Who Needs the Rule of the Octave? - Music Theory
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 มิ.ย. 2024
- This music theory lesson summarises the rule of the octave and explains how it offers insight into harmonic thinking and into Baroque harmony in particular. The rule of the octave begins with the notion of harmonising an octave of the scale in the bass using first inversion chords. We learn how the pattern is modified progressively through starting and ending with the tonic chord in root position, then employing the dominant chord in root position, then by preceding each tonic and dominant chord with a 7th chord. This pattern is explored in major and minor keys. The rule of the octave explains many of the harmonic progressions that are still regarded as strong today.
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🕘 Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction to who needs the rule of the octave?
0:50 - The root position chord problem
2:30 - Harmonizing with first inversion chords
4:13 - Mixing root position and first inversion chords
5:54 - The creation of standard chord progressions
6:49 - Further modification
8:50 - Why a balance of harmony is important
9:57 - Incorporating seventh chords
11:58 - The creation of pre-dominant seventh chords
13:44 - Applying this to minor keys
17:07 - Conclusion
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Hi Sir, I intend to buy your online theory music courses for my son. He is not good at English, and he needs the subtitle , so I opened CC on the preview video but it did not work. Can you please help me, thank you!
Unfortunately we are unable to provide subtitles on our course material. Sorry about that. You can slow down the speed, pause and replay. Hope that helps.
Excellent. I asked if the rule of the octave would ever be covered on this channel last year or so, and you said "sure!". This is the most coherent I've ever seen this rule explained. You did not disappoint
Excellent
Gareth never disappoints. He's the best music teacher on the internet, and he and Alex have gathered the best comments section on You Tube.
@lawrencetaylor4101 You’re most kind.
The most important "progression" in western music-sadly ignored today. Nice Job! You might really enjoy Remes translation of "Grundriss des Generalbasses" 1783. This was the bestselling "method" of 1800, and is incredible. Remes translation $20 on his website, and he demos it on YT channel. Thank you so much for this video!
A pleasure
This is the clearest and most logical coverage of this subject I have ever seen. Thanks so much. Those Baroque composers were smart explorers too. The pinnacle of technical music until the advent of the jazz age.
Glad it’s helpful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
I agree!
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Short perfect tutorial, lots of lessons in harmonizing and keyboard playing. What a lesson!!!!!. Music matters is a home to stay... Keep it up sir, your tutorials has really helped many.
That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
I am responsible for at least +3 views because because this one video is very dense. 😊
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I had to watch it at least +3 times because I’m very dense!
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Once you've watched a few of Gareth's videos, it becomes obvious. Gareth has actually said all these things many times before, just in different ways. And remember, this is just one approach. Genre and instrumentation has a huge influence on your approach as, too, your own style. Gareth has a heavy baroque style so keep that in mind.
Of course The Rule of the Octave is a Baroque concept.
One of the best examples and explanations of Rule of the Octave I’ve seen.
That’s kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
This is an outstanding teaching video that I found clear, and even more, enables me to understand an approach to how the rule is constructed. Nicely done!
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Thanks so much for this video. Best explanation I’ve seen and by breaking it down like this it makes it easier to learn.
Glad it’s helpful
Wow! How did I miss this along the muical journey!? Thank you, Music Matters. Fantastic!
That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
This rule of the octave is explained in almost every old book of composition from Italy and France, it was a good tool for starting composers in that era
Maybe we can add this one to our toolbox today, it's really intuitive
Absolutely
Bonne idée. Which means a good idea, in the French. I've made noticeable progress since I watched this 3 months ago. Gareth and Alex have a great channel.
@lawrencetaylor4101 😀
Wonderful video. A great starting place for harmony. Maybe more practical for me than usual music theory approach
Glad it’s helpful. Have a look at our keyboard harmony course at www.mmcourses.co.uk
I have watched Music theory videos but this proffessor do far is the best. You simplify things for sure. I dont need any further teacher for theory
Glad it’s useful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Brilliant. Thank you.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
For a complementary approach to the rule of the octave, there is a very interesting video from Early Music Sources. Interestingly, this has different harmonies for the descending major scale as well as the minor.
th-cam.com/video/uhKXhnT9NJs/w-d-xo.html
Interesting
"different harmonies for the descending major scale as well as the minor". Absolutely.
If the mayor scale descends the cord over the 6th tone is #6/3 instead of 6/3 and over the 4th tone is 4/2 instead of 6/3.
For the descending minor scale over the 6th tone #6/3 instead of 6/3 and over the 4th tone is #4/2 instead of 6/3.
