Some of you know, I'm a sound tech that is weak on music theory.



I've been working on a song I received as sheet music for piano and vocal melody.

It was written on a staff with a G major key signature so I transcribed it into MIDI and am playing the piano back using Kontakt.


I stumbled upon the idea, using my by ear approach, that the song can be accompanied with guitar melodies and bass playing in the D major scale. (There is a modulation in the song form and I use a little mixolydian box for a short spin that but I haven't really identified it yet... I just hit it by ear.)



I know some of you can explain exactly what's going on...and I will not understand a word of it.


Can anyone give me clue using real simple terms that my music hacker brain can handle? Why is a simple D major melody sitting on a G major staff?


Thanks.


best regards,
mike
 

Because it is probably in D Mixolydian which uses the same key sig as G. The only difference between the two scales is Mixo has a flatted seventh.  

You're probably not playing a C# in the alleged "D major scale".. Yes?

You said "box". I'm assuming typical guitar pentatonic patterns here which usually leave out major 7ths.

Yes it seems to work fine.

I play along in D ionian form and then when it modulates I can work with a D mixolydian form.

Honestly, I only recognize the possible forms after the fact... as I play it by ear and then reverse engineer what I may recognize as a pattern.


Thanks.


best regards,
mike

Beepster


Because it is probably in D Mixolydian which uses the same key sig as G. The only difference between the two scales is Mixo has a flatted seventh.  

Ah hah.


This suggests to me that the person scoring the original piano part had to choose one or the other sections to derive the staff key sig.




Thanks for the ah ha moment.


:-)




best regards,
mike

Are there any accidentals in the piece? As timidi pointed out the Leading Note (7th step) of the Major scale (Ionian) is generally avoided unless you are attempting certain musical techniques. It tends to be unpleasant sounding unless used correctly.

The only accidentals that would occur for a D Major piece written on a G Major staff would be C# which is the leading note of D Major. 

Yes, I was calling them Bb. (I know why that's not the naming convention but if you read the staff literally as I was doing, it looks like a flatted B) there are a few of those and then subsequent natural marks.


best,
mike

The key signature does not mean that the tune stays in the signature key.

When you say "D major" that can be confusing because a D7 is a major but it is
referred to as  a 7th. ( 1-3-5-b7)
Should the "D" be indicated as a "D" or "D major 7th) then the tune may have changed keys ( key of A or D)
If it has not changed keys then it should be written as D7 (key of G).

Bb that you mention is confusing. Bb= A# so I'm not sure what you're talking about. "C" or "C#" in the melody with
the "D" chord may help you define the type of "D" chord and key.

Yes total brain plow... There are flatted Bb notes but of course it has nothing to do with C#.

When I said I know why you aren't supposed to call a # a b I was referring to the convention of enharmonic nomenclature... but of course I had the example botched.

Goes to show you how dim my theory bulb burns.


FWIW when I said D major I was referring to the Ionian mode.




Babbling... long day today and an early morning tomorrow. Be back Friday.


best regards,
mike

spacey


The key signature does not mean that the tune stays in the signature key.

When you say "D major" that can be confusing because a D7 is a major but it is
referred to as  a 7th. ( 1-3-5-b7)
Should the "D" be indicated as a "D" or "D major 7th) then the tune may have changed keys ( key of A or D)
If it has not changed keys then it should be written as D7 (key of G).

Bb that you mention is confusing. Bb= A# so I'm not sure what you're talking about. "C" or "C#" in the melody with
the "D" chord may help you define the type of "D" chord and key.

I can explain this!


Thirds and sevenths are what are called "guide tones." They determine the major and minor quality of a chord.


If we a C, we know it's major (C-E-G) If we see Cm(mi/min/-) we know it's C-Eb-G


When it comes to sevenths. [B}They can also be major and/or minor! The flatted seventh found on Dom7 chords (and altered dom7s) is seen as the minor seventh interval. While the major seventh is the diatonic or "natural" seventh found in the major scale.


As the above post mentioned the major seventh is found in Ionian Mode (The Major scale and Harmonic Minor scale)


C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-B (natural)-C


Both B's are a semitone (halfstep) away from the root. Thus, the Maj7 interval is a semtone below the perfect octave.


Now, when using this when forming chords, when Maj7/9/13, they are talking about the interval from the root note Therefore, a CMaj7 is the C triad with the fourth (B) note a Maj7 from the root. C + Maj7 (Chord + Interval from root; C-E-G + B)


With a mMaj7 ... the same thing happens, except the triad portion is minor (which is noted by the "m"): C-Eb-G-B, From C to B is still a Maj7!

I included 9s and b9's, but I won't explain those, unless requested.

In terms of which modes the dom7s come from, this is correct. (Harmonizing the Major scale would see them appear on the fifth degree (V) - this is where Mixo comes from. As for the other modes with the remaining degrees:

I - Ionian (Major scale)
ii - Dorian (Natural Minor - raised 6th)
iii - Phrygian (Natural Minor with a b2)
IV - Lydian (Major scale with #4)
V - Mixolydian (b7)
vi - Aeolian (Natural Minor)
vii - Locrian (All flats except notes 1 and 4)

I'll see if I can decipher the other portion.