Musical Drones and Pedal Tones [Theory and Songwriting]
Вставка
- Опубліковано 1 чер 2024
- The Chord Progression Codex is NOW AVAILABLE! shorturl.at/bouLV
My pro theory + songwriting course: bit.ly/2J2Nctn
Enroll in my Rhythm Training Course at ANY price! bit.ly/3wDacU4
/ signalsmusicstudio
Droning sounds simple right? Welp, yeah, but it can be way complex too! The pedal tone opens up a whole door of amazingly weird progressions and effects, and this lesson should walk you through what those might feel, sound, and look like.
TAKE NOTE- When I say "Western Mainstream", I'm speaking from an American Pop Music perspective. There are more styles of drone music than those from India- I did not mention the Hurdy Gurdy or the Bagpipes, two heavyweights in the world of droning. The bagpipes themselves drone on a single note while the rest of the pipes are tuned to a mixolydian scale relative to the drone. This is the second time I have likely offended the Scots, and twice now I must beg their forgiveness.
I also did not mention the importance of pedal tones as they apply to metal, since I went over that topic in my video on the Metallica Scale • How To Write Metal Rif... and also in my video on Mixolydian Rock • How To Make A Classic ... .
Wanna jam over the same note for 10 minutes, you weirdo? Well so do I. Here's the track.
signalsmusicstudio.com/harmon...
If you run into one of my patreon subscribers, give them a big hug for me. If you are one of my patreon subscribers, THANK YOU!
00:00 INTRO
00:30 A Brief History Of Drone
04:45 Guitar Drones and Modern Acoustic Songs
06:29 Bass Pedal Tones
10:42 Writing with a Melody Pedal Tone
14:52 Infinite Scale Possibilities
16:50 6 Scales 1 Drone
18:30 Pedal Point
![Demonstrating 7 Ways that Composers Make Music Using Modes [SONGWRITING / THEORY]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sC2qXLnVU3A/mqdefault.jpg)
![Demonstrating 7 Ways that Composers Make Music Using Modes [SONGWRITING / THEORY]](/img/tr.png)
![Secondary Dominants- Write Better Chord Progressions! [MUSIC THEORY / SONGWRITING]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/py4HaueW50Q/mqdefault.jpg)
![How to Sound Like Daft Punk, Tool, or EVERY Rock Band using Minor/Aeolian [Riffing With Modes #6]](/img/n.gif)
"You have a deep desire to smash that like button" I am already so in
"im already so in" huh, that's what she said 😏
14 people didn't want to learn music theory
@@nabhchandra_ I only know "Are you in yer?"
˘U˘
How did he make the like button light up just as he said that? Pure magic!
I m an Indian. And 18 yrs old and has a passion of creating music. So i just watch your videos for information on song writings and you never disappoint. I have got only acoustic guitar and also i learn guitar by myself and channels like your. One day i will be a great musician.😇
Keep playing!
Jake, you are an incredible musician and an excellent teacher. I've learned probably 90% of what I know about music from your channel. I wanted to say thank you for all the knowledge you've given and keep on giving us!
Agreed. Jake truly is an excellent teacher. Jake throws out no b.s. His love for music and for others to learn the love of music comes through.
"I wrote a solo using six different scales." You've gone mad.
I was like: "Oh, only six? Then I probably know them from the Riffing With Modes series"... But of cause I didn't... I only knew Phrygian...
There’s nothing mad about that. Yr view says more about u
The one cultural reference you missed was celtic (example: bagpipes).
I tried to explain this omission in the description, still, it should have made an appearance but I couldn't find a way to edit it in
Bagpipes are not Keltic. Found everywhere in the world from cultures much older than Kelts
Also the medieval Hurdy-gurdy. Armenian Duduks and other Middle Eastern instruments and musical traditions also use drones. There are probably a ton left out of this one video.
@@HazeMotes Absolutely true
@@bouzoukiman5000
You are a major wind-bag!
"Beatles..." "Trips..." "Influence..." mhmm yes I hear what you're saying
Never thought I'd see the day where Jake mentions Sunn o)))
I left out a few important things, but did include them in the description so do check :) ALSO at 12:58, I'm missing some Sharp signs to build the proper triads :(
Pin this comment!
Thank you! Big hug from Serbia!
