Henrik Norbeck wrote:
>
> Eric Forgeot wrote:
> > I think that the transcriber wanted to help people like me reading
> > "D key ? oh, so there is 2 sharps in it".
>
> But then, why not write K:Edorian % 2 sharps
> instead of K:D % Edorian
>
> > If I read EDorian I have to find my table with all the modes, find
> > the right one, and then the number of accidentals etc.
>
> The problem isn't that big, is it? In Irish music there are quite few
> (11) common combinations of mode and final:
> G, D, A, Edor, Ador, Ddor, Dmix, Amix, Gmix, Em, Bm
> And a few (9) less common:
> C, F, E, Gdor, Bdor, Emix, Am, Dm, F#m
> There are fewer combinations for which to remember the number
> of sharps and flats in these than for the number of sharps and
> flats in the usual classical keys, which are combinations of two
> modes and twelve finals, 24 in all:
> C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db
> Am, Em, Bm, F#m, C#m, G#m, D#m, Dm, Gm, Cm, Fm, Bbm
>
> You only have to reduce the number of possible finals to about 8
> and instead increase the number of modes from 2 to 4, but not all
> combinations are used.
>
> I find it harder to remember the number of sharps and flats in the
> more unusual classical keys than in the usual modes for Irish
> music. If someone says C#m I have to start counting... If someone
> says Gmix I know it by heart.
>
> > Isn't the problem for mode instead ? We have the right key, but
> > the right mode is after the %
>
> This is a confusion of key and mode. If, as in the original example,
> we have K:D %Edorian we don't have the right key! The right key is
> *not* D, it is "two sharps" or "f# c#" to be more precise.
> D means that the final (or tonal centre or whatever you want to call
> it) of the tune is the note D and the mode is ionian or major (which
> is the most common mode in western European music and
> therefore the default mode).
> They actually teach you wrong at school...
>
> Getting back to the abc, I would prefer to have the notation
> K:^f ^c
> to K:D
> because it simply means what it says and does not imply anything
> else. Then you're free to place whatever you like in a comment
> afterwards K:^f^c % "Irish" e minor
>
> Henrik Norbeck, Stockholm, Sweden
>
Using K:D when the correct specification is K:EDorian seems to me
to be pointless.
Ordering the table of keynotes, scoring modes, and key signatures
logically makes it simple to understand, and shows how by
memorizing a few simple combinatons and rules we can dispense
with the table.
Order the modes as Lydian, Ionian, Mixolydian, Dorian, Aeolian,
Phrygian, and Locrian. Start with Lydian and flatten the 4th,
then the 7th, then the 3rd, then the 6th, then the 2nd, then the
5th, and we step through the modes in the order given, to end at
Locrian. Flattening the 1st of Locrian then takes us back to
Lydian, but with a flattened keynote. This process is done
quantitatively to get the ratio of all 7 notes to the keynote for
all 7 scoring modes in the file JUSTINT.HTM on my website.
With this ordering of modes we see that the notes in columns are
the 4th in the scale of the note above it, and notes in rows are
the 5th in the scale of the note to the left of it. [Vertically,
going down a column, keynotes are in the order of flats on a key
signature (starting at F# before B), and horizontally they are in
the reverse order, that of sharps on the key signature.]
Key Sig Lyd Major Mix Dor Minor Phr Loc
Ionian Aeolian
7 sharps: F#Lyd C# G#Mix D#Dor A#m E#Phr B#Loc
6 sharps: BLyd F# C#Mix G#Dor D#m A#Phr E#Loc
5 sharps: ELyd B F#Mix C#Dor G#m D#Phr A#Loc
4 sharps: ALyd E BMix F#Dor C#m G#Phr D#Loc
3 sharps: DLyd A EMix BDor F#m C#Phr G#Loc
2 sharps: GLyd D AMix EDor Bm F#Phr C#Loc
1 sharp : CLyd G DMix ADor Em BPhr F#Loc
0 sharps: FLyd C GMix DDor Am EPhr BLoc
1 flat : BbLyd F CMix GDor Dm APhr ELoc
2 flats : EbLyd Bb FMix CDor Gm DPhr ALoc
3 flats : AbLyd Eb BbMix FDor Cm GPhr DLoc
4 flats : DbLyd Ab EbMix BbDor Fm CPhr GLoc
5 flats : GbLyd Db AbMix EbDor Bbm FPhr CLoc
6 flats : CbLyd Gb DbMix AbDor Ebm BbPhr FLoc
7 flats : FbLyd Cb GbMix DbDor Abm EbPhr BbLoc
Memorize the row for zero flats or sharps (middle row). Now for
every mode to the left of a given key-mode for the same keynote
add a sharp to (or subtract a flat from) the key signature, and
for every mode to the right for the same keynote add a flat to
the key signature. Going to the LEFT from Lydian to Locrian add a
sharp to (or subtract a flat from) the key signature AND the
keynote. Going to the RIGHT from Locrian to Lydian add a flat to
(or subtract a sharp from) both. Now we can get what we need
without any table.
Bruce Olson
--
Roots of Folk: Old British Isles popular and folk songs, tunes,
broadside ballads at my no-spam website - www.erols.com/olsonw
or just <A href="http://www.erols.com/olsonw";> Click </a>
Motto: Keep at it; muddling through always works.
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