I haven’t worked out the sequence because I’m in bed right now! But.... knowing very little theory, I’d like to know what the sequence is in terms of I, IV, etc, and whether this is why I like it.
It’s rather neo-classical but there’s something about the chord sequence that lifts my spirits and I’m really curious why that is and if there’s an explanation in music theory.
https://soundcloud.com/synchro505/space-overture-mix-01
Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them
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The reason you love this progression so much, and why it’s so pleasing to the ear, is because it’s based on the most perfect of musical phrases - the ‘perfect cadence’ or V-I resolution. If you want more info about why the V-I is so perfect, we can discuss that later.
Anyway there are 7 such perfect cadences in this progression, which is awesome. Due to the fact that each time you go from the V chord to the I chord you are going down a 5th (or up a 4th), what you are doing is ‘back-cycling’ round the circle of 5ths. It’s an absolutely classic progression and it sticks hauntingly in your mind. And it’s made even more beautiful through the use of inversions, so the chords glide into each other instead of hopping about in leaps of 4ths. We can talk about that too if you wish.
How it plays out is this:
The whole thing is in F# minor, and the first thing that happens is we have a ‘parallel modulation’, just switching from F#m to F#7, setting us up for the first V-I.
Then we resolve up to B. Actually B minor, so it’s a V-i cadence, which is a legitimate perfect cadence.
Then it’s E7 - A, so the Bm - E was a v-I cadence (actually that’s not strictly speaking a perfect cadence because the v is minor, but it still counts as part of the back-cycle because it’s going up a 4th, so I’m counting it as our 2nd perfect cadence). And the E7 - A is our 3rd.
Then it’s D - G, so the move from A to D was our 4th V-I cadence, and the D - G is our 5th.
Then it’s G - C, which is our 6th V-I cadence.
Now, this could go on and on until all 12 keys are done and the circle is complete, but that would be tedious and we’d start to lose track of where home is, so the composer needs to position him/herself to start at F# again, and the way to do that is to somehow get to C#, for a final V-I to F#, ready for the next round; and the way that is done is this:
Firstly the chords go up in tones - from C to D then from D to E. Then from E down a minor 3rd to C#. That’s the final chord in the progression.
So all that’s left to do is resolve from the C# to the F#m, our 7th V-i cadence and we’ve started the whole thing off again.
So to go all the way from F# to C takes us from the bottom of the circle (6pm), anticlockwise right round to the top (noon), which is ace. Actually, if you include the C#, it’s actually from 7pm to noon.
http://i.imgur.com/YMaEZrb.jpg
Other songs that make use of back-cycling:
- Still got the Blues
- Emporte Moi
- Europa
- Nordrach
- Y Volvere
- the MASH theme tune
- All the Things You Are
- the Pink Panther castle/moat scene
- Hello (Lionel Ritchie)
- Can I sit next to you girl (ACDC)
- Brother can you spare a dime
- Blue Bossa
- Parisienne Walkways
- I Will Survive
- Burn (the keyboard solo)
- Autumn Leaves
- Rising Force
- Young Persons’ Guide to the Orchestra
- Fly me to the Moon
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
For this type of analysis you want a book on music harmony really, because you want a mixture of the qualitative and the quantitative. Theory books that focus just on the maths can be rather dry without the accompanying discussion about the actual music.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Unfortunately....
I need to do some studying to be able to understand what you've said !
Here's an idea ! - How about you do your Skype lessons for all of us ? :-) We could have an online communal class of forumites all learning from you in an interactive skype session ! I'd certainly bung a few quid in for something like that.
Chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them
Donald Trump needs kicking out of a helicopter
I'm personally responsible for all global warming
I only went hunting for it because I could hear it in the background of this Curious Droid video (a great YouTube channel)..
Chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them
Donald Trump needs kicking out of a helicopter
I'm personally responsible for all global warming
Try reading it again, really really slowly - not being trite, it’s just quite complex and dense; though quite logical.
That’s actually not a bad idea about the webinar - I could do different grades even
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Eqd Speaker Cranker clone
Monte Allums TR-2 Plus mod kit
Trading feedback: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/60602/
Plus, I think it's something the forum itself would benefit hugely from.... A music forum with its own virtual classroom! @digitalscream
Chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them
Donald Trump needs kicking out of a helicopter
I'm personally responsible for all global warming