[Menvi-discuss] SATB Writing?

[Debra Baxley]

I would love the hymns, as well.

 

Debra

 

  _____  

From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org
[mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of Data
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 11:18 PM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] SATB Writing?

 

And, oh yes. Almost always work back from the cadence. It's cool how the
phrases work themselves out from the outside in.

Brandon, I have a bunch of hymns in braille if you'd like to have them.

-Andy

-----Original Message-----
From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org
[mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org]On Behalf Of Dale Lieser
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 9:39 AM
To: 'This is for discussing music and braille literacy'
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] SATB Writing?

Along with what you are saying, Andy, working backwards is often helpful,
even when doing so from a cadence. If your cadence is constructed well, the
path to it becomes straighter. So, as you are working with proper, choral
voice leading, Brandon, you will want to get to the place where your writing
does actually have a bit of a cliché sound to it. Remember, Bach and the
like did not have the rules; they wrote according to what sounded right to
them, and our rules are merely snapshots of their practices. And, as
Stephanie advises, so was I planning to suggest, make your way through
common hymns and Bach chorales, studying the succession of intervals,
approach to cadences, etc. Rather than thinking of rules of good part
writing as hindrances, learn to abide by them as trustworthy guidelines. All
this while secretly keeping a file of how you intend to break these rules on
graduation day! <smile>

 

Dale

 

 

From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org
[mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of Data
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 11:20 PM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] SATB Writing?

 

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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