Q. With the double sharps and flats, I ask myself WHY?!? Instead of writting G double sharp why not just natural A? Triple and quadruple sharps and flats? People PLEASE!! I know it concerns music theory and all, but can annyone shed a bit of light on this subject? In plainest terms please!
A. The section after this first one is about triple sharps and flats. I figured that I might as well answer the main question in simple terms since I posted in here.
If you don't use double sharps or double flats, then music gets even more confusing than you think. Sure, some of us understand what you are getting at with this question. You want an enharmonically equivalent note that is simpler to read.... but this makes no sense at all if you are looking at chords (string music, piano music, etc.). Your "easy to read" notes make chords look completely dissonant when, in fact, they are pleasant chords.
The Doctor's example is good here. If we were to cater to you and spell the Gb minor chord as Gb, A, and Db, then it would look like like a sus2 chord - a chord with a dissonant second (in purer Classical music this dissonance is arrived at via non-harmonic tones - in this case the appogiatura or retardation would be appropriate). The performer would not immediately recognize such a chord spelling, and would assume that the composer had meant for some strange dissonance; however, the chord is simply a Gb minor triad. Nothing more, and nothing less. If you think about this example, you might understand why double sharps and flats are absolutely necessary when it comes to stacking chords. They are also necessary in voice leading (the creation of individual musical lines and parts).
I decided to show you this example (so I wrote it out in Finale for you):
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/1655/finout.jpg
edit: The fact that the above example can resolve to some other chord does not make it any less awkward.
Let's also assume that Gb minor is the vi chord and that I doubled the third because it was necessary =). I wrote it in bass and treble clef just in case the poster can only read one or the other.
Others have already elaborated on why you need double sharps or flats for voice leading purposes.
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The reason that you don't see triple sharp or triple flat more often is because they are only needed when you have a key signature full of sharps or flats.
It makes theoretical sense. If you have C# major as your key and you build an augmented chord on the Leading Tone (B#+), then the best theoretically correct way to spell it is B#, Dx, and F#x (F triple sharp).
This is the only example I can think of, so that is probably why it is not generally taught or accepted. That is why they are only used in modern repertoire on rare occasions. But - nonetheless - I have SEEN them in real music. Therefore, they surely exist. Triple sharps have been published in music, therefore they exist.
You can deny it and say they don't exist because they only have 1 or 2 uses. That is fine. I don't mind.
Is this an alright composition for a 13 year old?
Q. http://www.box.net/shared/ut0qytv7uv
It's not exactly done yet. It's kind of like a sketch. I just wanted some feedback. I have had no compositional training at all in my entire life. It was done in Finale.
A. The two previous posters are correct. You need to study some music theory and form and analysis in order to create compositions that will make sense. Other than that, it's all up to you, the composer. You need to take into consideration the sounds you hear in your head and then record them on paper.
Try to compose without Finale sometime and see what you get. Use Finale to generate some staff paper that only has a grand staff on it (like a piano). Then just write whatever comes to mind. Hear the music in your head first, then write it down. My old teacher, who was taught by Larry Combs once said "Song before wind." This means you must have the music in your head before you can play it, or write it down in this case. "Song before pen" would work better for this case. You can get some truly artistic results either way, but try it without Finale a few times, and see what happens!
It helps to have a clear idea of what you want, or what you are trying to do with your piece before you try to write anything. I am entering a choral composition contest in January and I'm writing a work for a cappella chorus. I had to consider the text of the work, my own interpretation of the poem, the number of voices I wanted, and the music I had in my head. Composition on any level is about balancing these factors to create the best work of art you can. Your opinion about what is good will change as you grow older and develop as a composer. Experiment. That's the way to learn new tricks. Also, listen to as much music as you can and try to study some theory. You'll need to learn your chord progressions and scales. Play around on a piano and see what you like.
What is the difference between melodic and harmonic?
Q. i'm doing a jazz report and i need to know if the soloing style is melodic or harmonic just by listening to it. how do you know, determine, if this song has a melodic soloing style or a harmonic soloing style?
please explain this like you are explaining it to a 2 year old, I am not a jazz major or anything, i'm just taking this class in high school so i get a good grade.
A. OK- so I have a daughter who will be 4 years old next month. I tried to explain it to her- and this is what I came up with:
While the other posters are correct (melody is one note at a time, harmony results with simultaneous notes...), I think you are asking more about the soloing STYLE. To someone NOT educated in jazz (whether through "proper" training or just a lot of listening), some of the best known solos in jazz sound completely random. The reason I don't agree with the other posters (for THIS question) is: think about a piano player. They can solo all day long, with 2 hands, potentially playing 10 notes at a time... does this mean they are not playing melodically? Nope- and here's why:
Listen to the first few bars of a solo. Is it a "tune" that can get stuck in your head? Can you whistle it or sing it? Is it easy to remember? Are all the notes fairly close together- not jumping too high or too low? If so, then you are listening to a Melodic solo.
Also, if there is a main melody before the solo, and the soloist kind of sounds like he's playing it, but with more notes- probably a Melodic solo. For example: "Mary had a little lamb" would be your melody. Then the soloist gets it and it comes out as "Mary-she's a hottie- she had a little- diddly bop- lamb."
I feel stupid for just having written that, but hopefully you understand? LOL ;)
So for a harmonic solo then: is it hard to find a "theme" that you can sing? Does it seem like there are a few "wrong" notes? Are the notes going by very quickly- not many long notes? It means the soloist is probably "noodling" around through the chord changes, working with the harmonic structure of the piece.
John Coltrane has a TON of solos like this- to the inexperienced ear, it sounds like he was high on at least 3 different drugs (and after around 1965 he probably was) any time he played a solo... really though, he was showing off his genious by being able to manipulate the harmonies given to him by the rhythm section.
Of course, there is a lot more detail to it, and a lot of theory and technicality involved- but this is how I described it to my daughter, and she got it.
Try this: This is a tune called "So What" (VERY famous) from Miles Davis' album Kind of Blue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4FAKRpUCYY&feature=related
The first solo is Davis on trumpet... it is melodic
The next solo is Coltrane on tenor sax... it is fairly harmonic
The next is Bill Evans on piano... melodic.
See if you can hear the difference!
One more hint about what kind of solo style to expect: do you know the era the piece is from? If you know it's a big band swing chart- "Sing, Sing, Sing" for example- the solos are going to be melodic. The idea of virtuosic chord changes hadn't really come about until after WWII. If you know it's "avant garde" or even some hard bop- the solos will be harmonic.
Anyways, I hope this helped, and good luck with your report!
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Title : Before i asked a question on double flats and sharps, why not just write what your supposed to play ?
Description : Q. With the double sharps and flats, I ask myself WHY?!? Instead of writting G double sharp why not just natural A? Triple and quadruple s...