminished 7ths also by simple raising the root. Major 7th to m7 (raise root only), maj 7th to dim7th...the possibilities are almost endless there since there are so many shared notes and it all sounds smooth if you're voice leading.
True there are no rules. But I prefer music that is smooth, not random and forced. If a band sucks at modulating or arranging their songs they can sound really silly. Kinda like a "hey let just throw this riff in here, then lets do that riff. yea that's cool!" and it ends up sounding like a cluster fuck
The "classical" way of modulating was to end on a half cadence, and then simple play the next section on V. (e.g start in C, end on G, start the next section on G, then back to C) A B A
Major/minor relationships are also commonly used. I personally don't really like to write in major but I'd use a similar relationship in a different mode. For example, instead of going from A minor to C major, I'd simply go to E phrygian.
If you employ 7ths in your music and have a lot of jazzy parts its even easier to modulate because you can just omit 5ths and go all over the place, go from a 7 chord to a m7 either by descending the 3rd or raising the root and 7th, you can go from 7ths to half diminished 7ths also by simple raising the root. Major 7th to m7 (raise root only), maj 7th to dim7th...the possibilities are almost endless there since there are so many shared notes and it all sounds smooth if you're voice leading.
True there are no rules. But I prefer music that is smooth, not random and forced. If a band sucks at modulating or arranging their songs they can sound really silly. Kinda like a "hey let just throw this riff in here, then lets do that riff. yea that's cool!" and it ends up sounding like a cluster fuck
btw since we're on the topic of progressions I'd like to throw in a little rant:
There are different progressions than i-VI!
I know 99% of ATG songs use this and yes it sounds cool, but come on! Let's be creative!
There are different progressions than i-VI!
I know 99% of ATG songs use this and yes it sounds cool, but come on! Let's be creative!
ParsonsMatt
Alas, Tyranny
dan weapon
Planet Smasher
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