[john_jcb]

I wish now that I had paid more attention during my music classes and piano lessons. It all sounds so familiar but lost in the dim recesses of my mind. Oh well, maybe another thing to go on the list for retirement.

 

[BoardC3]

oops i pressed the wrong one i also vote major.

 

[elipsis]

Quote:

Originally posted by skippy i agree. everything i write in a major key sounds like a campy pop song unless i modulate keys a lot. lately i've been writing everything in the minor key, or dorian mode.

I press keys on my keyboard and music comes out!

 

[HD-5000]

Ok, I'll make it easy for you simpletons.

Major music sounds happy.

Minor music sounds depressing.

 

[zoboomofo]

Ok question time: On Crazy Train ( Randy's guitar intro ), the first few bars are major, then it kicks into minor right? If so, then I pick minor, too.

 

[Ebonyks]

I perfer minor. To be blunt, major just lacks the dynamics to be a serious and emotional work of art, instead of just happy-crap. and yes, i was a cellist up until last year, since my wrists no longer allow me to play.

 

[plainsong]

Major - Happy!

Minor - Sad..

There are other forms than just major and minor

. In the end it just depends on what the music is trying to say.

The other day on MTV2 there was some band on who made a song full of mostly 7ths of one form or another. These chords are supposed to lead to something, but it just led to another 7th! It was cool for the first minute, but then got sonically stupid. But that's just my opinion. Dunno what reminded me of that, just thought I'd say it anyway. Maybe some will know what song I mean.

I prefer the atonal.... er...just kidding.

 

[SliPkNoT]

forget all the notes- death metal all the way !!!

 

[penvzila]

WAF

 

[j-curve]

Skipping through a few gangsta rap albums reveals what you might expect - about 85% minor keys, the balance divided between major key and non-specific (stab chords or just open fifths). However, major keys don't have to sound corny or even overly happy. One technique is to use chords with tritones in them. Another is what I'd call chromatic suspension in the harmony parts and/or chromatic progression in the bass line. Brahms was a master of these and used them to build tension. Please enjoy the first movement of the 2nd piano concerto as an example. The music is uplifting but grand and powerful. The horns add dignity and solemnity. I wouldn't call it trite or trivial in any way.

 

[redshifter]

oh sure, brahms could do it, so could beethoven (see 9th symphony "ode to joy"), but lowly mortals such as i have a harder time making a major key sound serious.