Hello everyone,

         I apologize for the long delay from my last music theory topic post. The last time we met we talked about reading time signatures. In Part 2 we will talk about the different types of time signatures.

         You have probably seen the time signatures 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 8/4, 4/4, 4/2, 2/2, etc. but did you know they all have one thing in common? It is that the beats that are counted in these time signatures are subdivided by 2. Hu? Let me explain. 4/4 has four quarter notes per measure. So; one, two, three, four.  Well, let’s cut the beats in to halfs (Half of a quartet is an eight note). So; one and, two and, three and, four and. See? The beats are always subdivided by two! All time signatures that are subdivided by two are called “simple meters”.

         The next group of time signatures are subdivided by 3 and a dotted quartet gets the beat. These time signatures are called “compound meters”. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, 3/8 3/16, 6/16, and 12/16 are all part of this group. Let’s look at 12/8. let’s could four dotted quartets; one, two, three, four. And counting the subdivisions; one and a, two and a, three and a, four and a. See?

         Let’s say we want to blend a couple different simple meters and compound meters into one piece of music? This music is organized in a multi-meter! Pretty easy to remember. The use of multiple meters is called a multi-meter.  Example – 4/4 and then the next measure is 3/4. See?

             Ok, for some composers in the 20th century, Multi-meters still weren’t enough! The last type of time signature is called a Poly-meter. A poly-what? Have you heard of the musical term “polyphonic”?  It is usually the term that is used to describe a piece of music that has more than one “dominant or main” melodies played at one time. Bach was the king of polyphony. Poly-meter is when two time signatures are played simultaneously! Like 4/4 and 12/8 at the same time! Does it sound good… that’s up to debate.

            After learning all these terms and definitions, the question is “What’s the point of knowing this information?” First, I think that it is important to know everything you can know about the world of music. Many people only play within simple and compound meters and by exploring new meters, it can open new doors to your creativity in the world of music!

             Second, knowing how the beat is subdivided can extremely change the way you strum. 3/4 and 6/8 have the same amount of 8th notes, the measures are ascended in completely different places because of the subdivisions. This will greatly affect the strumming patterns you play.

             Start applying your new found knowledge of time signatures by listing some songs you know how to play and place them into the meter groups they belong to. For example, “Holy, Holy, Holy” is a simple meter hymn because it is in 4/4. “Wonderful Words of Life” is in a compound meter because it is in 6/8. You would not strum or pick these two hymns in the same way because they are in completely different meters. Before I finish, I wanted to give you an example of a multi meter. Have you watched “West Side Story”? “I want to be in a American!” That is 6/8 and the a 2/4 (1, and a, 2 and a , one and two and!) See? So go and explore! Hope you enjoyed the topic and hope to see you at the next one.

God bless,

-Ben

Music Theory Topic #2: Time Signatures

Hello Everyone,

    The second instalment of music theory topics have finally come! The first topic was about key signatures. Thank you so much for all the replies and the great conversations we had. I’d like talk this time about Time signatures.

    Ever wonder what the squiggly figure, the sharps and flats, and the numbers that are found at the beginning of every staff of music mean? We talked last time about the Sharps and last (Key signatures) last time, and this time we are going to talk about the numbers.

    Time signatures have a long history in the music of western culture. Not only have musicians throughout time strived to organize the pitches that they use in music, but also rhythms and over-all pulse of the music. Before the renaissance in Europe, 3/4, 6/8 or 9/8 etc., were the most widely used time signatures. Why? Musicians were generally found in the church or working for kings, and playing music that was structured in time signatures of “threes” was another way to honour God and to glorify Him through every aspect of life. It wasn’t until the renaissance that we find the beginnings of 4/4. In French, it is called the “Ars Nova” or “New Art”. Although 4/4 was not welcomed with open arms by everyone, we know by looking at today’s music that it eventually caught on.

    How do you read a time signature? Time signatures have two numbers; a top and bottom number. The bottom number tells us what kind of note get’s the beat. Don’t understand? Let me explain. Ever listen to music and find yourself tapping your foot to the beat? Well, the time signature tells you what kind of note you are tapping.

The rule for the bottom number is “What note value amounts to a whole note with that number?” It takes 4 quarter notes to equal a whole note; so if you are in 4/4 quarter note gets the beat! In 6/8, 8 is the bottom number; thus, 8th notes get the beat.

1 – Whole note get the beat
2 – Half note get the beat.
4- Quarter note get the beat
8- 8th note gets the beat
16- 16th note gets the beat.

    The other number is the top one. The top number tells us how many beats are in each measure. So in 4/4, there are four quarter notes in each measure. One more example; in 3/1, there are three whole notes.

