#39 LEARN FREE MUSIC THEORY

Andrew Furmanczyk

28 Nov 201027:45

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis music theory video lesson explains transposition from minor to minor keys. It reviews major to major transposition, noting that minor to minor follows the same process - finding the interval difference between keys, shifting the first note, and copying intervals. Special considerations for minor keys are outlined, like watching for accidentals, identifying the 6th and 7th scale degrees which are commonly altered, and the Picardy 3rd ending with a major chord. Viewers are assigned homework to transpose 5 minor key musical excerpts into different keys, keeping the rhythm and structure identical while adapting to the new key signature.

Takeaways

😀 Explains the process for transposing from a minor key to another minor key
😊 Notes that the process is very similar to transposing between major keys
🧐 Warns to watch out for accidentals, especially on the 6th and 7th scale degrees
🤔 Explains why you cannot easily transpose between major and minor keys
😮 Notes that in the Baroque era, augmented 2nds were illegal in music
😲 Explains Picardy thirds, where a minor key piece ends on a major chord
🙂 Suggests assuming there may be a Picardy 3rd at the end of minor pieces
📝 Gives homework to transpose 5 minor key musical lines
😀 Hopes the lessons have enriched understanding of music theory
😊 Signs off politely, hoping viewers are doing well

Q & A

What is the main focus of this music theory lesson?
-The main focus is on transposition from minor to minor keys.
Why does the instructor recommend learning major to major transposition first?
-He recommends learning major to major first because minor to minor transposition builds on the same foundations and is very similar in the process.
What are the three main steps for transposition that are reviewed?
-The three main steps are: 1) Find the interval difference between the two keys, 2) Move the first note of the melody up or down based on that interval, 3) Copy the interval differences between notes in the original melody.
Why is it difficult to transpose from major to minor keys?
-It is difficult because major and minor scales have different interval patterns, so directly transposing a major melody to minor will not retain the original sound.
What accidentals should you watch for in minor key music?
-You should watch for accidentals on the 6th and 7th scale degrees, as these tend to be raised in minor keys like harmonic and melodic minor.
What is a Picardy third?
-A Picardy third is when a piece in a minor key ends on a major chord, providing a more hopeful closure.
What interval types can you transpose a minor key melody by?
-You can transpose a minor melody by any interval, including major and minor seconds, thirds, etc. The quality of the interval does not restrict transposing between minor keys.
What should the final transposed homework excerpts demonstrate?
-The final excerpts should sound identical to the original excerpts, even though they are written in different places on the staff. The rhythm, key signatures, phrase markings etc. should match.
What instruments might students learn before studying music theory?
-The instructor notes that most music theory students first learn an instrument like piano, then later study theory to understand what they are playing.
Why might composers transpose original melodies?
-Composers may transpose melodies to different related keys to give the music a fresh sound, like modulating to the dominant key.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Introducing Music Theory Lesson on Transposition from Minor to Minor Keys

The speaker introduces music theory lesson 39 on transposing music from minor to minor keys. He explains it builds on previous lessons on major to major transposition using the same foundation and rules. He then previews going through the process of minor to minor transposition, which he says is not much different or hard if you understand major transposition.

05:00

😕 Challenges of Transposing Between Major and Minor Keys

The speaker explains challenges transposing between major and minor keys due to their different scale patterns. He gives an example trying to transpose a melody from D major to D minor, which changes the F# to F, altering the melody. He concludes you can't cleanly transpose major to minor or vice versa without changing the feel of the music.

10:01

🚫 Rules Can Be Broken Creatively in Music

The speaker acknowledges music is creative and rules can be broken to do something different, like altering grammar rules in poetry. But for transposition purposes, the goal is making pieces sound identical just higher or lower in pitch.

15:01

🔍 Checking for Accidentals in Minor Key Transposition

The speaker advises checking for accidentals when transposing minor keys, especially on the 6th and 7th scale degrees. Minor keys use more accidentals to raise certain tones, so you must watch interval differences carefully when transposing pieces.

20:02

🎵 Other Minor Key Details to Remember

The speaker notes other minor key details. Pieces may end on a Picardy 3rd major chord. Also confirm whether transposing by a major 2nd, like C minor to D minor, is allowed based on the rules given.

