|| "Shows enthusiasm when teaching" YES! || I have questions along the lines of current musical personalities with respect to playing, improvising, and music writing. (I suppose a lot of other people wonder about this.) I think the two best albums are DSOTM and Who's Next. I don't think The Beatles wrote a perfect album, but they did write the best songs. Paul McCartney couldn't read music. Allegedly, the members of Pink Floyd couldn't read music, either. But the people at Abbey Road Studio had to know music and technology. || Ray Manzareck of The Doors studied Bach at UCLA, and anyone can tell that at the opening of "Light My Fire." I'm supposing that what Leonard Bernstien was to classical music, Duke Ellington was to the Big Band era. || I wonder how much education giants like Miles Davis and John Coltrain knew. I know Davis dropped out of Julliard - and that it may have been for the same reason Bill Gates dropped out of MIT. (If you can learn it on your own, Why waste the time?) Anyway, you get the idea, I hope. George Martin was well educated in music, but I wonder how many others were just people who could pick up an instrument and learn how to play it. Talent and knowledge are evident when one listens to Pete Townshend's demo tapes for Who's Next - the remnant of a much larger project called Lifehouse. Those demos, where he played all the instruments and sang are better than 97% of all the other albums out there.
These are all good questions and things to consider. There are certain styles of music where reading music is not necessary. Interestingly, some would argue that reading music and "traditional" music education might actually be detrimental! Of course that sometimes means you need to hire or partner with someone who does (The Beatles partnership with George Martin is a great example). Adding to your list, the famous opera tenor Luciano Pavoratti supposedly couldn't read music. Miles Davis and John Coltrane could both read music and had an excellent understanding of music theory (though I'm not sure if that included SATB voice-leading). Coltrane was known for using Nicholas Slominsky's "Thesaurus Of Scales and Melodic Patterns," and Charlie Parker was said to walk around with the score of Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" and study it. I've come to the conclusion that IF you allow yourself to have strong opinions, more knowledge is always best. Best wishes, Dr. B www.patreon.com/DrBMusicTheory
Hi Dr. B. This is a great video. I have been using 'A Treatise on Simple Counterpoint in Forty Lessons by Friedrich J. Lehmann'. (available free on Project Gutenberg, if anyone is interested) This video is a perfect compliment to this book. Reading is one thing but having a visual guide is really a tremendous help. Thank so much for taking the time and trouble to make them.
You aren't the only one with questions on this! I talk about this in "Ask Dr. B About Music Theory, Episode 4 ("Bite Size" Music Theory: Subscriber Questions)" at eighteen minutes. Let me know if this answers your question or whether you'd like some follow up! th-cam.com/video/C1dADMUucPk/w-d-xo.htmlm3s
Dr B, I've been watching your videos for several months even though I probably have Aural Aphantasia. But your lectures are so well structured I've developed a good level of music theory for such a poor piano player. I came to the realization that my next step was to learn counterpoint, but there were very few videos that really go back to the basics. You are one of only two I have found. Not to criticize a music channel with millions of subs who has similar lectures, I don't watch them since without an advanced knowledge of music theory, they are impossible to follow. Merci beaucoup.
Thank you so much! I've been so busy teaching and performing I haven't made any new videos in the last two months. Getting comments like this motivate me to carve out some time soon because there is so many more exciting things I want to share.
Thank you for the Video Dr. B. It was very educational. I have a question - Would the same rules apply for constructing a counterpoint for a melody in a mode of melodic minor and also for a melody in locrian mode ? Thank you.
Interesting question! Species counterpoint was developed for the modes historically used which were Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Aeolian (and if you go back far enough there was hypo-ionian, hypo-dorian, etc. which shifted the range of the scale - you can look this up if you want to know more). Locrian was considered a "theoretical" mode that wasn't used because it had no perfect 5th like all the other modes, and was too unstable for the listener. The ascending form of the melodic minor was not used as a basis for modes either - it was primarily used for melodies to reflect whether the were over a i of V chord and avoid the interval of an A2 between scale degree 6 and 7. That said, late 19th century and early 20th century composers started experimenting with how more "exotic" sounding scales could be incorporated into an "essentially" tonal context. To answer your question, some of the species counterpoint rules will apply but others like dissonant intervalic leaps would be waived in favor of capturing the flavor of these modes. Hope that helps, Dr. B www.patreon.com/DrBMusicTheory
I'm glad to be back. I needed to rest and recoup from the academic year, in addition to lots of summer music performances and conducting - but I knew I wanted to continue making new videos that answer viewers' specific questions! Thanks for watching.
