[progressive rock] despite it all (mp3)

[uncloned]

http://clones.soonlabel.com/mp3/daily20090725-despite-it-all.mp3

Genre:
Rock/Pop: Progressive Rock    


Year: 2009

Album:
dook

Artist's description:
improvisation

guitar is Fender Mustang through GR-20 and two passes of Korg MS 2000 synth

GR-20 can be a bit touchy - sorry.

[apple-joe]

Very pleasing, clean guitar sound. I've always had an inclination towards the reverb effect, and it's certainly nicely used in this track.

The tonality struck me at once. It sounds familiar, yet I'm not confident about what's going on. Maybe a Lydian influence in the beginning, a regular minor tonality further into the song and a recurring eastern something? There are also brief chord movements which sound like not being based on any particular key. Often a measure that reduces the probability of creating a boring song, but this one isn't uninteresting in the first place anyway.

1:30 - The suddenly appearing, massive chord surprised me. Serves to emphasize the mentioned sound.

I'm a little undecided about the instrument used for lead. The note choice and composition are impressive to me, but the sound of the lead instrument... How would another guitar have worked instead? On the other hand, it would have eliminated the hint of contrast that exists as it is.

It's now the 10th+ time I'm listening, and I ponder: What might I learn from this song?
Fundamentally it's about dynamics, I think. The song demonstrates good use of volume variation, balance between exclusion and inclusion of  instruments, tempo adjustments.

Finally, a question: Do you like Joe Satriani?

[uncloned]

Thanks for the listen and excellent extended comments. I'll try to answer some of it.

First mixolydian is more accurate for the bulk of the piece _ that is D major with a flatted seventh. The minor tonality is shifting emphasis to the relative minor which is B minor.

The eastern tonality is from using a sub-dominate with diminished 5th - but that may be better thought of as a dominate 9 th chord missing the root and 5th since the leading tone is quite active and similar to melodic minor usage excepting this in a harmonic context.

I did this improv about 2 or 3 in the morning  - I'm rather tired so some details I may not remember.

I can add that I freely borrow chords and chromatically alter melodic lines. Lastly I absolutely do not think in theory terms when I compose or improvise to any degree.

Ps the lead sound reminded me of a genesis lead from the lamb lies down on broadway.

Does that help?

[uncloned]

Oops - make that D major with flatted 7th - hard to edit a post on a blackberry


fixed the original

[apple-joe]

Yes, both helped and confused a bit. It's a while since I've read intensely about music theory, and I don't immediately recall what a subdominate (or is it subdominant?) is. The minor chord based on the second degree of the major scale? I see you corrected yourself on the mixolydian detail, I also reacted.

I often think that I should compose more without focusing on theory, but there is a tension. It seems that the outcome tends to be amusing when forgetting the theory and letting it flow, but then again, there is the curiosity related to varying theoretical approaches.

I'll check out some of your other tracks soon.

[uncloned]

sub-dominate is right

its the chord from the IV scale degree

http://guitarsecrets.com/lessons/modulation.htm

I often think that I should compose more without focusing on theory, but there is a tension. It seems that the outcome tends to be amusing when forgetting the theory and letting it flow, but then again, it's the curiosity related to varying theoretical approaches which appear interesting.

I'm not sure I understand you

and no, I don't listen to satriani much though friends have introduced me to him. two guitarists I like a lot are John McLaughlin and Steve Hackett.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McLaughlin_%28musician%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Hackett

Both of whom I highly recommend


Music theory, at least what is common on the net, focuses on functional harmony in just major and minor. 20th century music, including lots of pop/rock leave that behind.

If you are interested in expanding your horizons in a readable, understandable way I suggest this book:

Twentieth-Century Harmony: Creative Aspects and Practice (Hardcover)

by Vincent Persichetti - Amazon sells it.

[Sam_Zen]

Well, this is a gem, Clones !

And John McLaughlin ? Count me in..

[uncloned]

really?

I'm actually surprised because I see lots of flaws

last night (this morning actually 5am) I thought that the blues piece was better but when I woke up I found that it was really not very good. But I still didn't think too highly of this piece due to perfornce issues - I don't think it is very tight even for an improv.

Thanks for the listen and comment Sam, I'm glad you like it even if I don't' so much ;-)

[Sam_Zen]

I don't count flaws. It's about the flow of the piece.