too many majors/minors?

[LukeGilmour]

i think i need a little bit of theory help here

not the first time i come against something like this, but first time i post about it

say, ive been playing a neil young song lately
the chords are Bm E F# G

so we got three majors in a row and that kinda throws all my theory into the garbage can.

so im guessing this is the scale maybe?:

G A B C D E F#
t t s t t t s

but then when i get all the majors and minors in (M m m M M m o) i get all confused, how does this work?

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: too many majors/minors?

Looks like Bm for the key.

 

[LukeGilmour]

Re: too many majors/minors?

Looks like Bm for the key.

indeed i guess its a D / Bm Aeolian.


but what really makes me wonder is the 3 majors in a row, how is it justified?

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: too many majors/minors?

It's rock and roll no need for justification! There are plenty of songs for example that have the same chord as a major and a minor e.g. Am to an A.

from a theory book: "Whether you use a major or minor chord for the iV V chords in a minor key depends on the harmony you want and the melody of the song."

 

[vinterland]

Re: too many majors/minors?

Once you know theory one of the hardest things to break out of is theory. There are no rules of what you can and cannot do. Some things just sound good regardless of the key signature.

 

[Frantic_Rock]

Re: too many majors/minors?

Just play along with the tune until it sounds prefect.
Then figure out which scale you just played and at which point in the progression are you adding tones outside of this scale to make it sound even better (if any).

- Alex

 

[LukeGilmour]

Re: too many majors/minors?

from a theory book: "Whether you use a major or minor chord for the iV V chords in a minor key depends on the harmony you want and the melody of the song."

this is more or less what i was looking for
so you can change the IV or the V to a major/minor?

 

[Kane17]

Re: too many majors/minors?

Yes I came across a similar question years ago in band class, where we'd play music and lets say for example, all the C notes had a # with them. I couldn't understand why they wouldn't just put the # in the key signature but the issue wasn't the key signature, they were just "accidentals"....and that term really only raised further questions...ugh


anyways, yes I beleive it is really just the artists use of chromatics, or letting notes step out of the box of scales that really adds a touch of freedom to music writing.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: too many majors/minors?

this is more or less what i was looking for
so you can change the IV or the V to a major/minor?

Correct. There are no rules...well there are but you know what I mean...I think. :eyecrazy: