How Music Works - Series on Youtube

[sunvalleylaw]

Check out this series addressing how music works and beginning with melody:

PnbOWi6f_IM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnbOWi6f_IM&feature=related

There is a link to the next vid below the current.

I have only watched the first few. Seems like a very interesting primer. His discussion of the modes is a bit confusing as compared with how we talk about them here. But I think that is because he is focusing on the origin of the modes in the parts I have watched so far.

I am finding it quite interesting. I hope someone else enjoys it too.

[jpfeifer]

Steve,

This is great! I was working with our music director with the church group that I play in, to make a course like this to teach the younger players about the fundamentals of music.

One of the things I've always felt strongly about is that all music shares the same basic fundamental concepts, and that understanding those concepts will free you up to move between styles and "get" what's going on, and be able to "think on your feet" musically. The director and me were coming up with some topics to cover in our course. This video series hits on a lot of those concepts, maybe not in as much detail, but it's explaining music in a simlar way.

I'll watch the other videos in this series to get some ideas.
Thanks for sending this. --Jim

[jpfeifer]

This is basically a music theory class, but not called music theory (some people are turned off to anything with the word "theory" in it) But it explains how music works. I like to think of theory in the same way also. For my own development, the light bulb finally went "on" when I began to study Jazz improv and music theory in college. I started to see how the same kinds of concepts used in Jazz solos applied to country/bluegrass soloing also. Once I started looking at the structure of how certain things worked (rather than the style), and uncovered the reason why certain things sounded good, it helped me learn things faster, and remember licks by how they applied to the chord changes, etc. It was really helpful to me overall.

We're still coming up with ideas for our basic class, but this video helps.

--Jim

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah, I agree. I like how it gives understandable historical underpinnings of why some things developed in certain ways, and how they relate. ( Things Tudor folk musicians chose to do show up again in early American blues for example). I can see how you will want to go into greater detail in your course, but it has some good ideas, and is a good primer for me.

I have not had a full theory course, and though I had understood just from my ear that certain ethnic music and certain styles related to one another, I had no idea about the theory behind it. This helps get me into that. Of course, he could spend an entire day or more on some of the topics, but that would turn it into a college level music theory course.

I am through the melody sections and the rhythm section. I will re-watch the rhythm section, as I am still trying to improve my rhythm skills, and studying cross rhythms, triplets, etc. is necessary for me. If the rhythm gets beyond a basic 4/4 or 3/4, or shifts around too much, I start to trip on myself.

[marnold]

Very cool and interesting. Unfortunately I watched all five of the part 1 videos instead of just the first one.

[sunvalleylaw]

Yep, I did that, and then all 5 of part 2 (Rhythm) last night.

The rhythm sections will bear re-watching. Understanding what is going on with cross rhythms, subdividing, having the melody slightly behind the beat as in swing, or slightly ahead as the cubans do ("elements" of rhythm he discusses) will hopefully help me to "feel" it, and actually be able to accomplish it a bit better. As I said, right now, anything that changes up too much in subdivision, and/or is beyond basic 4/4 or 3/4 just trips me up. Especially if I am trying to actually count or be aware of what I am doing.

[syo]

This is great Steve! Thanks for putting this up. Watched all of the Melody program and looking forward to seeing more. Really nicely presented.