It is easy for me to compose a great melody/theme over a pedal tone (e.g. A minor or some other mode). But I find it very difficult to connect this melody/theme (a loop/sequence) to another bass pedal tone and find the right mode/scale for that movement. Any advice on that? :) Thank you!
I was waiting until sunn 0))) was mentioned. That band took the droning and ran with it
Me too 😂
As soon as he said drone metal I knew sunn o))) was going to be mentioned 😂
Had to check them out..... WOW! Why hadn’t I heard of these guys earlier? 🤘❤️
Today I learned that there is such a thing as a Hungarian Minor scale. Thank you Signals Music Studio.
and it quiet simple to get it. Juste raise the 4th on your classic harmonic minor scale and boom, hungarian minor scale!
Those 2 are pretty cool to improvise over gypsy jazz.
I'm just impressed how you can play a song and speak at the same time!
next level skills
Black Sabbath's "Wheels of Confusion" from '72 is mostly based around a drone power chord and Ozzy sings in the mixolydian mode. There are some riffs and fills later in the song but they function as breaks for interest
If anyone's interested that riff he's playing around 19 minutes in is "Fearless" by Pink Floyd. I thought that song was in open G tuning. Have I been wrong all this time?
Not sure how it was recorded, but I'm very lazy about retuning my guitar so I always just played it in G :P
@@SignalsMusicStudio I completely understand that. I'll try to get Gilmour on the phone so we can solve the mystery.
I knew that sounded familiar. Thanks for solving the riddle for me. It would have bugged me all day.
@@happiness1772 Is that you, Rick Beato? ;)
@@phloog If I was Rick I would have known the tuning and been able to accurately predict the chord progression within the first two strings being strummed. Alas, I am not Rick.
Jake, it’s gotten to a point that all I need to see is the title of your video and I know I’m going to love it. Again. I haven’t even watched it yet but I know it’s gonna be awesome. Drones!! Yes!!
I've gotten to a point where i only need to see that a video was made by Jake and i know i'm already going to love it.
Your videos keep getting better man
thank you, I honestly think this is the best lesson I've made yet!
At 75 my brain cannot absorb as well compared to when I was 25. But over the years I have fumbled and stumbled over the connectivity of exactly what you have laid out here so clearly. This video is a years work for me. Thank for this homework!!
Sorry Jake, I zoned out...I mean droned out during this video muhaha
I knew you were here somewhere.
8:19 "Pretty cool, right?" Indeed. I've been waiting for this moment for all my life. Oh, lord.
Try some La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Spacemen 3, My Bloody Valentine, Godspeed You Black Emperor...
...all the drones you can eat!
Post rock and shoegaze have made my favorite drone. Flying saucer attack is phenomenonal droning shoegaze
3:00 John Cale has been doing a lot of drone music. Velvet Underground's "Venus in furs" is an early example.
Their albums with John Cale laid the groundwork from which post-rock is derived.
The debut single of TVU is Loop by John Cale. That is drone, plain and simple. I really like Lamonte Young too, he made drone in 1958.
This is the definitely one of the most solid music channels out there... Consistent high quality work, great creativity, pedagogy, and beautiful music theory put to practice. Thanks Jake
That intro was so good!
avant-garde metal band "Kayo Dot" has a song called "Gemini becoming the Tripod" which incorporates a violin and vocal drone throughout the center piece of the song. :)
As a bagpiper I'm intimately familiar with drones. I also work in a shop that uses lots of humming machines and any time one of them is running, I find myself humming tunes over the drone of the machine. Great way to brainstorm tunes!
For you metal heads out there, the intro riff to Hangar 18 is (mostly) hanging on a drone open D string (although strumming it everytime) while ascending chromatically underneath. Very cool stuff!
Finally! You’ve explained this with enough substance that it clicks, thank you
My wife & I visited Goa in 2018 and 2019. Listening to some live "trad" Goan music was jaw dropping, because - as you say, Jake - the single note drone gave the musicians a totally blank canvas to work with. The improvisations could, and did, go on for sometimes over an hour. Back home, I discovered the Byzantine scale and that works a treat over a bass drone.
Jake drops video, I drop everything
That chords vs. static bass example after 10:00-> has that "going for the final boss in a video game" feeling!
How about Sonic Youth’s album Daydream Nation? The Sword often pedals on the open B (de-tuned E) string to great effect.
