What Key Is This Lick In?

[theEmbark]

So I am trying to increase my theory comprehension by analyzing various pieces I've put together over the years by ear.

Here is a link to the lick:
https://soundcloud.com/user-939630224/another-day-4

My understanding that in the key of D are as follows:
D, E, F♯, G, A, B, and C♯
Following the WWHWWWH pattern for a major scale.

I want to develop this lick into a song in the key of D. So my understanding of the chords available would be:
D Em F#m G A Bm C#dim

What I am not understanding is where something like a Dmaj7 chord would come into play. Would this be in the key of D still? The notes of the first measure make a Dmaj7 chord so would the root chord of that measure be a Dmaj7?

The second measure makes a B9 chord.
The third a D6 chord.
and Fourth D6/9 chord.
(please correct these if they are wrong)

What I am getting at is the root notes of these chords are all in the Dmaj Scale but what does the degree of these notes do to the progession? Does it remain in D Major or has it changed?

Thanks,
Kevin

[tapper mike]

Honestly, invest in yourself by taking real life lessons and buying a book or two.

You will never develop that skill by asking others to do it for you.

The skill is called... relative pitch. As scientific studies have proven time and time again that there is no such thing as absolute (perfect) pitch. Some people have better relative pitch than others. It can be developed but it requires daily practice and it also requires that you cycle through the circle of 5ths so you can develop it in all 12 keys.

Relative pitch does not make you a more technically proficient musician or a more creative one. It simply means you have a grasp of the notes used in the construction of a chord, phrase, song.

Transposition is when an entire piece is moved to a new key. Modulation is when a section of a piece is transposed. If you want to play something originally in one key to another you can transpose. If you want to simply shift a section of music to a different key you can modulate. Simply because the lowest note or the chord changes for a particular section (measure, whatever) that does not mean the key changes.

Music is not math. If you try to approach it too much like an equation you will fail.
The chromatic (color) scale consists of 12 tones. The distance between any two tones is called an interval. Intervals are expressed either by the diatonic scale method which is 7 unequal tones. The chromatic scale defines the intervals as half tones. 12 halftones.


You should memorize scales by playing rather then simply trying to apply logic to the organization and hoping you'll be able to transpose. It's actually a time saver and a performance skill builder.

The diatonic scale is how we come to understand keys. Mostly we are referring to the Major Diatonic scale. Also known as the Ionian scale. To apply logic in understanding scales we can use the halftone equation from the chromatic scale. If we measure the distances between the ascending Major (ionian) scale using the chromatic scale we get.... Whole,Whole,Half,Whole,Whole,Whole, Half (returning to the tonic or root) As you develop you'll learn about modes and other scales that reside outside the diatonic form. Such as the whole tone scale, various pentatonics. The half-whole scale and others.

If you can comprehend the above paragraph and correlate the distance of the notes in your musical example you should be able to transpose them to any key. ...With practice developing your relative pitch.

[theEmbark]

Hey Mike,

Thanks for taking the time to write out such a detailed post. I have been living in a nursing home which has made it hard to go out and get lessons but I am planning on starting some traditional piano lessons when I move back into my own space. I am also considering some higher education options. I've got quite a few books and feel like I do know some basics but I haven't even scratched the surface.

I guess I wasn't trying to get anyone to do anything for me with the above post. I just had a question regarding what chords can be played in the key of D. I have been doing some more research since I wrote the original post and reading but I still haven't determined if these chords correlate with D Major. I know that the notes played in the riff are in fact D Major but I am confused when it comes to chords like Maj 6ths etc. I understand how they are formed but what I don't understand is how they correlate to the chords in scales.

Do you have any reading material that you reccomend that you've found extremely helpful in your career? I really am looking to learn the knowledge verses someone just giving me the answers but I am finding all kinds of resources but I really would love to just have a couple really good ones I could focus on.

Thanks again for your time I greatly appreciate it!
Kevin

[jancivil]

At this point I advise looking to extant music for a basis for the conventions of chords to melody rather than in the abstract, it almost looks like you're dealing in a vacuum of information you've never seen applied. (Honestly I don't have any advice as to your note choices in the Soundcloud vis a vis chords. I'm sure the last note is your "1" but except for that I'm not put in mind of any "tonality" (or basis) I could confidently talk on.)

DMaj7, that is D F# A C#, is the tonic I7 in D major.

[theEmbark]

You're absolutely right. I know bits and pieces of theory which for a while learning something new, like a scale, opened up music and composition to new areas but now I feel like I've read about the basics enough. I need to start applying them and learning more about theory.

I guess this post leaves me with a couple thoughts as far as ways to improve.

First being is there a holy grail so to speak of thoery books and or work books out there that might be worth investing in?

Second to increase my theory knowledge and practice in a more disciplined manor I do feel like I need a teacher. My thought was to gravitate to piano lessons. Is that a good school of thought or should I be looking for a different type of instructer? Historically I've played by ear. But I do think I've turned music into some kind of advanced math and it's just not working this way. I need a change in pattern and I think part of that is going back to my basics. If I play a scale by ear what's the theory behind it, what type of scale is it etc. challenging my knowledge in real time.

