[Menvi-discuss] SATB Writing?

[Data]

Actually, Lennon and McCartney were naturally adept at proper part writing and voice leading, and yes they broke a lot of rules just like Bach. But, as Dale said, rules were meant to be broken but only after you've mastered them. Generally, my first two semesters of theory were spent doing part-writing. It's so essential, I don't think I'd be able to compose at the level (and speed) I do without a solid foundation in part-writing and orchestration. It trains the mind and the ear.

Also, don't be so hard on your instructor (but, please send me a recording of a lecture--I'm curious). The range for a physically normal tenor in chest voice is from about C3 to G4. Anything lower or higher is "uncharacteristic" for the voice and should only be used rarely. You've also got to watch the tessitura, which shouldn't stay really high or low for very long, damaging the voice. Remember, you're learning rules now. Don't break them until you've learned them all. Stay within the normal ranges of the voices. Yes there are counter tenors (and bargain counter tenors) who can sing up in stratosphere; but you're learning how to write for normal human beings, not freaks of nature like Steve Perry and Freddie Mercury. I'm a baritone who can sing from A1 to A4 and above in falsetto, but I don't like to. haha.

However, your teacher should discourage parallel 4th and 5th and 8ve writing at this stage. Some of the problems with this kind of part-writing is just the sound, but a lot of it is the voicing difficulties that arise from a misused parallel interval. These rules were not derived to strangle the creative process, but rather to keep you from getting into trouble you can't get out of. Remember, if you hear something you don't like, trace the problem backwards. It's usually not the chord your looking at, but a chord that happened before it that's causing the problem.

Let's keep the discussion going. Lots of helpful things are coming out of this.

Sincerely, 
Andy English

P.S. Here's a fun thing to do. Play the karaoke track for "Yesterday" but don't sing it. Instead, read it poetically, nostalgically, like an octogenarian might. 
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