Thank you for this! I'm planning to re-enter music school (when COVID is over) to finally finish my degree, and your videos are exactly the review I need. "Back in my day", class of 2000, it was the lecture and Ye Olde Kostka/Payne - nothing else. If those weren't clear enough, or you missed the lecture or took crap notes, too bad, you flunked. No RU-vid, no Wikipedia, no Google, no online tutorials. I wish I'd known there were other books, or had the confidence to ask for help from other students or the professor. I skated by on my wits for a while, but eventually, you have to know this stuff because so much of the later material is built on it. So if you're reading this and struggling through music school, don't give up like I did 20 years ago! I've had a great career so far and I love what I do, but if you want to make real money doing what you love, you WILL need a degree. Only the people with degrees get hired to be in charge, and only the people in charge get paid enough to live on. Ask questions. If you don't understand a concept, RESEARCH it until you do! And yes, whatever your instrument is, understanding theory WILL help you be a better player/singer. It may not seem like it now, but trust me - it's worth it to really understand what you're performing, and it gives you a tremendous connection with the composer - they studied this, too, and probably hated it just as much as you do. And whatever instrument you're in school for, no matter how good you are, somebody else is almost as good - and if they show up with a degree and you don't, you still won't get the job.
31:38 Man this is so true. I have so many unfinished ideas and fragments because I never took the time to craft them out to completion. Having these tools is very helpful to flesh out ideas beyond just the initial raw creativity. I've also read many books on theory and these videos are clearer and more concise than anything I've seen.
Plot twist: Nobody was in the classroom in any of the videos , the background noises were added post-production. He's not an actual teacher, he's just been making stuff up on the fly since the very beginning. Joke Aside, thank you very much Pr. Brellochs. I've been trying to sharpen my music theory skills and your videos have been of great help!!!
Another great video Dr. B! I have a question. Do these voice leading rules also apply when you are composing for a full orchestra? Or are there separate/different rules when writing for an orchestra? Thank you.
Good question! In general these voice leading rules also apply for a full orchestra; actually the reason music theory focuses on voice leading so much is because it applies to all music - solo piano, wind ensemble, jazz band, etc. "Voice" leading applies for both voices and instruments is because generally humans hear pitch and harmony the same way regardless of tone color! There are some exceptions to this and certainly tone color greatly effects the overall musical-emotional experience, but if you want music to flow and chords to blend you can't go wrong using these voice leading rules. That said, people like Richard Wagner was a master writing orchestral music that was did NOT always follow voice leading rules (he often did follow the rules but he also used idiomatic techniques unique to instruments of the orchestra). A great example is Wagner's "Ride of Valkyries" - the violins are playing a "swooping" arpeggio that is not even close to vocal in character. Compare that to the brass melody which everyone loves to sing along to. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P73Z6291Pt8.html
just want to say ive just started grade 6 music theory these videos are fantastic thank you sooooo much they will help me so much to complete this grade in uk!
@@ChristopherBrellochs yes and a grade 8 theory abrsm too! The grade 6 is alot different too the grade 5 never expected it to be this hard ! I shall hopefully understand it better with these videos :) so many things to check and remember .. I have severe epilepsy and memory issues because of it but I shall continue I want to have diplomas go as far as I can ! Music is fantastic! Also doing a grade 6 piano exam later this year with London college of music :)
@@lisasexammusicoriginalcomp5861 Thanks for the information. That is so great that you are pursuing knowledge in spite of obstacles. P.S. I agree - music IS fantastic!
@@ChristopherBrellochs thank you I know in my last theory grade 5 exam I have 288 seizures that day and managed to do it in 1hr 40 mins am allowed 3 hours .. I got 88 marks so was 2 off a distinction but I was so relieve to exit the room haha... think no matter what time of day theres always something to play! love the chopin nocturnes !
I recently discovered your videos when I was looking up "harmonizing a melody". That was a great video showing all the diatonic chord options for each melody note. Do all your videos apply to jazz (the theory involved, etc.) even though you may be using triads at times. I'm learning jazz piano.
28:18 is the audio example of how to listen for errors. I'm going to correct the example on the board and then play both on the piano to help train my ear. Thank you, Dr. B!
Good day Dr. B. Is a hidden/direct octave/fifth allowed between the soprano and the bass provided one of the outer voices moves by step and the other leaps?