Hi Dr. B I really like your teaching very helpful and you cover most of detail that my teacher didn’t. Can you wear a microphone or some that make less room voices echo when you talk.
YES! Haha, one of the reasons I haven't posted any new videos in the last two months is I'm trying to upgrade my audio/video. I need to do a little more research on what microphone to get, but I promise to have new videos with BETTER AUDIO soon! Thanks for confirming my sense that this was an important improvement.
THANK YOU Dr.B. I'm lucky to have found these music lessons on TH-cam and it greatly helps everyone who wants to persue professional music. Love from India 💌
I want results! I want people to know more about music theory/harmony so they can compose, pass a class, get into a music program, or just get more joy out of music! Thank you for getting results. Best wishes, Dr. B
How do you change key up a tone, like Chet Baker on There will never be another you. At the end of his improvised intro he goes from F major to Eb major
New video :) nice. Today I have a slightly different question Have You already heard King - We Are King album?? Unexpected chords and melodies,everything is great. Full recommendation and request for all fans of R'n'B / Neo Soul and derivatives. I'm new to this genre but I have few favourite band because of their jazzy harmonies and melodies. I am looking for bands playing "dirty" chords,weird progressions etc :) Just a lot of dissonance,anyway. I like the most these albums: Hiatus Kaiyote - Choose Your Weapon Moonchild - Be Free Elisabeth Withers - It Can Happen To Anyone illa - Favor 2017 Allie - Nightshade Jazzy Fat Nastees - The Once and Future (song The Wound!!!) Snarky Puppy - Culcha Vulcha Robert Glasper Experiment - Black Radio 2 Neil Cowley Trio - Loud Louder Live Maria Roggen - Circuit Songs Come Shine - Do Do That Voodoo bird - MINDTRAVEL Kris Bowers - Heroes + Misfits Roy Hargrove & The RH Factor - Distractions Joshua Redman Elastic Band - Momentum Antonio Faraò - Eklektik King - We Are King Low Leaf - AKASHAALAY (song/video, Set Me Free ) and now I need MOOOORE :D more similar,more interesting phrasing with finesse. Professional melodic line :) Any recommendations? Yesterday someone told me about a new band THE 4 KORNERS - "Phraseology" Official Video or "PORTAL OF GOLD" OFFICIAL VIDEO mmmm very tasty,pay attention to 3;06 - from where they get this "naughty"chord in progression ??? :DExcellent idea :) ...why I did not invent it, why this is not my song??? :DD
I have heard some of the albums you mention; my favorite is Joshua Redmond! This might not be quite in the same style as what you mentioned but try listening to the Brecker Brothers - funky grooves with jazz harmonies and great improvisation. They are from a few decades ago so aren't new, but they're great!
Thanks! Next video will be out next week, and they should be coming regularly after that. I'm in Las Vegas right now and am making my Vegas debut at Planet Hollywood tomorrow (part of a theatre conference)!
Hi. Your lectures are the best i've found on the internet: concise, clear, excellently explained and highly professional. I love music composition and i've been searching for this kind of information for months! Great job! I hope you the best and i'm glad that people like you help others freely. Again, thanks for your *professionalism*. (PS: please, if possible, keep on explaining more about counterpoint cause i really like it :D)
I really appreciate your kind words and encouragement. You want more counterpoint? You got it! I was hoping someone asked because I felt like I just scratched the surface with this introductory video!
Christopher Brellochs s I apologize for not responding earlier. I watched just about all your you tube lessons. I was able to make it thru Music Theory 1 at our local community college and got a "B" in the class thanks to your great instructive videos. Music is very addictive and more is good.
