Re: [Harp-L] (no subject)

[Joe Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On May 10, 2011, at 2:29 AM, sheltraw@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Hi SmoeJoe
> 
>> I just went in the garage and played it. It's D minor (i.e. 1 flat)
> 
> Are you saying that the key signature is Dm or the key is Dm or that both
> are Dm?
> 
> Cheers!
> 
What I'm saying is that you DO have a valid point. The key signature AS written on the piece would indicate F. Then one has to look for other clues.
In this case the other clues are the chords. In this case Dm7. Now if the piece were actually IN F, that first chord would most likely NOT be a minor chord. 

This is why charts are never 'naked'. In other words, there are a number of things written on a chart. Reading these 'other' entries (notice I avoided the word notes), is something that goes along WITH reading music. Over the hundreds of years that music has been annotated, people like yourself have had questions just like these wonderful questions that you have posed, and that has caused a general consensus for the experts (at the time) to add things to the music in an effort to defray any confusion.

I happen to know exactly where you are coming from. But this is something we all have to live with. We pick up a piece of music, study it, plan how we are going to reproduce it via sound, and then go ahead and slam out the piece as best we can. There will come a time when you will remember a piece on your own. This is called ROTE. Rote is different from ear playing. But ear playing also works. Albeit it required a LOT more time to master. Reading is the easiest...once you know the language. Rote is harder because you have to visualize the piece. Ear is hardest because...well you need a good ear to be able to reference where your next move will be. 

So, in conclusion, we have been using keys for hundreds of years, and like Iceman says, I don't see it changing very soon...if ever. They had to start somewhere and everything is a compromise. You wouldn't start to build a boat and then change your plans in mid stream. You need to put down set and fast limits and stay within these parameters. Then work from THERE.  :) 

smo-joe