No! But you are very close! 1) First, it is NOT a "hidden/direct octave/fifth" if it is allowed. 2) Second, let me rephrase your question: Q: "Is a hidden/direct octave/fifth allowed between the soprano and the bass provided THE SOPRANO moves by step and the BASS leaps?" A: It is allowed, but you wouldn't call it a hidden/direct octave/fifth because there is no problem. Q: "Is a hidden/direct octave/fifth allowed between the soprano and the bass provided THE BASS moves by step and the SOPRANO leaps?" A: It is not allowed, because it is a hidden/direct octave/fifth. I hope that helps, Dr. B
There are popular modern musics today that includes Parallel P5 and Octaves. I have listen to Bad Guy's Memory and I do noticed Voice leading issues. There is voice leading issues in Modern and pop music
Dr. B, when voicing a diminished triad with the third on the bass, is it necessary to make sure that the bass note doesn't form a tritone with any of the above three voices ? In other words, is the tritone that invariably exists in a diminished triad allowed only between inner voices (Tenor-Alto, Tenor-Soprano, Alto-Soprano) ? Thanks a million for these videos.
You are welcome and thanks for the question. You are 100% correct: "the tritone that invariably exists in a diminished triad IS allowed only between inner voices (Tenor-Alto, Tenor-Soprano, Alto-Soprano)"
Dr Brellochs - thanks for this video. I've been mystified by the rules of voice leading for some time but your videos have really helped clear my head. I have a question if you have time - are hidden fifths in the inner voices completely OK, or is it still better avoid them when possible?
@shestakovach - hidden 5ths are OK in the inner voices, so much so that you don't even call them hidden 5ths if they are in the inner voices. To be a hidden 5th (normally a bad thing to avoid) they must be in the outer voices. Good question! Dr. B
Dear Dr. B. Another great lesson. I have a question relating to perfect intervals. I can see that you have outlined quite a few forbidden movements, but other than those, is it OK to move from any perfect interval to any other perfect interval. For example, can we have a motion that goes P8 to P5 or vice versa, or Unison to P5 or vice versa, or Unison to P8 or vice versa? It seems to me that the reasoning behind avoiding parallel or contrary P5 or P8 might also prohibit these? Thanks again for this great set of lessons Oh by the way, Happy Christmas
All other perfect interval motions that I don't mention ARE allowed (including all the examples you gave). Normally you want primarily stepwise motion and common tones in the inner voices but they might create what you describe with an outer voice and that's o.k. One reason is that each voice/melody will still sound INDEPENDENT. The forbidden motions either make two voices sound more like one voice, OR stop the forward motion and flow of the music by abruptly entering a perfect consonance. Hope that helps! Dr. B www.patreon.com/DrBMusicTheory
You're music theory lessons are really helping me to understand music. I"m not taking a class, though, and was wondering if you could recommend anywhere I could find exercises to practice the ideas you're discussing here?
Until I make my own set of materials I recommend Barron's AP Music Theory, $16 on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Barrons-Music-Theory-MP3-2nd/dp/1438073895/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493346494&sr=1-1&keywords=barron%27s+ap+music+theory
Don’t think I saw this covered with trying to avoid perfect. This does that mean the note needs to fall within the diatonic scale degree or if moving chromatically if the fifth isn’t for example, Seda G could one go to G flat F sharp?
Hello, Professor! I love your Videos, they are helping me understand Pop music on a deep level! I noticed in your first video about voicing ranges, you mentioned that the E below C3 was the lowest in bass that is allowed. Where I am confused is there are an abundance of orchestra arrangements that go well below that for their bass section. I've seen charts that says A# below C1 is the lowest allowed for bass. Please school me on this, because E below C3 sounds fairly high to be the lowest. Are you saying that E below C3 is the lowest ONLY for singing?
You got it! E below C3 is the lowest pitch recommend for the bass section for CHORAL SINGING. Notice this "rule" is even more specific than just singing. It takes into account what a good choir could sing in tune with a good tone and BLEND! Vocal soloists can often go higher and lower but they don't have to worry about blending in the same way. Also, the orchestra has different rules on range. I hope to do a series of videos on orchestration and go into greater detail sometime soon. Best wishes, Dr. B
Christopher Brellochs Awesome! Thanks for replying! Where can I find voicleading rules for creating pop tunes? Are pop tunes using the same rules as orchestrations?
Alright Dr.B or anyone else, I need some confirmation for Static vs Parallel Motion. For Parallel Motion AND Similar Motion we care about both the interval AND quality, so for example going from m6 -> M6 or aug4 -> P4, d5 -> P5 etc.. would NOT be considered Parallel Motion since the quality changes although the interval is the same (6th,4th,5th). This would be considered Similar Motion since the quality changes. (Of course the voices would be moving in the same direction in these cases) In the end, If same interval different quality -> Similar Motion (This is why Unequal 5ths would be considered Similar Motion) If same interval same quality -> Parallel Motion If different interval -> Similar Motion Am I correct in all of this?
Professor, at 21:26 when you say that it is ok to do a perfect fifth in contrary motion, you say "as long as they are not from "another 5th" it would sound great, i believe i got a little confused, does that mean if they are the same 5ths it's ok when they go in contrary motion?