Iv been playing and studying about 20 years properly and every time there’s always something new to learn if you fully apply yourself.
*Pedal Tone*
The pedal tone is so called because the practice first originated with the organ. It also was known as organ point.
It is merely the sustaining of a tone while the other voices move through a succession of harmonies. It is most often the tonic of the various scales as Jake points out. Sometimes the dominant is used.
Jake's demo at 16:44 is stellar. Jake is a strong player too. His note selections are excellent.
Droning was a big "ah-ha!" moment for me. I got in a bad habit of playing up and down a string instead of across the strings. Naturally, I quickly ran out of ideas and got a bit unmotivated. Then one day I decided to learn the bassline to 46&2 from Tool. That unlocked the open string/7th fret octave combo for me. I quickly learned that I could just play an open A as a drone, and play pretty much any A scale on the D string and cool things would happen. This later turned into dyads on the D and G strings under the pedaled A and for the first time I felt like I could be musical.
next step is to walk the bass
You can play happy and melodic over drones too. It's how you style the scale. Taxim's are solos over drones as an intro to songs. Hendrix did it often
It's good to see you covering up this topic. After my Western classical guitar, I'm now pursuing Bachalor of music in Hindustani classical. So, to see you talk about this was really interesting as I'm getting exactly what you're saying. Cool! 🤘🏿
The UA-cam space needs more western explanations for Indian music - maybe when you finish your degrees you can make some videos to help teach me!
@@SignalsMusicStudio So far, I've learn that, hindustani classical is poor in theory. Western is very much rich in theory and if there's only one option to choose between the two, I'd suggest to go for Western classical. Only because, it helps you fine answers to all your WHYs, HOWs, WHATs etc theoretically.
Now, while singing ragas, every person sings differently and with different style only keeping the main tune. In western, whatever is written in the notation, everyone will play or sing it exactly the same as it is written. The
notation system (Bhatkhande's notation system as they call it) in Hindustani classical is just like anglicized solfège. And there's nothing like syncopation, no measures, no dynamics etc. For instance, if you hear someone singing a raga and you're noting it down, exactly how he sang with every dynamic, like Piano, forte, crescrescendo you name, the next time, that person will sing totally different only keeping the main melody in line. And that's not wrong, it's just the way it is. In Hindustani, it's more like improvisation while singing/playing. Just like, when you use slash on staff notation with some keys on top to indicate that, the musician is free to improvise. So even the notation are just for the melody. But the distance between two notes(example syncopation) and all these are just improvisation stuffs. I mean, there's nothing like note division, like in western (semibreve, ninim, crotchet etc.) I don't know, if you'll understand my poor explanation. But yeah, all I mean to say is, it's poor in theory. However, practically, both Western classical and Indian classical have their own difficulty and beauty. But practical, that's different topic again.
@@JAAHUNGHAAM Great explanation! I've noticed that in general the Western world is very intellectual based, but the eastern world is far more experiential based. We both need to learn more from each other.
@@peejay1981 agreed
You should explore some Shoegaze type guitar music, that could be rly interesting
Seconding this, I would love to see Jake dive more into effects and interesting ways to write with them.
my sophomore year just ended, gonna chill and watch a signals vid to celebrate the end of a horrific school year.
congratulations bro!!! High school sucks :(
junior year is always more fun than soph
@@SignalsMusicStudio can confirm as a junior
@@hermesbandofficial8551 Can confirm as a graduating senior that junior year is the best one under these conditions.
@@SignalsMusicStudio 10 months have passed. you were wrong. you were so, so wrong.
Great video. Some parts I knew, but other parts I was unfamiliar with. The illustrations were great, both visually and harmonically.
I love the examples you used in this one. Tomorrow Never Knows, Pepper, Us and Them. I never really thought to categorize those songs under the drone category since so much else is happening on top but that's very useful for me.
A guitarist that does a lot of pedal tones and drones is Bob Mould. Although his music is rarely ambient at all he has a tendency to hold out notes a lot, especially the E-B and G-D on the two highest strings. It can be hard to recognize at first but you'll hear it in everything from his hardcore punk stuff with Hüsker Dü through his alternative rock band Sugar to his modern solo work.
Your example of chords over an A drone sounds like early Genesis. YOU CRACKED THE CODE.