Congratulations Joseph! Most colleges use Music Theory 1 as a class to weed out those students who can't handle the rigor of a music degree. The fact that you earned a good grade is awesome!
Hmmm...if we have in the upper line ,motive b and c(semitone up) and in the bottom line we have g and f (tone down) then we have b+g interval and f+c both are consonans BUT! between upper and lower voices (B from above and F from below) we have a triton,right? So,we can do this or it is a mistake??(b+g against f+c)
Hello Dr. B, It's a blast from your past here (recognize the pic from our sax quartet days?). I learned of this series thanks to your newsletter. I enjoyed this lesson and hope to find the time to watch all of the episodes. Cheers!
C.P. with a saxophone in hand - those were the good ol' days :) Thanks for the comment; I've been really happy how this series has helped people with theory exams everywhere from Juilliard to the Royal Academy of Music. It simply started as a way to stop my students from saying, "I stopped doing my homework because I understood it when you explained it in class, but got stuck at home." Now I can simply say, "When you get stuck, watch the video!"
U r best one among any youtuber about music theory But a small request u r explaining theory on white board was so good but some topics so technical words will don't get for many so take a keyboard or piano to explain along with white board to make explanation U r channel so valuable In coming days it will become one of the channel who changed many musicians to pro level So please use piano for explanation better while u explaining through board if u add piano it will clear many doubts
I'm making another video today on 1st species on how to put the counterpoint BELOW the cactus firmus. I will record a lecture on 2nd species either next week or the following week. Thanks for asking!
Thank you. I am currently writing a short 38-page java program of a Two-Part Harmonic Species CounterPoint with sounds to add to my personal Composer's Toolkit. It helps simplify my composition efforts.
For pedagogical purposes it is restricted because that can be an easy way of avoiding problems. Obviously Bach had a lot of voice crossing in his chorales but it was done for a reason and the additional pedagogical rules are simplifying it so that students can work productively. In only 2 voice textures it can obscure the independence of voices.
Hey Doc, great stuff! Around 12:05 you mention not to approach an octave or unison with a leap, is not the same rule true regarding the 5th? Or rather : Perfect intervals in general should not be approached from a melodic leap?
|| "Shows enthusiasm when teaching" YES! || I have questions along the lines of current musical personalities with respect to playing, improvising, and music writing. (I suppose a lot of other people wonder about this.) I think the two best albums are DSOTM and Who's Next. I don't think The Beatles wrote a perfect album, but they did write the best songs. Paul McCartney couldn't read music. Allegedly, the members of Pink Floyd couldn't read music, either. But the people at Abbey Road Studio had to know music and technology. || Ray Manzareck of The Doors studied Bach at UCLA, and anyone can tell that at the opening of "Light My Fire." I'm supposing that what Leonard Bernstien was to classical music, Duke Ellington was to the Big Band era. || I wonder how much education giants like Miles Davis and John Coltrain knew. I know Davis dropped out of Julliard - and that it may have been for the same reason Bill Gates dropped out of MIT. (If you can learn it on your own, Why waste the time?)
Anyway, you get the idea, I hope. George Martin was well educated in music, but I wonder how many others were just people who could pick up an instrument and learn how to play it. Talent and knowledge are evident when one listens to Pete Townshend's demo tapes for Who's Next - the remnant of a much larger project called Lifehouse. Those demos, where he played all the instruments and sang are better than 97% of all the other albums out there.
These are all good questions and things to consider. There are certain styles of music where reading music is not necessary. Interestingly, some would argue that reading music and "traditional" music education might actually be detrimental!
Of course that sometimes means you need to hire or partner with someone who does (The Beatles partnership with George Martin is a great example). Adding to your list, the famous opera tenor Luciano Pavoratti supposedly couldn't read music.
Miles Davis and John Coltrane could both read music and had an excellent understanding of music theory (though I'm not sure if that included SATB voice-leading). Coltrane was known for using Nicholas Slominsky's "Thesaurus Of Scales and Melodic Patterns," and Charlie Parker was said to walk around with the score of Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" and study it.
