How to find whether the song is in minor scale or major scale

Discussion in 'Beginner's Q&A Forum' started by KShan, Aug 19, 2007.

  1. zing

    zing Machine Head

    jus heard the song.... it doesnt sound like major to me
     
  2. elfascinating

    elfascinating risqué

    ^It is ..


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  3. srakshit

    srakshit New Member

    I haven't heard the song you guys are referring to, but I really don't believe that a sad song = minor and happy = major. Then there would be only two kinds of songs in the world.

    Look at them as spices. They are turmeric and chilly powder. They will do for 80% of your dishes, but you do need other flavours for a complete meal. A really complex dish will use a lot of flavours, and a simple one very few - maybe just one.

    The only way to tell a song is to listen to it, and figure out the melody. The last melody note is usually the key, and the interval structure from that note will give you the key tonality (M or m). I have been surprised and shocked with the results from this method.
     
  4. Life_Sans_Death

    Life_Sans_Death Acronym!

    As a conclusive idea, you might say that, try to listen to the bass lines. they will give you the chords 90% of the times since they are most of the time not very complex(though a lot of exceptions exist) and bass riffs are based on connected root notes of chords.

    So if you have a bass note, and need to get the chord, try all maj,min, 7th, 9th, aug, dim, sus2, sus4 till you get the perfect chord. It all about listening and concentrating.
     
  5. Addy Pant

    Addy Pant Highway Star

    According to the mode theory, the modes are just variations in the order of the notes, and since the C Ionian, D Dorian, the E Phrygian, the A Aeolian all the have the same notes in them...it doesn't really matter whatever name you call the key.
     
  6. alpha1

    alpha1 I BLUES!

    ^ Yeah, but we got things clarified dude.
    In a chord progression: if you call ABC progression as A minor when the mood set is "minor" mood.
    The same set of chords in different progression may set a "major" mood, thats when it is called C major progression.

    The underlying melody comprises of same notes viz call it notes of C major scale or A minor scale.
     
  7. srakshit

    srakshit New Member

    No, I think he's referring to modes, not chord progressions.

    To reiterate

    and again
    and then you'll probably see why there are seven modes and that they actually sound different. If you play a G mixolydian over the key of C, it will always sound the same. This is a key point in using modes.
     
  8. Addy Pant

    Addy Pant Highway Star

    Exactly what I mean...calling it the C Major, G Mixolydian or the A Minor scale doesn't make a difference....

    @alpha1: sounds sadder only because of the order of the notes...if you improvise on a progression using minor or the relative major, there will be absolutely no difference...

    Anyway, no time to argue...got a physics half-yearly coming up...:annoyed:
     

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