I'm amazed how deep you went with this, from a history in western music, to ways guitarists might already be familiar with it, to bass and melody examples and then exercises. Thank you for designing such awesome lessons!
Kula Shaker - Govinda..... The whole K album has Indian influences. Another great video. Thanks.
You give the most beneficial and practical uses of music theory of any other guitar channel on here. I had to learn all this theory years ago but it took several more years to put it together because of the way it was taught to me. You explain it a way thats just awesome, and I’m sure it’s benefiting countless amounts of new guitarists.
Also of note would be organ music. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in F major (BWV 540) begins a two part canon over a held F in the bass pedal board and then a held bottom C. So much fun to play when you get the registration right and the low drone starts to shake the organ 😁
I've often thought I couldn't write or compose music, but thanks to your videos, I'm starting to feel more confident in approaching expressing myself musically, and I can't thank you enough. Still a lot to go to feel more confident, but for once I feel like I'm not totally lost in how to connect theory with practice.
Your use of examples from pop/rock is an excellent way to get the point across. Lots of info packed into a small space. Good stuff. You definitely deserve to cross the 500K threshold.
Jake, I f*cking love all you video intros, they are always funny and original how you get that ideas haha
There's a very eerie high pedal tone in Genesis' Supper's ready, the high A that rings constantly during the final part of the song, with Hacket soloing and Gabriel singing over it.
I liked the intro.....You are taking us on a journey of note, grasshopper, and although I am not yet ready to leave the temple, my enlightenment levels have been raised significantly.
That D to Bbmaj7 is in King Crimson's " I talk to the wind." (Up a step) I love that chord change. Nice wardrobe in this one Jake!
okay I really love how you used two clips of women for examples of the sitar. That's a small detail but it's something I don't see most of the time on youtube so thank you!
Brian Eno added a drone to Djivan Gasparyan's duduk simple melody and made something incredible.
In general, simple high melody over a low drone really does something.
CCM/worship music with an acoustic guitar and an "infinity pad" droning on the root of the key really help fill in a space sonically.
An amazing job of explaining a very complicated subject! Opened my horizons!
I’ve noticed a lot of other guitar channels throw a lot of hate/shade your way.. tbh I’m not sure why? I think you make excellent concise videos that are clear, to the point, and very helpful.. keep up the great work 👏🏼
I think BHS's "Pepper" works because of repetition. Once you feel the groove of it, then it starts to work musically and the variations and breaks through the song become points of interest before returning to the chorus. I like it a lot, it's a unique song of that era.
This lesson was great. I make psychedelic music and have started experimenting with drones now. I find using a delay pedal and setting the feedback to 100 then playing notes off the rhythmic pulses it creates works really well. Also, using the volume knob on the guitar can create these swells that goes great with the drone effect.
In my hand I hold a pencil, I write these words with this utensil.
No, you wrote it on a keyboard
I think it would sound nice with an E chord
LOL these comments are gold
This is the shit that never gets old.
I don't have a rhyme,
Seriously, I don't have a rhyme.
(told y'all I didn't)
6 scales 1 drone!!! Holy crap man!!! That’s epic stuff!!!
You are seriously the best guitar theory channel on all of UA-cam
Another fantastic lesson! The low tempo progression at 13:43 is like candy to my ears. Thanks, Jake!
The dance song sounds unintentionally like Hans Zimmer's An Ideal of Hope.
Eyyyy, nice to see you here. I've been watching a good amount of your content lately.
Yoooo whut up!
Bro, your intros are EPIC!😂
First: That solo stuff over a pedal tone had some serious Satriani-vibe. Really nice.
Second: There is even another use for a pedal tone in the bass. It can function as a tension/release-thing. I don't have an example off the top of my head, but I've realized that in some compositions, you'll hear a familiar, fairly common, chord progression, but the bass stays on a single note. In that case, it doesn't hold things together as in some of your examples. Instead, it holds the progression back. Repeat a couple of times, preferably in a static rhythm, and it builds tension that is then released when the bass finally starts to move along with the chords.
That Pedal Point lick you played sounded like "Fearless" by Pink Floyd.
well fucking done
Made me think of when some songs use a sustained high-pitched note to suggest tension or heat, as in Bobby Goldsboro's 'Summer (the First Time)'.