I've come to the conclusion that IF you allow yourself to have strong opinions, more knowledge is always best.
Best wishes,
Dr. B
www.patreon.com/DrBMusicTheory
Thanks Dr.B. Great .It was more than helpful ! Enjoyable listening your lessons. Thanks for the hard work!
Hi Dr. B. This is a great video. I have been using 'A Treatise on Simple Counterpoint in Forty Lessons by Friedrich J. Lehmann'. (available free on Project Gutenberg, if anyone is interested) This video is a perfect compliment to this book. Reading is one thing but having a visual guide is really a tremendous help. Thank so much for taking the time and trouble to make them.
Thanks for sharing on the free counterpoint book. Project Gutenberg seems like a great resource.
Dr B,could you please shed some light over "voice crossing"?specially writing for string quartet or chamber orchestra,thanks!
You aren't the only one with questions on this! I talk about this in "Ask Dr. B About Music Theory, Episode 4 ("Bite Size" Music Theory: Subscriber Questions)" at eighteen minutes. Let me know if this answers your question or whether you'd like some follow up!
th-cam.com/video/C1dADMUucPk/w-d-xo.htmlm3s
Dr B, I've been watching your videos for several months even though I probably have Aural Aphantasia. But your lectures are so well structured I've developed a good level of music theory for such a poor piano player.
I came to the realization that my next step was to learn counterpoint, but there were very few videos that really go back to the basics. You are one of only two I have found. Not to criticize a music channel with millions of subs who has similar lectures, I don't watch them since without an advanced knowledge of music theory, they are impossible to follow.
Merci beaucoup.
There are only few people who makes such a tireless efforts into a video and you are one of them man! You just nailed it!!!
Thank you so much! I've been so busy teaching and performing I haven't made any new videos in the last two months. Getting comments like this motivate me to carve out some time soon because there is so many more exciting things I want to share.
Christopher Brellochs # Can you tell me what is the best book for music theory? Thanking you in advance.
All your videos help me in my reading assignments and also in my Music Theory course. Thank you 🙂
Dr. B, have a question pls, 8-5 and 5-8 interval passing is banned in first species and 3-5 paralell motion too as i know, can we use it ?
All your videos are logically well-structured, systematic and extremely helpful. Thank you for posting those videos!
My pleasure. Thanks for the comment!
Dr. B, have a question pls, 8-5 and 5-8 interval passing is banned in first species as i know, can we use it ?
Thank you for the Video Dr. B. It was very educational. I have a question - Would the same rules apply for constructing a counterpoint for a melody in a mode of melodic minor and also for a melody in locrian mode ?
Thank you.
Interesting question! Species counterpoint was developed for the modes historically used which were Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Aeolian (and if you go back far enough there was hypo-ionian, hypo-dorian, etc. which shifted the range of the scale - you can look this up if you want to know more).
Locrian was considered a "theoretical" mode that wasn't used because it had no perfect 5th like all the other modes, and was too unstable for the listener. The ascending form of the melodic minor was not used as a basis for modes either - it was primarily used for melodies to reflect whether the were over a i of V chord and avoid the interval of an A2 between scale degree 6 and 7.
That said, late 19th century and early 20th century composers started experimenting with how more "exotic" sounding scales could be incorporated into an "essentially" tonal context. To answer your question, some of the species counterpoint rules will apply but others like dissonant intervalic leaps would be waived in favor of capturing the flavor of these modes.
Hope that helps,
Dr. B
www.patreon.com/DrBMusicTheory
MASTER CLASS..!! THANKS..!!WE WANT MOORE COUNTERPOINT.!
hello sir , is it allowed to have two consecutive leaps forming minor or major chord in voice counterpoint?
Will you be possible to have more videos about music analysis .
It's great to see you again Dr.B! Thank you so much for making all those videos.
I'm glad to be back. I needed to rest and recoup from the academic year, in addition to lots of summer music performances and conducting - but I knew I wanted to continue making new videos that answer viewers' specific questions! Thanks for watching.
Superb sir! Thank you very much
Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for commenting!
