On Sunday 24 July 2005, Ed Pope wrote in alt.usenet.kooks:
> Matthew Fields wrote:
>> In article <dbv7qu$mgq$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
>> Albert Silverman <slvrmn@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> >The Tortoise:
>> >
>> > Can anyone tell me how I can tell what key a piece is simply by
>> > listening to it?
>> >
>> >The Hatter:
>> >
>> > Certainly, Gentleman-with-the-Shell.
>> >
>> > It is probable that some tones will appear more frequently than
other
>> > tones. Therefore, all you have to do is listen for those tones
which
>> > appear most frequently. Then discard the remaining tones and see
if
>> > you can fit the tones which appear most frequently into a
particular
>> > major or harmonic minor scale.
>> >
>> > Locate the first degree of this scale. This is your tonic. Then
get a
>> > bottle of gin and use it to wash down the tonic. Now close your
eyes
>> > and, after a few minutes, you won't *care* what key the piece is
in.
>> >
>> >The Tortoise:
>> >
>> > Should we use sloe gin?
>> >
>> >Alice:
>> >
>> > Nonsense! The particular tones that are used in a chord-based
>> > composition have nothing at all to do with the identity of the
>> > tonal center, which is the most vital piece of information in a
>> > "tonal" composition. In a tightly-knit composition (i.e., where
>> > the identity of the tonal center is strong throughout the entire
>> > piece), the tonal center is determined by departure-and-return,
>> > synchronized with the melodic phrasing.
>> >
>> > Everyone knows that.
>> >
>> >The Tortoise:
>> >
>> > I don't know that, my dear--whatever it was that you just said; I
>> > wasn't fast enough to catch it.
>> >
>> > But it really isn't im****tant. What *is* im****tant is that I just
>> > love gin and tonic. How do you think that I ever got interested
in
>> > music in the first place?
>> >
>> >The Frog:
>> >
>> > I'm with you, Gentleman-with-the-Shell.
>> >
>> > Gin and tonic are a helluva lot better than formaldehyde!
>
> Listen for the chord structure.
>
> Most composers will start with the root tone, or root chord, and then
> proceed to a familar frame, so to speak, as to _how_ they compose.
>
> In guitar rock, the basic structure is 1,4,5. The rest of the song is
> composed around that structure.
>
> Classical music is a bit different, but generally the piece will start
> with either the root chord, or the fourth or fifth. Generally,
> classical pieces also end with either the root chord or the fifth.
>
> You can train your ear to recognize tone, or keys, as your eyes learn
> color.
>
> If you take a music theory class it will help, and practice makes
> perfect.
Good advice, but will Albert take it?
PJR :-)
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