music theory question

[intothedawn]

I'm not sure if I'm makeing sense here but if the melody in the first bar is

C D C {major 2nd up and major second down} and the next bar is G B G {minor 3rd up and down} which is the most important interval between the two bars?

Is it C to G {minor 7th} and if so how would this interval relate to your chord voicings. Would it be wiser to look at intervals in and around that of a minor 7th for the top voicing and is it important to look at other seemingly less important(without really knowing what im talking about) intervals like say D in the first bar to G in the second {a perfect forth}

I guess i'm looking for some tips and guidelines, I don't really want to hear that the posibilities r infinite because that would just be to random and wouldn't be much use

[longjohns]

C to G is a perfect 5th

also G to B is a major 3rd

[bluerockgod]

Hi,
Not quite sure what you're getting at, but, if the melody if the melody sounds good, then you can find chords that fit. The typical choice in your scenario would be a C chord (I) for the first bar and a G chord for the next (V).

Hope this helps

Michael

[bluerockgod]

To help you with the interval thing.

Count up from your fundamental note, say a C, using sharps. C to C# = min 2nd, C to D = maj 2nd, C to D# =min 3rd, C to E = maj 3rd, C to F = perf 4th, C to F# = Aug 4th or dim 5th, C to G = perf 5th, C to G# =Aug 5th or min 6th, C to A = maj 6th, C to A# = min 7th, C to B = maj 7th, C to C = 8ve.

Same applies if you are starting with a different note, G for example, G to G# = min 2nd, G to A = maj 2nd, G to A# = min 3rd and so on...

[DeadlyKungFu]

C D C {major 2nd up and major second down} and the next bar is G B G

C to G is 7 semitones which is a perfect fifth.

IMO you find the key you're working in, then identify which mode is your tonal center and then work in the appropriate chords.

you've got the notes B C D G, which can be the keys if C or G

In C the first part would be Ionian mode (tonal center on the C), the second part would be the mixolydian mode (tonal center on the G), so you've got a classic I-V progression, very strong, very common. The most important interval is the G - C, the perfect fifth.

In G it's a IV-I progression, interval is a perfect 4th, the strength of this is second only to using C as your key. (btw one key's fifth is another key's fourth)

OR you can relate it to the relative minors of C (Am) or G (Em), all of these are very very common keys.

It all depends on where the tonal center of the piece is, you can compose it anyway you want.

I dunno, with these being so strong you can do whatever you want, they will anchor the song pretty strongly. Pick a key and you can narrow down which notes to choose from.

Put the theory down and just play. IMO this seems like overthinking the problem.

[intothedawn]

thanks for the replies guys, I think what I'm really interested in is the difference between melodic intervals and the ones in harmony and how they gel together.

Here's a question.... when doing inversions in chords is it important to keep the root in the bass like in Cmaj C in bass then G C E(in the treble) for instance or is it just as good to have G in bass and then maybe invert the chord further like E G C, and will this be less strong if your in the key of C than it would in the first example with C in bass

[basetwo]

thanks for the replies guys, I think what I'm really interested in is the difference between melodic intervals and the ones in harmony and how they gel together.

Here's a question.... when doing inversions in chords is it important to keep the root in the bass like in Cmaj C in bass then G C E(in the treble) for instance or is it just as good to have G in bass and then maybe invert the chord further like E G C, and will this be less strong if your in the key of C than it would in the first example with C in bass

Technically, if the bass is playing the root of your chord, then the chord is not inverted at all, but as I understand your question you are talking more about a triad in the treble clef (or at least the upper voices). Just to be clear, if the lowest note is not the root of the chord, then the chord is inverted. Generally speaking, then, I suppose you could say that a non-inverted chord (in root position) is the strongest.

I personally wouldn't worry about what sounds the "strongest". When I'm writing choral parts or even string parts in a song, what inversion I end up with depends largely on what notes were used in the previous chord and what notes need to be in the following chord. That way, each part, bass included, becomes more melodic than just "jumping around".

In traditional music composition, this is done quite extensively and, with the help of passing tones, gives each voicing a "flow" of it's own.

HTH.

[intothedawn]

so c in bass clef and g c e in treble isn't technically inverted because i'm still using the root in the bass, does the c bass overide the inversion in the treble then?

[longjohns]

personally i'd call it second inversion. even if this isn't technically true(not sure) it's still useful as a way to describe the voicing of the triad, regardless of whether you're covering the root

[DeadlyKungFu]

good replies all around.

I'd add that your decision to invert or not would generally be based on what's going on in the rest of the composition. If the bass instrument is following the chords, then you'd probably want to invert the lead otherwise they can wash each other out. If the lead is providing the only instrument playing bass notes then I wouldn't invert. Also, this can change throughout the composition, an easy way to get variety.