25:02

📝 Minor Key Transposition Homework Assignment

The speaker assigns homework to transpose the first 4-5 bars of 5 different minor key pieces up or down by various intervals. He advises checking key signatures, rhythm, rests, etc. match the original pieces when transposed so they sound identical.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡transposition

Transposition refers to the process of moving a piece of music to a different key while maintaining the same pitch relationships. It is an important concept discussed throughout the video, as the narrator explains how to transpose music from a minor key to another minor key. He notes that the process for minor to minor transposition is very similar to major to major transposition. Examples from the script include: "so i'm not going to go really in depth on how to do a minor to minor transposition because it's the same as major to major" and "it will not look identical, it's going to look different because it's going to be up or down but what i mean is sound identical so when you play it, it should sound exactly the same".

💡intervals

Intervals refer to the distance between two musical notes. Understanding intervals is key for transposition, as you need to maintain the intervallic relationships as you shift the music to a new key. As the narrator explains: "next move the first note up or down...you're gonna move that up a perfect fifth". He also notes: "you need to keep the relative interval pitch the same" when transposing.

💡accidentals

Accidentals refer to the use of sharps, flats or naturals that are not part of the key signature. The narrator notes that you will likely see more accidentals when transposing from one minor key to another: "when you go into a minor mode you're going to be using a lot more accidentals". This is because harmonic minor raises the 7th note and melodic minor raises the 6th and 7th notes. He advises: "watch for accidentals" and carefully observe intervals when accidentals are used in the original piece.

💡relative pitch

Relative pitch refers to the ability to identify the distance between notes rather than their absolute pitches. Maintaining relative pitch is critical for transposition. As the narrator explains, "you need to keep the relative interval pitch the same" when transposing a piece of music.

💡major to minor

The narrator spends significant time explaining why it is very difficult to transpose from a major key to a minor key or vice versa, noting: "it doesn't really work". This is because major and minor scales follow different patterns and introduce different notes, so the melody and feel of the music changes significantly.

💡melodic minor

Melodic minor is a variant of the natural minor scale that raises the 6th and 7th notes when ascending and lowers them when descending. Understanding melodic minor is key for transposition between minor keys because accidentals on the 6th and 7th scale degrees are common. As the narrator explains: "in the melodic minor we raise the sixth and seventh note on the way up".

💡harmonic minor

Harmonic minor is a variant of the natural minor scale that raises the 7th note by a semitone. The narrator notes accidentals will be common in minor key transposition "because remember what do we do with the harmonic minor we use an accidental to raise the seventh note".

💡Picardy third

The Picardy third refers to a technique where a piece in a minor key cadences on a major chord. The narrator brings this up so one is aware minor pieces may end on a major chord. He relates it to Star Trek's Captain Picard: "okay he's like a major important person on the enterprise right so think of picardy as major that you're ending on the major key".

💡chord progressions

The narrator briefly mentions chord progressions when talking about the Picardy third: "they might all to the lost note and don't just assume, you know oh it's just going to be the same you know end on this f minor chord". Understanding common chord progressions in minor keys can help with transposition.

💡key signature

The key signature establishes the scale and notes that will be emphasized in a piece of music. The narrator advises checking that the new key signature is correct when transposing: "make sure that the key signature for the new key is there".

Highlights

Today we're talking about transposition from minor to minor keys

Minor to minor transposition follows the same process as major to major

Find the interval difference between the two keys you're transposing between

Move the first note of the melody up or down by that interval

Copy the interval differences between notes from the original melody

It's difficult to transpose between major and minor because the scale patterns differ

Watch for accidentals when transposing minor keys since the 6th & 7th notes tend to have them

Minor keys sometimes end on the parallel major chord due to a Picardy third

Always carefully observe interval differences instead of assuming they'll stay the same

You can transpose minor pieces up intervals like a major second, not just to other minor keys

For homework, transpose 5 minor key melody lines to different keys

Make sure the rhythm, time signature, key signature, etc. match the original in your transpositions

Try transposing a minor piece by Beethoven or Mozart as an extra challenge

Make sure the stems and phrase markings in your transposed lines match the original

I hope this gives insight into minor to minor transposition versus major to major

Transcripts

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