    Next week I’ll talk about how time signatures are categorized, and how they have been used in the last century. Check out the time signatures in songs that you play on your dulcimer. “Green sleeves”, “Holy, Holy, Holy” and “Jesus the Very Thought of Thee” are all in different time Signatures (You can find these tabs on my sheet music page). Do you strum differently each one? How do they feel differently? I will talk about these subjects on next week’s blog.

-Ben

Hello Everyone!

A while ago I wanted to start a "music theory blog," and write on it from time to time. I think I'll start this week! Music theory has always been a passion of mine and I find it to be as foundational to a serious music as tuning their instrument correctly or even knowing how to strum (well if they use a pick). Just a little back ground about myself; I've tutored college theory classes for a couple of years now, occasionally teach college theory and have taught many theory/composition classes within my free time through night classes and summer camps.

This week I'd like to touch on the subject of "Key signatures." If you don't know what a key signature is, look at any peice of music. Do you notice sometimes there are flats, sharps or sometimes a blank space before time signature and the first notes of the song? These sharps or flats tell us what key we are going to play in; it is called a "key signature." For example, the key of C "Major" (We will talk about what Major means later) uses these notes - C, D, E, F, G, A and B. G Major uses G, A, B, C, D, E and F#. Ab Major used Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F and G. Playing the correct notes within a key is very important; what if you accidentally played a C# in C major, oh no!

There is a lot to talk about within the subject of "Key signatures", but in order to play the notes with a key, you need to be able to Identify a key. Check out the PDF below "Key Sigs"


Interesting Key Signature Topics:


1. Every "Key signature" has two keys - A Major and Minor. To find the minor key go three letter names down from the major Key name. Example: The key of D Major and B minor have two flats in their key signature. How? D, C#, B. That Easy! A minor or major that share the same key signature are called "relatives, " so B minor is the relative minor of D and D Major is the relative major of B minor.

2. Let's say you are writing a song in D Major and want to switch to D minor. This wouldn't be switching to the relative minor, but to the parallel minor. Parallel minors always share the same letter name. How many flats or sharps should you use in it's key signature? Add three flats to make it minor, and add three sharps to make it major (from a minor key). example; C Major has no sharps or flats, C minor has three flats. See? Okay, what about D Major to D Minor? D Major has two sharps, D Minor has 1 flat. How can that be? "Sharps cancel out flats and flats cancel out sharps." The two sharps in D major's Key signature cancel out two of the flats, but one remains; thus 1 flat is D minor. See? Let's try one more! E Major has four sharps; what is the key signature of E minor? If you got 1 sharp... you are correct!

Check out the PDF link marked "key tips" below for more tips on identifying keys, with sharps, flats and their relative and parallel major or minors. I'll see you again with another lesson soon. If you have any questions you can write me at Besh@wpchurch.com or write me on the ED forum!

God bless,

Ben

http://thedulcimerhymnal.com/resources/media/Key%20Sigs.pdf

http://www.thedulcimerhymnal.com/resour ... 20tips.pdf

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If you want to test out "your skills" here are two little tests. Enjoy!

Write the Major key in the treble clef, Relative minor in the bass.

http://thedulcimerhymnal.com/resources/media/Keys.pdf


This is an exercise in identifying a key signature's Major and Relative Minor keys. Then write out the Major key's Parallel Minor and the Minor's Relative Major Key (see link for example).

http://thedulcimerhymnal.com/resources/media/Relative_and_Parallel_Key_Exercises.pdf

First, before I begin to talk about music theory, I always like to ask myself why we even have theories about music. Where did they come from and who really wrote them? Throughout time did composers and arrangers write hand books about what are good and bad practices in music? Unfortunately, not as many composers as we’d like wrote books on music theory. If composers didn’t write the rules, then rules who did? In my opinion, composers didn’t write the rules in books, but they the rules in their music.

Have you ever heard a song and said to your self, “Wow that sounded great! How they played that?” or “I play like that too. It just works for me.” What if someone wrote down what worked and what just didn’t sound that great in a book? Surprisingly, many people have been doing that for centuries, and this is essentially what music theory is all about. Music theory instructs us how we should organize and understand music, but they are also guide lines to help us in our own musical journeys and to understand what composers of the past were trying to communicate through their music. As dulcimer players, we should strive to understand not only our instruments but music in general.

Every week I will post a small blog on a music theory topic. I will cover topics such as intervals, tersian harmony, modes and modern scales, how to modulate into other keys and other subjects. I hope it stimulates conversation within the dulcimer community. Visit soon and leave a reply!

-Ben