For example: E in soprano moving down to D with E in bass moving up to G =P8 -contrary motion- P5 is good. On the other hand, E in soprano moving up to G with A in bass moving down to C =P5 -contrary motion- P5 is bad. He's pointing out that moving into a P5 by contrary motion is only bad if the preceding interval is also a P5. It sounds almost the same as Parallel P5s. As long as the interval between the voices is anything other than a P5, they can move by contrary motion into a P5 and it will sound good. Same thing applies with P8s. P8 -contrary motion- P8 is bad. Anything but P8 -contrary motion- P8 is good.
Great lesson Dr. B! I'm just a bit confused with the parallel unison-part of it all. What if two voices (say Alto and Soprano) move in similar motion, but still end up an octave or fifth away from each other. Do the "rules" still apply?
Thanks for the comment. Your Question Part 1: parallel unison is a problem because we want INDEPENDENT melodies and if they move in unison you don't get that; that means is the Alto sings a C and Soprano sings the same note (a unison) and they both move up a major 3rd and sing E together we have a parallel unison. Your Question Part 2: Similar motion into an octave or a 5th is fine, UNLESS it is between the Bass and Soprano AND there is a leap in the Soprano; ex. first chord = Bass is C, Soprano is E; second chord = both voices leap up to Bass is F, Soprano is C. That would be called "Direct 5ths" and they are generally bad because they stop the flow and forward motion of melodic lines with leap into a perfect consonance. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for the lecture. It's really REALLY helping me out. If you don't mind, I have a couple of questions: 1 - If the interval between two voices moves from a minor third to a major third, is the motion still considered parallel? 2 - Isn't the movement of the interval between soprano and alto of the second and third "harmonies" on the second measure an example of parallel 5ths? Thanks again and I hope you can expand this project. It's really good!
1 - No. For parallel motion it has to be the exact interval (both number and quality). 2 - If we are looking at the same spot (measure 2, beat 2, between alto and soprano = D to A, i.e. P5 to measure 2, beat 3, between alto and soprano = Bb to G, i.e. M6) then there are NO parallel 5ths, Are we looking at the same thing? Thanks for the words of encouragement!
Thank you for this excellent video. I am little confused at the video around the 4:30 mark. It says avoid parallel unison in the top right. You have defined parallel on the left hand side as when things move together and the same amount. So from that I concluded that a parallel unison is...no motion of notes at all. CE followed by CE, in the same octave. Isn't that just static motion as defined by the top left part of your board? I am sure I have made a bad assumption, perhaps you could tell me the difference between the left hand and right hand sides of your board? Thanks
These are completely different things. A parallel unison means that a unison still becomes a unison after a motion. That unison is formed by two voices, and both voices have a motion. The motions that the two voices undergo are the same. This is why the unison is still a unison after motions of these two voices. In other words, these two voices undergo a parallel motion instead of a static motion, but these two voices are two voices that have the same note.
1. Should melodies always be independent? Isn't there a way to merge or divide at will, even in the Classical style? 2. How would I apply these rules when writing for say a quartet or a symphony?
Eventually this will be very useful to orchestate, but this is the very very basic, to make those kind of compositions you have to known the range of the instruments as well as the timbre of each. there are some good books to learn how to orchestate
Great lecture, thank you! I would like to point out that there is also a parallell octave in the second measure, beats 3-4, hidden between the G in the soprano to the F in the alto, and the G in the tenor voice followed by the F in the bass. Though performed in different voices, this would still be perceived by the ear as a parallell octave, if I am not mistaken? Many thanks from Sweden.
I think it has to be the same voices. If the soprano and alto make a fifth, it has to be again the soprano and alto that do it the following measure for it to be a problem
I would have thought that making the unequal fifths with similar motion sin plus the whole notion of having diminished 5th between any 2 voices in the middle ages put together might be enough to get a composer burned at the stake?
Haha, well the voice leading commonly used today is really from the 17th century and Baroque era, and they embraced unequal 5ths as long as you didn't flaunt it (meaning, try not to make it obvious by using them in the outer voices - keep it in the inner voices). Best wishes, Dr. B www.patreon.com/DrBMusicTheory
@@ChristopherBrellochs That reminds me of something I saw whereby in modern music people use a slight modification of the circle of fifths so that at one point they only go a dim5th for one of the changes, and that way they only need to go through 7 chords instead of 12 - a kind of diatonic circle of fifths so that they can go from the 4 chord to the 7 chord, (like F down to B) and then the rest would be perfect fifths, and from that point it is just 73-6251 (similar to the center line of the form that you mentioned for minor harmony, so I just think of a phone number, 473-6251 as the diatonic abridged, where I'd also be careful to use the first inversion of that 7 diminished chord to soften it.