Best wishes,
Dr. B
www.patreon.com/DrBMusicTheory
Hi Dr. B I really like your teaching very helpful and you cover most of detail that my teacher didn’t. Can you wear a microphone or some that make less room voices echo when you talk.
YES! Haha, one of the reasons I haven't posted any new videos in the last two months is I'm trying to upgrade my audio/video. I need to do a little more research on what microphone to get, but I promise to have new videos with BETTER AUDIO soon! Thanks for confirming my sense that this was an important improvement.
Thanks Dr B, fantastic introduction to counterpoint!
THANK YOU Dr.B. I'm lucky to have found these music lessons on TH-cam and it greatly helps everyone who wants to persue professional music.
Love from India 💌
You the Best,,, Dr. Brellochs 🏹
Your Tutorials have taken me afar in MusicHarmony,,, 🔄👏
Great Teacher;Great Transformation,,, 😎😋
I want results! I want people to know more about music theory/harmony so they can compose, pass a class, get into a music program, or just get more joy out of music! Thank you for getting results. Best wishes, Dr. B
Be Blessed!! 😇😇
Cool lesson! Personally, I don't have an interest in counterpoint, but the history behind it is fascinating.
How do you change key up a tone, like Chet Baker on There will never be another you. At the end of his improvised intro he goes from F major to Eb major
Very helpful! Thank you!!
YES! Glad it was helpful.
Superb sir! Thank you very much
Superb sir! Thank you very much
New video :) nice.
Today I have a slightly different question
Have You already heard King - We Are King album??
Unexpected chords and melodies,everything is great.
Full recommendation and request for all fans of R'n'B / Neo Soul and derivatives.
I'm new to this genre but I have few favourite band
because of their jazzy harmonies and melodies.
I am looking for bands playing "dirty" chords,weird progressions etc :)
Just a lot of dissonance,anyway.
I like the most these albums:
Hiatus Kaiyote - Choose Your Weapon
Moonchild - Be Free
Elisabeth Withers - It Can Happen To Anyone
illa - Favor 2017
Allie - Nightshade
Jazzy Fat Nastees - The Once and Future (song The Wound!!!)
Snarky Puppy - Culcha Vulcha
Robert Glasper Experiment - Black Radio 2
Neil Cowley Trio - Loud Louder
Live Maria Roggen - Circuit Songs
Come Shine - Do Do That Voodoo
bird - MINDTRAVEL
Kris Bowers - Heroes + Misfits
Roy Hargrove & The RH Factor - Distractions
Joshua Redman Elastic Band - Momentum
Antonio Faraò - Eklektik
King - We Are King
Low Leaf - AKASHAALAY (song/video, Set Me Free )
and now I need MOOOORE :D more similar,more interesting phrasing with finesse.
Professional melodic line :)
Any recommendations?
Yesterday someone told me about a new band
THE 4 KORNERS - "Phraseology" Official Video
or "PORTAL OF GOLD" OFFICIAL VIDEO
mmmm very tasty,pay attention to 3;06 - from where they get
this "naughty"chord in progression ??? :DExcellent idea :)
...why I did not invent it, why this is not my song??? :DD
I have heard some of the albums you mention; my favorite is Joshua Redmond!
This might not be quite in the same style as what you mentioned but try listening to the Brecker Brothers - funky grooves with jazz harmonies and great improvisation. They are from a few decades ago so aren't new, but they're great!
Welcome back!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!
Thanks! I am rested and recuperated from the academic year, and will be posting new videos regularly again.
Great! You are the best! I can't wait for the next vídeo.
Thanks! Next video will be out next week, and they should be coming regularly after that. I'm in Las Vegas right now and am making my Vegas debut at Planet Hollywood tomorrow (part of a theatre conference)!
Hi. Your lectures are the best i've found on the internet: concise, clear, excellently explained and highly professional. I love music composition and i've been searching for this kind of information for months! Great job! I hope you the best and i'm glad that people like you help others freely. Again, thanks for your *professionalism*.