All to be covered soon
Fantastic video! I will be watching it again and again and will try out the chords mentioned myself. Thank you for sharing
Awesome video ❤❤❤
That’s great. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Wow. Eye-opener.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Great Video
That’s kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Thank you!
Glad it’s helpful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
I am never going to intrinsically remember the scale you end up with, but I will certainly remember how to derive it. Well done.
Glad it’s helpful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Thanks!
Many thanks for your support.
Damn, the minor version as so dope! So much more depth than its major counterpart.
True
This is a great lesson, it will be great to do another one on "The rule of the perfect 5th".
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Thankyou :)
A pleasure
Delightful video. It's one thing to write the chords out (and be pleased with the resulting sound). It's quite another to UNDERSTAND why they sound the way they do--and why the resulting chord progressions work so well. Several university courses I've taken (over the years) throw a lot of potentially useful information at the students, but don't bother to explain (or explain sufficiently) why the information is important--nor how the concepts build upon each other to create beautiful music. Thank you so much for taking the time to TEACH us how to use the information presented. (BTW-- your example of a melodic minor scale harmonized was delightful. I heard bits of Purcell's Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary within your scale example.)
It has to be a solution that is musically satisfying otherwise it’s no more than calculation. Thanks for your kind words
good teacher
You’re most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Hey there,
I hope this message finds you well. I've been diving into the fascinating world of musical scales and tuning systems from the Renaissance period, and I came across something that I thought you might find intriguing.
It's about the real enharmonic scale, specifically in the 1/4 comma Meantone tuning system. You know, the one where C# and Db aren't just different names for the same note, but actually different pitches? It adds such a unique flavor to the music that you don't get with the Equal Temperament system we're used to these days.
I thought it might be a fun and challenging exercise to try and harmonize this scale. The unexpected intervals and "wolf" notes could lead to some pretty cool and unconventional chord progressions.
And get this - apparently, there was a movement in the 18th century to develop what's been referred to as a Rule of the Enharmonic Octave. The idea was to systematize the wild enharmonic shifts that these tuning systems introduce, to make full use of chromatic and enharmonic possibilities without ending up sounding out of tune.
How about it? Fancy exploring this with me? It could be a fun challenge, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. Let me know what you think!
C-C#-Db-D-D#-Eb-E-E#(or Fb)-F-F#-Gb-G-G#-Ab-A-A#-Bb-B-B# (or Cb)-C’ - and backwards
C# is lower to Db, and E# is higher to Fb.
It’s certainly an interesting topic to explore the various systems of temperament.
Very interesting. This covered something from music history which I was completely unaware of until yesterday!
Excellent!
Glad it’s helpful.
Thank you for the amazingly lucid explanation! Quick question (not sure if this is still possible for this post but I'll ask anyway): must the alto remain silent in the final harmonization with IVb? For if it goes up from G to A, it creates a parallel 8th with the bass; if it goes down from G to F it creates a parallel 5th with the soprano; if it stays at G it creates a IV9b extension which is fine but seems somewhat unusual for the baroque period (let alone going up to B for a IV11b).
As long as it doesn’t progress in parallel 5ths or 8ves from one chord to the next that is okay.
Great explanation! I have never heard it explained so progressive before. As I recall it the downwards motion can also be altered similar to the minor one, so that when the bass is on the sixth scale degree you would play a V7/V as a 43 chord (or maybe just a V/V 64 chord) to precede the V when the bass comes to the fifth scale degree - and also V7 as 42 chord when the bass is on the fourth scale degree leading to the Ib when the bass goes to the third scale degree like you had in the minor key.
That’s certainly another possibility
love it
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Hi Gareth. Thank you so much for making this video. I wonder if you could clear something up for me please? Once the last modifications are reached at 9:57 for C Major, how would one go about incorporating harmonisation of the ‘A’ bass note or minor chord into the system? Because as far as I could tell, I couldn’t see the A minor chord in root or any inversions. It is probably a straightforward solution and in the video but as I’m still somewhat of a newbie, I couldn’t quite grasp it. Hope this makes sense. TIA 😊
The A in the bass is harmonised with an F major chord in first inversion.
@@MusicMattersGB perfect, thank you for the speedy reply.
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Personally I like harmonizing the submediant note with the submediant chord. That way you can still have the very common V-vi cadence.
Absolutely but this offers a really useful alternative when you don’t want a cadence
I hear what you did there. 0:45 "right Bach to baroque times" 😄
😀😀
ขอขอบคุณ
Many thanks for your support
In major on the way down I think you will do an augmented 643 on the sixth degree …what you called the zingy chord I think…thanks for a great video. 🙂❤🙏🏼
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That was a really interesting lesson. I was amazed at the difference when you added the 7ths.
