Songs to help you recognise scale degrees
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- Опубліковано 4 тра 2024
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The piece of music during the outro is my "Study in 5/4 time". You can listen to it in full on my Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/0wKKJ... 🎼
Recognising which degree of the scale a melody is using is an invaluable skill for anyone who wants to be able to transcribe or play a song by ear. By remembering these songs as examples, hopefully you can improve your ability to identify the notes that a melody is using just by listening!
My video on the ♭6 in Stranger Things & The X Files: • Why Stranger Things & ...
Andrew Huang's video on the Supertonic: • Why pop music is obses...
P.S. sorry that parts of this video are out of focus! I don't know what happened there! 🤦♂️
And, an extra special thanks goes to Douglas Lind, Vidad Flowers, Ivan Pang, Waylon Fairbanks, Jon Dye, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇
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0:00 Introduction
1:18 1 (Tonic)
2:21 2 (Supertonic)
3:15 3 (Mediant)
4:08 4 (Subdominant)
4:53 5 (Dominant)
6:42 6 (Submediant)
8:42 7 (Leading Tone)
10:29 b3
11:34 b5
13:01 b6
13:54 b7 (Subtonic)
15:07 b2
Check out Use Your Ear's free 3-hour workshop: www.useyourear.com/a/2147506341/trLF4M8k 👂
I am very disappointed with that workshop. I watched with almost my full attention for 2 hours and 42 minutes, and then they try to make me spend 280 or so US dollars. NO THANKS! Massive waste of time. The speaker took forever to go from point to point, repeating the same things over and over just with different wording, and I didn't learn anything new.
I usually don't express my anger online, but this is an exception.
@@unsightedmetal6857 The workshop is an ad to a paid course. While the instructor is not the best, the course itself is quite well-structured and very effective. I did a massive jump on my level of ear training after starting it.
It's a bit expensive but in my opinion worth it. The guy really did his research.
@@unsightedmetal6857 you should know people are trying to sell you something when they label it with crap like " _learn the _*_SECRETS_*_ great musicians use_ " etc . Great musicians don't have secrets. They have talent and as for any training, ear training, interval recognition etc they do the same stuff we all do so whenever anybody says shit like that you hit the delete button.
The verse to Come as you are (Nirvana) starts on the 5th degree.
That site looks about as reputable as a used snake-oil salesman! And after 2 year of COVID I refuse to do any more real-time webinars or presentations, for any reason. There is no reason whatsoever to waste people's time doing this live.
Great content as always! I hope you'll make a video on 9th, 11th and 13th chords (or add9, add11, add 13 chords) and songs in which they occur.
Cheers! I’m actually doing a video on 9ths, 11th etc in a few weeks time 😊😊
By the way, speaking of added note chords, there is a fun example of anti-word painting in "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" by Gershwin. On the line "our romance is growing flat", the word "flat" is sung on an added ♯11.
i think a 9th is just a second thts one octave higher
He did
@@DeGuerre or is it a b5?
In Spanish the leading tone is called "la sensible" the sensitive tone. Is more descriptive. I like it
Also in Italian Is called " la sensibile"
In Portuguese it is called “a sensível”
@@nicolascorre6830 Are you sure? we're talking about the VII tone, just below the tonic or "fundamental" in spanish
@@PanchoMarconi sorry, I misread... It's "la sensible" in french too!
The Jaws theme just goes back and forth between the tonic and the flattened second.
As someone whose school music teacher never taught theory, these videos are so helpful. Thank you for making them!
Glad you like them!
Shame on your teacher
Finally someone is starting to talk about ear training that is based on tonal context and not interval identification.
Yes and it makes no sense
@@khasab6124 What makes no sense? Tonal ear training or interval ear training?
@@ShaharHarshuv read my comments
Something worth noting is that in tonal jazz (and music influenced by it), the 7th degree (both major and minor) can feel different because it is treated as a consonance. I'm trying to think of a good example to help you remember it, and all that comes to mind is "Fascinating Rhythm".