Again your time and advice is greatly valued!
Kevin

[jancivil]

I see from this board the temptation to rely on reading words and information in a maths sense as if sufficient (and as familiar) and an easier slog than the messier work of 'applied music'. My experience with theory courses and books was, the book when present was more a primer and a reference; so, many books will have sufficed, nothing real special to 'Siegmeister Harmony & Melody I & II' I think but perfectly cromulent to the task. I had two full courses in Harmony, the 2nd one used no book. It was all applied, you're supplied a melody and/or a bass line and a harmonic progression (w. some 'never do this' proscriptions) and if not faulty, you're judged by the musical result.

[theEmbark]

Thanks for the recommendations for reading,

I rely a ton on reading it's just how I've always picked up new skills. But I completely understand what you are saying. Reading can't teach everything. I really want to break this and start playing but also learn. I can sit infront of my piano and play for hours but I am not necessarily learning anything new. Rather just training my ear and improving technique. Both very important.

Are lessons generally the best way to progress? I'd like to go to the local university but I've got some obstacles to over come before that's going to happen. But I still want to learn. Being a techy nerd the Internet and books are super familiar but like you said you can read it all in a book.

Thanks again,
Kevin

[egbert]

@jancivil
It struck me that employing the - albeit perfectly cromulent - word "cromulent" might actually embiggen theEmbark's already challenging quest.

As if all this music theory malarkey were not enough of a headache for those not immersed in it since the womb.

[jancivil]

Well, there are aspects of music enquiry, making the most sense of form means verbal constructs will be needed. I am not the person to ask what book, neither <Harmony> course really needed a book in my experience. I think we're at a juncture where you start to realize looking at sentences about and pictures of the act of swimming isn't moving you through any water.

[zethus909]

the clip you posted has 5 bars in it, it's in D, you should be careful in trying to stretch something really small into something really big

[tapper mike]

RE: Are lessons the best way to progress?

So much is reliant on developing technique and less about theory. Proper technique helps you to articulate the notes much better, gives you confidence and more. With a teacher present they will be able to correct your technique as you go. No video or book or other non two way medium is going to stop you and correct technique or acknowledge when you are doing something right.

When you have a teacher you are paying them money. You have expectations on them and they have expectations of you. You practice specifically what they teach you day in day out for the week or two weeks and you strengthen your technique as well as your confidence. If you don't have a teacher present then... well peoples minds have a tendency to wander. They might not focus and commit themselves in the most productive manner. It's better for you and your education to play a simple song well then 10 complex songs poorly.

Most importantly you are building muscle memory.

I've been playing guitar and bass since the 70's and keys since the 80's Recently I've added a new instrument to my dimension.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee2pps0n8KU

Everything is upside down and backwards to what I've known before. Muscle memory goes out the window. There are no "how to play the linnstrument' books / teachers, videos. First order of business is developing... Muscle memory. Theory does not build muscle memory. Muscle memory is built playing chords and scales, developing practice regiments and sticking to them. Everyday I see a new approach I "could" use and have to stop myself from applying it until my regiment of scales, arpeggios and chord progressions is complete. Everyday I'm faced with making decisions of fingering. Should I play a one hand scale using 3 fingers or 4 or maybe include my thumb? Should I play a scale using both hands linearly? Each scale or primary chord has three possible forms (not including finger choices) with one hand. The more I focus on what I could do the less time I have to burn in muscle memory.

Here's what a teacher would do for me. A teacher would specify a lesson for me to learn. The teacher would go over the technique again and again watching me perform and critiquing what I need to improve on. Then the teacher would hand me that as my assignment for the week. I practice what the teacher taught me first (before any noodling) at a slow tempo till I could perform it ten times in a row. If I made a mistake I'd have to slow the tempo down and practice again. Everyday no matter what for at least a half hour. After my practice time was in I could give myself a rest and then if I wanted to I could experiment with other things. A teacher would know the next week by my performance if I indeed did practice. If I didn't advance the teacher may hold back teaching me more until I'm ready.

If you play too fast during early development that leads to mistakes. When you make a mistake your muscle memory learns the mistake and it makes overcoming the mistake harder. Sure it can be frustrating slowing things down. It's more frustrating speeding things up and not performing well.

Practice in the morning, not night and especially not late nite. Usually in the morning our minds are free from clutter. It allows you to focus on the practice time. Sure you can come back and play later on in the day but don't confuse practice with performance or other matters.

Practice with a metronome / click. I hate metronomes. I hate the hard hit on one. But I understand why I need to use them. If you practice without a metronome your timing will be off. If you try to practice with backing tracks your performance / timing may also be off but you don't notice it that much because of all the other sounds you hear and the fact that you are concentrating on performing not listening. A metronome will allow you to hear that you are in time and will allow you to develop timing for in between beats. Metronomes are set up to play on the beat. If you are in 4/4 you get |ONE, two, three, four |ONE, two, three, four| etc... Playing evenly on the beats and between them is where you develop the ability to... play 8 beat patterns, triplets, and swings. That takes time. It also takes concentration. You need to be able to play on those off beats without a reference and play them in time.