mmh...if I want to compose a reel in Bmajor what notes should I lay stress upon?
(I'm not sure it's correct english...I mean, what notes have I to play more or emphasize?)
You'd have to call it the B Desensitizing Reel, or maybe if it was really frenetic "The Anaphylaxis Reel".
A good bit of advice when writing a tune is to emphasise the melody notes.
I think the reason you haven't got much of a serious answer to your question, death, is that it's really hard to pin down. Different tunes will have reliance on different notes. For instance, off the top of my head, I might expect a tune in an Irish idiom written in B major (which is a bit of a contradiction in terms, in itself) to have a reliance on the 1st, 4th, 3rd and 6th degrees of the scale in that order. That is, B, E, D# and G#. But other B major tunes may have more of an emphasis on the 1st, 5th and 6th, in that order. That is, B, F# and G#. there could be still others that may try and avoid emphasing the B at all.
And when I say 'in that order' above, I mean in the order of being most commonly used in the tune.
You could try composing 2 tunes using the suggestions I've just made and see how different the results are. Then you may find that, in the meantime, inspiration has struck, and you'll have got yourself your tune.
Generate a Bb drone, then use that as background for your inspiration into that key. You are likely to get it right, or to go minor and play g minor. Either way, what the hell. I wonder, to bees buzz in Bb?
Am I right in thinking that in parts of Europe 'B' means Bflat and 'H' means B (natural). Just checking that you mean to write in 5sharps (B natural) or two flats (B flat).
Gran Casa is quite right. It also explains why people used to compose music (usually fugues) based on the letters of J S Bach's surname B-A-C-H, which in German notation would have sounded "B-flat - A - C - B-nat"
That's it benhall.1 ~ why struggle, write any old melody and then transpose it. If you have any problems with that, write it, add the ABCs here ~ and someone will do it for you...
"Road to Errogie" (http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/5270) by Adam Sutherland is one of my favourite tunes and is in the delightful-sounding but hard to play key of B major. I might recommend taking some inspiration from it. Certainly when writing a tune (particularly so in B) I'd think carefully about whether what you're writing is actually playable on whatever instrument it's for.
Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ see, that's the way my brain works, seeing something that isn't there. It's B you were on about... I'm just more comfortable with flat Bs as they can't sting you anymore, unless you go foolishly about barefooted and into flattening them with that way. Then there is risk. And if you've an allergy ~ well ~ the B might get you in the end...
Why does Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ remind me of driving on a flat tyre? It sort of sounds like that, to me anyway.
So, rethinking the B drones ~ B for sure ~ zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!
& as someone else already said earlier, you could also throw in an F# ~ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! Live with that going all day, tape down those keys on your synthesizer, work in it, sleep through it, and once it has pickled you with those wave forms ~ then ~ start singing... When your friends forsake you, don't worry about that, it's the B and F# that are your friends, your boon companions... When they finally put the straight jacket on and you have to suck liquidized meals through a mask, well, you'll still have that buzzing B in your head to keep you company. Just tell them you're a beekeeper. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that the same folks that make bee gear also make straight jackets...
Depending on he instrument you play, you will probably find that the fingering naturally steers you towards certain patterns. Your ear and your creativity will guide you as to what sounds good and where to go next.
The mere fact that you are asking this question indicates that you
have NO business playing/composing in the unused key of B.
It is "Celtically unacceptable". You will not make any friends
doing that.
Bmajor key
Bmajor key
mmh...if I want to compose a reel in Bmajor what notes should I lay stress upon?
(I'm not sure it's correct english...I mean, what notes have I to play more or emphasize?)
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by death
Re: Bmajor key
B's
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by mcdevincabe
Re: Bmajor key
but just regular B's, not killer B's
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by wyogal
Re: Bmajor key
Is it a solo piece, or just to deter backers?
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: Bmajor key
Oh, and try and avoid BB's
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: Bmajor key
You're not a WASP by any chance are you? I can't tell from your bio ...
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: Bmajor key
Capo at the 4th fret, open G, bottleneck , you know it makes sense. Still, the drum won't need retuning, will it?
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by strayaway
Re: Bmajor key
C fingers but on the outside row.
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by kjay_bc_box
Re: Bmajor key
Very droll Benhall, but I like it
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: Bmajor key
You'd have to call it the B Desensitizing Reel, or maybe if it was really frenetic "The Anaphylaxis Reel".
A good bit of advice when writing a tune is to emphasise the melody notes.
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by Donough
Re: Bmajor key
The "Be Cool Reel" in the key of B Phrygian - ouch!
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by Donough
Re: Bmajor key
I think the reason you haven't got much of a serious answer to your question, death, is that it's really hard to pin down. Different tunes will have reliance on different notes. For instance, off the top of my head, I might expect a tune in an Irish idiom written in B major (which is a bit of a contradiction in terms, in itself) to have a reliance on the 1st, 4th, 3rd and 6th degrees of the scale in that order. That is, B, E, D# and G#. But other B major tunes may have more of an emphasis on the 1st, 5th and 6th, in that order. That is, B, F# and G#. there could be still others that may try and avoid emphasing the B at all.
