Sound Bites
The Circle of Fourths
by Stan Munslow on 06/20/11
No matter what instrument you play (except drums or other un-pitched percussion instruments), and no matter what style of music you play, learning the "Circle of Fourths" will prove so helpful to your understanding of music that it should be regarded as essential. The Circle of Fourths, often referred to as the Cycle of Fourths, looks like this: (See diagram to the right)
Notice that each step in the Circle moves up a "fourth" to the next. A fourth is a musical interval consisting of two whole steps plus one half-step. (A half-step is the smallest musical interval; A to B , for example. A whole-step is two half-steps, such as B to C.)
What is so special about a fourth, or the Circle of Fourths for that matter? Music "works" in fourths. It moves in fourths. When you understand this, many things in music that may have been a mystery to you suddenly start to make sense. For example:
1. The Circle of Fourths is the order of keys. Moving through the Circle clockwise adds a flat (or removes a sharp). The key of F has one flat, the key of B has two, E has three, and so on. Moving counterclockwise through the Circle adds a sharp (or removes a flat). The key of G has one sharp, the key of D has two sharps, and so on.
2. When a song changes key it very often moves up a fourth. For example, if a song's verse is in the key of A, its chorus is likely going to be in D. This is certainly not a rule, merely a tendency. Moving keys up a fourth simply sounds good whereas moving, say, up a third can sound awkward.
3. If you play a chord instrument, if you improvise over chords, or if you write chord progressions, understand that chords have a natural tendency to move in fourths. A D chord sounds good going to G (up a fourth). In fact, 7th chords beg to resolve (to end up) a fourth higher; almost anything else tends to sound unfinished, like a joke without its punch line. This is not to say that chords must move in fourths. Where would the variety be if that were all they ever did? Change is good. Surprise is good. But chords that move in fourths are very common.
4. Speaking of chords, if you take any three adjacent chords in the Circle, you will have the three primary chords for the key named after the middle chord. For instance, in the key of D, D is the "I" chord, G is the "IV", and A is the "V". They are the three you can expect to use the most when playing in the key of D. Again, the Circle shows us the way chords relate to one another.
Aside from simply learning the Circle of Fourths (which I strongly urge you to do right away), and understanding its uses, here is a way that you can apply it to your daily practice:
Take any phrase, bar, chord progression, or lick that you find interesting and take it through the Circle. If you've just learned something in the key of C, move each note or chord up a fourth to the key of F, then to B , and so on. By routinely practicing this way you will not only become intimately familiar with the Circle, you will become intimately familiar with one of music's most foundational structures.
The Good News: It Takes Forever
by Stan Munslow on 06/06/11
It takes forever, folks. You will never learn it all; you will never learn every bit of music theory or master every skill. Getting great at music takes longer than a sea turtle's lifetime. And that is definitely good news.
It doesn't sound like good news though, does it? Telling someone that they're going to die before they learn it all is not only a morbid bit of news, it's downright depressing. We don't like the thought that our music is doomed forever to be "unfinished business."
Well, that's how it is with the arts. There is simply much too much to know to fit into a human life span. You can't change that. But I repeat: It is definitely good news.
Why is it good news? Well, consider the alternative. Let's imagine that upon, say, your thirty-eighth birthday you were "there"; you knew it all and could play anything. You would have the celebration of a lifetime. No more struggle. No more mistakes. No more obstacles. Nothing but pure bliss!
Okay, what happens now? Do you realize how bored you would become if you had nothing more to learn, nothing more to accomplish? What kind of a life would we have if it became devoid of challenge, growth, or goals?
Sounds like a pretty boring life, doesn't it? Not having anything more to strive for, nothing to practice for. Oh, sure, you would have every gig in the world. But the ego trip would begin to wear off once you realized that you would have nothing more to do. A life without learning, growth, or obstacles is not a life at all. It is, in fact, more like the end of life.
Life itself works that way. It is all unfinished business. Why would you want your music to be any different? Enjoy the journey. Where you end up when your life is over is a bit irrelevant, if you think about it.
Take comfort and satisfaction in knowing that you will always have something to do, something to accomplish. There will always be some new skill for you to master, some old skill that needs more work, something to be proud of. You will always have that to look forward to.
And that is a whole lot better than staying at the same level for the rest of your life. It is definitely good news!
Top Ten Reasons Why Some Musicians Don't Play as Well as They Could: Part 2
by Stan Munslow on 05/16/11
6. They're Just Not Passionate about Anything
Maybe, in these "post-Beavis-&-Butthead" days, a concept like passion for ones endeavors just seems "uncool." Of course, to agree that it's uncool is to put Beavis and Butthead in charge of our lives. Sorry, but that's just not cool. Nonetheless, it is one student in ten who come to my studio with passion, with fire in his or her eyes that tells me "this kid (or adult) is into it! They want this really bad." While it may be nothing more than a hobby, they're still passionate about it, as they are, I'm sure, about all their hobbies.
7. They Play for the Wrong Reasons
There are many reasons why people play music. And, yes, it is certainly one's reasons for playing are one's own personal decision. Here's the problem: Some of these reasons don't make you a good musician. Now, again, if someone doesn't care about being good, then any reason is fine and dandy. But if they want to be good then, I'm sorry, but some reasons for playing just aren't going to get them there.
- Money.
- Because their parents make them.
- Because they want to be just like (insert rock star / celebrity name here).
- Because they want people to think they're cool or awesome.
- Because it's just something to do.
Sorry, none of these will get you very far, for very long. What will? What are the right reasons? What are the motivations that make musicians good?
- You love music.
- You love to express yourself.
- You equate playing with eating ... it's a non-negotiable necessity.
- You enjoy achieving mastery over a piece.
Now you're talking motivation that sticks.
8. They Expect to Play Badly
How many times have I heard students tell me, just before playing their piece, "This isn't going to come out very well." Or: "I'm not any good at this." Or: "Here goes nothing." Aarrgghh! Why, then, is anyone surprised when these pieces fail miserably? Positive expectations are every bit as much a self-fulfilling prophesy as dire expectations ... especially if it becomes a habit. No, it won't ensure stunning perfection, but it will ratchet up the quality quotient quite a bit. Try it. We'll like it!
9. They Don't Try Very Hard
We all see right through this one. "If I don't try very hard, then, when I bomb, I don't have to feel so bad because, well, I wasn't really trying hard." Yes, but, you know what? Trying hard and doing well as a result feels about a thousand times better! It sure doesn't hurt the way some people think it will.
10. They're Full of Excuses
Here are a few of my favorites:
1. I don't have time. (You have the same 24 hours in a day as Helen Keller, Michael Jordan, and Eric Clapton.)
2. We have company from out of town. (Go play for a while anyway. Guaranteed they'll understand and think you're pretty cool for being dedicated.)
3. I didn't understand part of it. (You can always guess. You can always ask. You can always skip that part, do the rest, and fill it in next time.)
4. I forgot to practice. (All week? Actually, "forgot" is often a euphemism for "don't care enough to remember." In any case, that's why we have Post-It Notes. Problem solved!)
In the end, all any excuse is good for is cheating people out of their pursuits, their endeavors, and their dreams. Don't let any excuse do that to you.
