5 ms·

Can someone with knowledge of music theory explain how it works? Meaning, how come if I close my eyes and place some random tiles, it still come out sounding O

Can someone with knowledge of music theory explain how it works? Meaning, how come if I close my eyes and place some random tiles, it still come out sounding OK. But not so if I bang random keys on a piano.

palimpsests 6y ago
The notes that this app is playing, from lowest to highest, are: B3 C#4 F#4 G#4 C#5 D#5 E5 G#6 B6 C#7 F#8 G#8 These notes are all diatonic, e.g. from the same key (unlike all the keys on a piano). That key is C# relative minor (or E major). In modal language, this is the C# Aeolian (or, when played from E to E, Ionian mode): C# D# E F# G# A B C# If you play notes restricted to a single key, it will come out sounding OK.
- flak48 6y ago
  Same as playing only the white keys right? (C major/ A minor)
  - yesenadam 6y ago
    Yeah, except with no F.
- yesenadam 6y ago
  > this is the C# Aeolian Or it could equally well be G# A# B C# D# E F# G# (I hear it much more like that too.)
  - palimpsests 6y ago
    Sure... it could be that mode (Phrygian, or the mode starting on the 3rd degree of the major scale). The tonal center we'll hear using this specific collection of notes, whether it be G#, C#, E (or any other note from this key), all depends on the sequence you enter. Rhythmic variation would also support this but this app does not have that option. Here's one with a tonal center of C#: https://music-grid.surge.sh/#1152-2112-1040-2212-1088-1320-1168-1024-1088-2304-576-1152-1024-2176-1024-1024-&274 https://music-grid.surge.sh/#1152-2112-1040-2212-1088-1320-1... And with G#: https://music-grid.surge.sh/#260-272-528-256-160-288-512-1088-320-32-272-512-1040-256-24-256-&274 https://music-grid.surge.sh/#260-272-528-256-160-288-512-108...
    - yesenadam 6y ago
      My point was merely that the statement "In modal language, this is the C# Aeolian" is not correct. (source: am a jazz musician) It's unclear to me from your comment whether you realize that.
      - palimpsests 6y ago
        I am also a jazz musician. this scale: C# D# E F# G# A B C# is C# Aeolian. Minus the A natural, that is one collection of notes that is being strongly suggested by this app. Yes, an A# would would change the tonality, and the key. To me, I hear the 9th scale degree relative to the tonic much more than the 6th (i.e. 13th). That's in general, and it's based on my own predilections and harmonic training. This scale includes a D#, as well as the 4th and 5th. I "hear" this as relative to C#, not G#. Totally welcome, of course, that you hear this as relative to G#; the E natural then functions as the minor 6th. To me, that's a much weaker harmonic suggestion than the E natural functioning as the minor third. It's totally OK with me that we hear this differently. Is it OK with you? Also, why does it matter to you what I (some random person online) realizes (or not)?
williamdclt 6y ago
If you bang only the white keys of a piano, with a good rythm (ie on the tick of a metronome), you'll get the same effect
nnd 6y ago
If you play any notes within a scale they are guaranteed to sound good together. Note: I'm not an expert, correct me if I'm wrong.

palimpsests 6y ago

The notes that this app is playing, from lowest to highest, are: B3 C#4 F#4 G#4 C#5 D#5 E5 G#6 B6 C#7 F#8 G#8 These notes are all diatonic, e.g. from the same key (unlike all the keys on a piano). That key is C# relative minor (or E major). In modal language, this is the C# Aeolian (or, when played from E to E, Ionian mode): C# D# E F# G# A B C# If you play notes restricted to a single key, it will come out sounding OK.

flak48 6y ago
Same as playing only the white keys right? (C major/ A minor)
- yesenadam 6y ago
  Yeah, except with no F.
yesenadam 6y ago
> this is the C# Aeolian Or it could equally well be G# A# B C# D# E F# G# (I hear it much more like that too.)
- palimpsests 6y ago
  Sure... it could be that mode (Phrygian, or the mode starting on the 3rd degree of the major scale). The tonal center we'll hear using this specific collection of notes, whether it be G#, C#, E (or any other note from this key), all depends on the sequence you enter. Rhythmic variation would also support this but this app does not have that option. Here's one with a tonal center of C#: https://music-grid.surge.sh/#1152-2112-1040-2212-1088-1320-1168-1024-1088-2304-576-1152-1024-2176-1024-1024-&274 https://music-grid.surge.sh/#1152-2112-1040-2212-1088-1320-1... And with G#: https://music-grid.surge.sh/#260-272-528-256-160-288-512-1088-320-32-272-512-1040-256-24-256-&274 https://music-grid.surge.sh/#260-272-528-256-160-288-512-108...
  - yesenadam 6y ago
    My point was merely that the statement "In modal language, this is the C# Aeolian" is not correct. (source: am a jazz musician) It's unclear to me from your comment whether you realize that.
    - palimpsests 6y ago
      I am also a jazz musician. this scale: C# D# E F# G# A B C# is C# Aeolian. Minus the A natural, that is one collection of notes that is being strongly suggested by this app. Yes, an A# would would change the tonality, and the key. To me, I hear the 9th scale degree relative to the tonic much more than the 6th (i.e. 13th). That's in general, and it's based on my own predilections and harmonic training. This scale includes a D#, as well as the 4th and 5th. I "hear" this as relative to C#, not G#. Totally welcome, of course, that you hear this as relative to G#; the E natural then functions as the minor 6th. To me, that's a much weaker harmonic suggestion than the E natural functioning as the minor third. It's totally OK with me that we hear this differently. Is it OK with you? Also, why does it matter to you what I (some random person online) realizes (or not)?

williamdclt 6y ago

If you bang only the white keys of a piano, with a good rythm (ie on the tick of a metronome), you'll get the same effect

nnd 6y ago

If you play any notes within a scale they are guaranteed to sound good together. Note: I'm not an expert, correct me if I'm wrong.