And when I say 'in that order' above, I mean in the order of being most commonly used in the tune.
You could try composing 2 tunes using the suggestions I've just made and see how different the results are. Then you may find that, in the meantime, inspiration has struck, and you'll have got yourself your tune.
Best of luck.
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: Bmajor key
Generate a Bb drone, then use that as background for your inspiration into that key. You are likely to get it right, or to go minor and play g minor. Either way, what the hell. I wonder, to bees buzz in Bb?
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Bmajor key
A Bb drone ~ the poor bassturd should have never tried to fly across the motorway in rush hour traffic...
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Bmajor key
You could play queen bee and have two drones ~ Bb & F...
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Bmajor key
Am I right in thinking that in parts of Europe 'B' means Bflat and 'H' means B (natural). Just checking that you mean to write in 5sharps (B natural) or two flats (B flat).
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by Gran Cassa
Re: Bmajor key
Gran Casa is quite right. It also explains why people used to compose music (usually fugues) based on the letters of J S Bach's surname B-A-C-H, which in German notation would have sounded "B-flat - A - C - B-nat"
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by lazyhound
Re: Bmajor key
Ah. Hadn't thought of that. Well, if it is B flat rather than B major, just transpose my suggestions down a semitone.
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: Bmajor key
May I ask why you want to compose a reel in B major?
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by TomB-R
Re: Bmajor key
Sorry, it's for the benefit of all those B/C box players who want to know what it would be like to play D/D#, isn't it?
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by TomB-R
Re: Bmajor key
That's it benhall.1 ~ why struggle, write any old melody and then transpose it. If you have any problems with that, write it, add the ABCs here ~ and someone will do it for you...
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by ceolachan
And if it's minor or Dorian or Mixolydian, well hell's bells, we can manage to convert it to Major too...
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Bmajor key
ABCMus will transpose an ABC tune into any key of your choice.
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by lazyhound
Re: Bmajor key
I had high hopes for this thread, as it appeared to be veering off into Amusing, with a chance for High Silliness.
Alas.
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by Batlady
Re: Bmajor key
emphasise plenty of £20 notes
# Posted on January 25th 2008 by millionyears_bc
Re: Bmajor key
"Road to Errogie" (http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/5270) by Adam Sutherland is one of my favourite tunes and is in the delightful-sounding but hard to play key of B major. I might recommend taking some inspiration from it. Certainly when writing a tune (particularly so in B) I'd think carefully about whether what you're writing is actually playable on whatever instrument it's for.
# Posted on January 26th 2008 by martin clarke
Re: Bmajor key
Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ see, that's the way my brain works, seeing something that isn't there. It's B you were on about... I'm just more comfortable with flat Bs as they can't sting you anymore, unless you go foolishly about barefooted and into flattening them with that way. Then there is risk. And if you've an allergy ~ well ~ the B might get you in the end...
Will that do Batlady?
# Posted on January 26th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Bmajor key
Why does Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ Bb ~ remind me of driving on a flat tyre? It sort of sounds like that, to me anyway.
So, rethinking the B drones ~ B for sure ~ zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!
& as someone else already said earlier, you could also throw in an F# ~ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! Live with that going all day, tape down those keys on your synthesizer, work in it, sleep through it, and once it has pickled you with those wave forms ~ then ~ start singing... When your friends forsake you, don't worry about that, it's the B and F# that are your friends, your boon companions... When they finally put the straight jacket on and you have to suck liquidized meals through a mask, well, you'll still have that buzzing B in your head to keep you company. Just tell them you're a beekeeper. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that the same folks that make bee gear also make straight jackets...
# Posted on January 26th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Bmajor key
oh, bee hive
# Posted on January 26th 2008 by Hup
Re: Bmajor key
I've just taken a peek at the link Martin posted, "Road To Errogie", and it's In G major.
# Posted on January 26th 2008 by dafydd
Re: Bmajor key
Title? How about the Victor Meldrew's reel/jig/waltz or the I don't Believe It as a working name unless you want to come up with something different.
# Posted on January 26th 2008 by john knoss
Re: Bmajor key
Take a peek at the "Road to Errogie" comments, dafydd.
# Posted on January 26th 2008 by joesmith
Re: Bmajor key
Why would composing a tune in B major be any different from composing a tune in any other key?
# Posted on January 26th 2008 by ragaman
Re: Bmajor key
Depending on he instrument you play, you will probably find that the fingering naturally steers you towards certain patterns. Your ear and your creativity will guide you as to what sounds good and where to go next.
# Posted on January 26th 2008 by ragaman
Re: Bmajor key
The mere fact that you are asking this question indicates that you
have NO business playing/composing in the unused key of B.
It is "Celtically unacceptable". You will not make any friends
doing that.
# Posted on January 28th 2008 by hauke