It makes quite a difference
Finally I have stumbled over the explanation why I find so many ii7 in J.S. Bach!
Such an easily understandable insight into these secrets of the art. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Exactly!
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Great video. If you could further explain: How would one approach RO harmonization of a more modern bassline that doesn’t use much stepwise movement? (2-5-1, 1-4-5, etc). And would doing this essentially recreate some of the voice leading problems that I am trying to avoid in the first place?
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With the rule of the octave one never has any voice leading problems, however one jumps around in the bass, I think. That's what the whole thing stands for. It's the sound proof essence of 200 years of composing and improvisation, being in rule of the Baroque era and still the basis for most of the Galant style ... One cannot go wrong with the rule of the octave - for the sake of sounding baroque ...
@ONeirda 😀
Great
That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
I'm trying to get my head around Figured Bass notation. If I were describing a major chord in first inversion and counting up from the Bass note, I would say 6/4. but you just write 6?
I'ts also confusing because I keep thinking your talking about 6th chords which is a different thing altogether. Do you do a figured Bass tutorial?
Sorry, I've just found your video on figured bass.
Excellent. 6 is short for 6/3, which is first inversion. 6/4 is second inversion.
Isn’t the Roman numeral after the dominant in root position (V) supposed to be VI rather than IV (in both the Major and minor key scheme)? I was confused because I tried to followed what was said but what was written here is different.
It’s the 6th degree of the scale but the chord is IV in first inversion
Hi Gareth. Isn't the 7th in the V43 chord unresolved? I suppose we could also consider a diminished seventh chord in first inversion, no?
It’s not a V7 chord but a chord VII in first inversion
Referring to the second chord in the fourth modification. It's notated V7c & 43.
Ah I now see to what you are referring. It’s a matter of choice really. Resolve the 7th and then double the major 3rd or avoid doubling the major 3rd by concealing an unresolved 7th.
@@MusicMattersGB fascinating, thank you.
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Which books can help us to dive in this topic?
Here’s one
Gregory Barnett, "Tonal organization in seventeenth-century music theory." The Cambridge History of Music Theory, Th. Christensen ed. Cambridge University Press 2002
I'm not sure whether others have this problem, but on my computer the lines on the score are too faint to be able to determine what notes they are. Can't be rectified on my computer (a relatively new Macbook Pro) by adjusting the lighting.
Not been notified of this before.
Interesting , these progressions in major scale eliminate the subdominant chord ( IV functional chord) and the minor ii & iii chords ...... all due to choosing the 6 - 3 position. Thoughts?
It works well and of course it’s just one way of doing it.
Beethoven opus 2 No 3, final movement at 6:30.
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Do you have anything on Improvisation in the Baroque period?
We don’t have anything directly on that topic but hope to produce a relevant course down the line.
@@MusicMattersGB Thanks and I hope that you'll cover the topic in the near future.
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I think descending major is different than ascending as the approaches are different.
Sure
super swell :)
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This rule took me right Bach.
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I watched this one month ago and forgot to comment on the video that completely changed my musical life. I've been practicing this every day and my piano teacher has noticed a big difference in my playing. And I started thinking about my Method Books.
I had tried Faber and La Méthode Rose (French/British bilingual) and had stagnated. I made better progress when I tried John Thompson (French version), which is an old fashioned book but I'm an old fashioned type. And I sterted thinking about fingering and figuring. I'm going to go back through some of those books and try to try the exercises using a figured bass instead of their chord based discussions. I had been playing Bach Prélude en Do Majeure for months, but I rewrote it in my version of a figured bass and it was much easier. And I played it in Sol Majeure with no problem.
I think there are many students that are struggling with their Method books, maybe Gareth can do a video to help them use figured bass along with those books to help them progress.
There’s much to be said for working with figured bass.
Watching this again for a third time. I timed myself going around the circle of fifths in root position, and only made one mistake. I really have to work on my rhythm, but my fingers are starting to understand what to do.
I'm also playing Bach Chorales and have seen scores of your videos on harmonizing. They are the best music lessons on the web. I try to sightread once or twice, and then I play it with my organ feature, since I believe Chorales sound better with an organ.
Were you trained as an organist? I would love to hear you on that instrument.
Yes I trained as an organist. Keep going. You’re doing really well.
A good method to avoid working out consecutive octaves and fifths when you have worked out which chords to use over a melody
It does that nicely
@@MusicMattersGB thanks for confirmation
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Is there an equivalent to this in romantic music?
Not really but the language of chromatic chords would be useful in relation to Romantic language.
I thought V-IV6 was rare in common practice
Not particularly
Yikes! That was an advanced one!
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