I have NO IDEA why this channel doesn't have more subs. I see SOOO MANY people mention it in the /r/musictheory subreddit. This channel is one of my goto sources for quality material that is free of a lot of the usual "UA-cam nonsense". I'm sure I speak for all of your subs Jake, when I say we TRULY appreciate everything you do!
I can also think of LCD Soundsystem's All My Friends being kinda like this. The entire thing has only one piano chord behind it... for 7 minutes!
Dude what a fun lesson. Made me want to go home and play guitar and write something and that improv at the end was awesome.
thx bro!
that smash the like buton was so smooth, that for the first time in my life i smashed it!!!!
Probably won’t see this, but your videos are my favorite teaching style. Very comprehensive. I will always check if you have a video on a new topic I am learning. Great examples, both existing songs and then new music you make on the spot to demonstrate the concept. Thanks for your hard work.
I need to start following this channel in a more serious way. Content, creativity, these are the way forward.
I am scratch guitar player and some how run across this video. Amazing very interestting topic, presented in a professional way and very informative. Thank you very much chief. Cheers from Indonesia.
Every video always inspires me and teaches me a lot - thanks
I so enjoy your way of teaching! It's sooo good and so inspirational! Thanks!
Best theory channel out there; love it! Great video as usual Jake, thank you!
Wow! 16:50 was so much like Steve Hillage!
A Ritchie Blackmore lead technique 18:35 he does in "Burn" only using the G string. Jake I always learn something from every video you make. Your ability to fluidly express yourself accurately and succinctly is your superpower. You rock.
I've had a really hard time finding long lasting motivation to keep doing one thing over the past years and your videos have finally made me able to continue making music for more than just a few weeks. Thank you for that!
Your videos just keep getting better, and better!
Super lesson, I really love your mix examples at the end.
Ugh, I am learning SO MUCH from your channel! Thank you for everything you do, Mister Lizzio!
Here a long time Viewer from India !!!
Before I haven't listened that much of Indian Classical music !!!
But for may be 3 and half year I am listening some classical Music ...
Man it's really amazing to listen
😌😌😌
Amazing explanation of everything you say, well done!!!
Hey Jake, I've been watching your channel since I picked up the guitar about 5 years ago. I see that you haven't posted anything in a while, so here's an idea for another video of yours : "The spiciness/beauty/appeal/... of increased dissonance". If we think of the different scales that are out there, the first that come to mind are : diatonic, harmonic and melodic. In other words : In Am, you'd add respectively just a regular G, a G# or an F# and G#. Add just G# and D# and you have double harmonic. Add F#, G# and D# and you have harmonic major. For Hungarian Major, you'd be using A, B, C, D, D#, (no E) F, G#. It seems like you can add any note you want, until, like with a dish, you can overdo it with the amount of spices and get some abomination, which in this case would be to add C# or A#, for some reason. But if you keep to those spices, G#, F# and D#, you're still safe!
There seems to be some deeper reasoning behind what I can "experience", but it's a bit above me tbh : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydian_Chromatic_Concept_of_Tonal_Organization#:~:text=Russell%20believed%20that%20dominant%20function,C%2C%20the%20desired%20Lydian%20Tonic. Funnily enough, you'll see that with successive secondary dominants, the furthest away from C are A# and C#.
Soit, just food for thought. Love your channel, gained amazing insights along the way! Hungry for more insights :).
Take care!
Thank you! Every video you do is so incredibly helpful. Kudos!!!!!!!
I've learned so-o-o-o much from your videos, and I learned LOTS today! You're awesome, Jake!
This is giving me ideas for my own music. Thank you, Jake.
Outstanding lesson. I’ve seen many concepts more clearly. Thank you
I really appreciate your content, positive attitude and ability to teach and share so well!
thank you , you just helped me figure out part of the reason why this little song idea I have been playing around with sounds so good.....I love the synchronicity of the algorithm.
l
Thanks, Jake! You are Fearless in your teaching. Great lesson, as always.
Such an amazing video, as usual!
Always learning something new when I watch your videos. Huge thanks.
As always great stuff Jake!
That solo at the end was so cool.
One of your bests, Jake. You have opened so many creative doors for me.
He is so so good when he explains things.
Thanks a lot.
Nice tips Sir. I note many popular bands tend to use these ideas with changing melody phrases and peddled bases, or changing peddled note with consistent melodic phrases. I won't say who because there are so many that use these techniques.