(PS: please, if possible, keep on explaining more about counterpoint cause i really like it :D)
I really appreciate your kind words and encouragement. You want more counterpoint? You got it! I was hoping someone asked because I felt like I just scratched the surface with this introductory video!
Mire on fourth species
Thanks Christopher ...thanks to your videos Im passing my music theory college class with an A they are really helpful :)
That's what I like to hear! Keep up the good work.
Looking forward to the new series
The next video will be out next week, and I'll be posting regularly again! Thanks for watching.
Christopher Brellochs s
I apologize for not responding earlier. I watched just about all your you tube lessons. I was able to make it thru Music Theory 1 at our local community college and got a "B" in the class thanks to your great instructive videos. Music is very addictive and more is good.
Congratulations Joseph! Most colleges use Music Theory 1 as a class to weed out those students who can't handle the rigor of a music degree. The fact that you earned a good grade is awesome!
Hmmm...if we have in the upper line ,motive b and c(semitone up)
and in the bottom line we have g and f (tone down)
then we have b+g interval and f+c both are consonans BUT!
between upper and lower voices (B from above and F from below)
we have a triton,right?
So,we can do this or it is a mistake??(b+g against f+c)
Hello Dr. B, It's a blast from your past here (recognize the pic from our sax quartet days?). I learned of this series thanks to your newsletter. I enjoyed this lesson and hope to find the time to watch all of the episodes. Cheers!
C.P. with a saxophone in hand - those were the good ol' days :) Thanks for the comment; I've been really happy how this series has helped people with theory exams everywhere from Juilliard to the Royal Academy of Music. It simply started as a way to stop my students from saying, "I stopped doing my homework because I understood it when you explained it in class, but got stuck at home." Now I can simply say, "When you get stuck, watch the video!"
That's pretty great, a wonderful use of technology! Kudos.
Thanks you.
U r best one among any youtuber about music theory
But a small request u r explaining theory on white board was so good but some topics so technical words will don't get for many so take a keyboard or piano to explain along with white board to make explanation
U r channel so valuable
In coming days it will become one of the channel who changed many musicians to pro level
So please use piano for explanation better while u explaining through board if u add piano it will clear many doubts
Dr B when is the 2nd species counterpoint
I'm making another video today on 1st species on how to put the counterpoint BELOW the cactus firmus. I will record a lecture on 2nd species either next week or the following week. Thanks for asking!
MY BOY SETH MONAHAN WILL TEACH YOU THAT PROPER SECOND THIRD AND FOURTH SPECIES COUNTERPOINT AND HES GON' INVENT A FIFTH SPECIES
Great to follow a new series of theory.
Q: why is a 7th concidered dissonant and not in a V7 chord.
Great presentation. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it. I will be posting new videos this summer so watch for those!
Thank you. I am currently writing a short 38-page java program of a Two-Part Harmonic Species CounterPoint with sounds to add to my personal Composer's Toolkit. It helps simplify my composition efforts.
❤
Thanks for the video. As per some books Voice crossing is not allowed in counterpoint. Can you please explain that ?
For pedagogical purposes it is restricted because that can be an easy way of avoiding problems. Obviously Bach had a lot of voice crossing in his chorales but it was done for a reason and the additional pedagogical rules are simplifying it so that students can work productively. In only 2 voice textures it can obscure the independence of voices.
Also Voice crossings to an extent diminish the independence of the lines and make them more difficult to distinguish by ear.
Great question! I will answer it in my video next week. Thanks for listening closely and asking Dr. B About Music Theory :)
Thanks :)
Can you please do a series on Orchestration in the near future ?
Hey Doc, great stuff! Around 12:05 you mention not to approach an octave or unison with a leap, is not the same rule true regarding the 5th? Or rather : Perfect intervals in general should not be approached from a melodic leap?
Velvet Tides 5th as well
Thanks Dr B, fantastic introduction to counterpoint!
Thanks. I'm recording part two today and will post it soon! I appreciate your comment.
Dude you're awesome keep making vids please!
Thanks. I'm going to make a new one today!
Killin' it, Dr. B!
That's what I'm trying to do every time. Thanks!