Music Theory

[Omeganitros]

What the hell is Music Theory, anyway?

I considered putting this in Chit Chat, but then I thought it might be complicated and worth a good description and discussion.

I tried to take a class on it in Band Camp, but instead I got a Jazz class (which kicked ass, so its all good).

[makaveli121212]

i would think, and this would be kinda cool, that it would be about why certain music was popular at different times...that would tie into psychology a little too

[Brainmaster07]

Yeah, I don't know if this is right, but this is kind of how I explained it earlier today at my Science Olympiad competition (Were going to state, woot):

Basically, when you hit something, it causes a vibration, which can vary depending on the force of the hit, material, etc. The wavelengths produced can vary from large, spread out wavelengths, which produces a low tone, or small close together wavelengths porducing a high tone. When these vibrations reach your eardrum, your eardrum reacts to the vibration, and sends the data to your brain. This makes you hear the sound.

I'm pretty sure that was right, lol. Eardrum thing is pretty vague though :P.

[makaveli121212]

that isnt what i would expect the class to be about at all...then again i dont really know

[insomniakxz]

Isn't music theory the study of rhythms in music? Like notes and counting and everything besides how to play the instrument?.... I thought that this was music theory.

[jewpinthethird]

Music theory is the basics of Music such as Time Frames, key signatures, scales, etc. Basically, it teaches you how to write music.

[Cenright]

In Music theory also works with the Circle of Fifths, which is the concept of keys signatures (as Jewpin set out already). The Circle of Fifths has many patters that all interlock. There is also the patterns that Major and Minor keys follow, but learning to distinguish them, disonance, harmonies, chords, and rhythms are all part of music theory.

[insomniakxz]

Ah yes the circle of fifths...my band director tried to explain that in class. Everyone had no idea what they were talking about. He was trying to teach us how to memorize scales, but most have already memorized it. A good 30 mins of class time and my time wasted.

[BluE_MeaniE]

And modes are important!

I ii iii IV V7 vi viiş

[tristia]

music theory is the study of the composition of music... (you learn all the rules of writing music and then learn how to break them) i used to love that class. and I ii iii IV V vi and viiş arent modes, they are major scale degrees

[insomniakxz]

Modes are like dorian...

[tristia]

there are 7 modes (based off the C major scale)... Ionian (major), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (minor), and Locrian... there built starting on a different scale degree of the scale.. which is why Ionian is major.. starts on C... spells out a major scale, same with Aeolian and why its minor, because it starts on the 6th degree it spells out the natural form of the minor.
this is just a little tutorial... there of course more, but just a quick over view of what i learned in my theory 1 class in college.

but in high school we didnt even get into modes, just because to my understanding they arent really used in satb/4 part writing. i believe theyre mostly used by guitar players... i could be wrong on that though.

edit: Oh yeah, and what markaveli was talking about would go along with a music history class sort of... we had a class that did just that in high school called music survey, which is also an awesome class to take if they offer something like that. it doesnt get too psychological, but it goes along with the histpry aspect of it more than theory would.

[Omeganitros]

there are 7 modes (based off the C major scale)... Ionian (major), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (minor), and Locrian... there built starting on a different scale degree of the scale.. which is why Ionian is major.. starts on C... spells out a major scale, same with Aeolian and why its minor, because it starts on the 6th degree it spells out the natural form of the minor.
this is just a little tutorial... there of course more, but just a quick over view of what i learned in my theory 1 class in college.

Oh my, I do believe I just went cross-eyed.

[BluE_MeaniE]

It's not that complicated really.
Basically it's the scale starting on different pitches of the scale
So the D Dorian scale is
DEFGABCD
So dorian is minor, but also dominant, because the D major scale is DEF#GABC#D---so it has the flat 3rd and flat 7th

But another cool thing is the way chords are made up.
I mean how a major triad is a major third, then a minor third
and a minor triad is a minor third, then a major third
and augmented is major 3rd, major 3rd
and diminished is minor 3rd minor 3rd.
Et cetera, etc.

[Omeganitros]

ORRR, I think I'll just take Jazz again next Band Camp....