I thought you were going to mention the opening theme for The Simpsons when speaking about the Flattened Fifth. The chord sounded totally like it. Nice video!
Purple Haze
The one in Simpsons is an Augmented Fourth ;)
@@aldeayeah or a diminished fifth which are the same notes
@@Brokenface But in the context of that song it is a #4th because it's a Lydian feel.
@@Brokenface hence the ;)
more seriously, in the context of the scales/modes/tonalities that use those notes, the "lydian sound" you get from a sharp four is pretty different to the "black sabbath sound" you get from a flat five, so it makes sense to think of them as separate things
but yeah, in a vacuum they are the same
Hurt by Nine Inch Nails has a pretty prominent/distinctive tritone in its melody as well. Also, you'll find the flat second is super common in metal and other harder rock descendants.
If you like NIN and David Bennett, you should check out Ixi music's channel if you don't know it already.
@@jeffwalker6815 thanks, but already subscribed! Great channel 👍
Thanks very much Dave . After a long time playing music and just getting by on my ear ,these are proving to be extremely valuable and helpful . Keep up the great work . 💯👍
I think this is a really unique take on using popular music to identify scale degrees, sometimes even out of context. Most interval training focuses a lot on intervals, especially ascending. Awesome!
Correction: The subdominant is so named because it is as far below the tonic as the dominant is above it - not because it is a degree below the dominant.
I think he knows that, but just wanted to make it seem easier to understand for the viewer
I hardly ever comment on UA-cam (considering how it dominates my life) but I really look forward to your content. It is a big part of my weekend. Thank you David. Keep up the great work. You are positively affecting the lives of people you'll probably never meet - and we will never get the chance to say thank you on person.
These videos are great for remembering the stuff I forgot from music class 😅😅. Great video!
This has helped me so much with music theory thank you so much. From one music theorist to another
I always love when you post new videos! You are great at teaching me music theory and understanding it!! Great work as always, can’t wait for the next video
Thank you!
Re: your analysis of the Subdominant: In the Prince example, that Eb is acting as the b7th of the V chord. What we hear is a V-I cadence (F7 to Bb). In that context, the Eb isn't acting as a Subdominant., it's a flattened Leading Tone. You need to find an example of a Sus. chord (before it's resolved) to demonstrate the sound of a 4th.
These are so insightful, I think it’s time I get these down so I can hear them and their chords by ear and tell what they are.
I like to view the flattened second as a leading tone, but backwards. Very fun to write songs using that flat 2 to pull you back to the tonic.
I always admire your knowledge and your style of explanation
I'm always impressed by the level of technicality he discusses. Smart young man.
My classic Lydian/Sharp 4th example is „The Simpsons“ (with „Simp“ being the sharp 4). Hadn’t known the X-Files flat 6 example, though, as well as „the calling“ for the leading tone. Those were great!
Good as always, and I really find your insights good to drill into the fact that lots of contemporary music have roots in more traditional music, but also stretch the boundaries. These are things music should do.
I need more of this kind of video!! Thank you ❤️❤️❤️
Great topic. Glad I support you. Thanks.
Is it me or his voice is just soothing my ears and so smooth. I would love to hear David sing 😌
Its really appreciated the non beatles examples
Great Video, your examples are, if you can imagine what a supertonic (and others) should sound like, very useful and I am thanking you for giving me another new view in the music theory.
😊😊😊😊
My go-to for the supertonic is My Way since it's such an iconic line and also the supertonic is often known for resolving to the tonic
Love how he just casually mildly juxtaposed Where Ever You Will Go & Let It Go as if theres nothing contrasting about them at all 😂 its like garnishing pizza with icing sugar lol.
Thanks for the vid David, much appeciated. You're always so concise and relatable in the way you teach and explain information-intensive concepts.
i usually understand absolutely nothing but i love your videos and the fact you constantly mention the beatles. also you made me (casual paramore fan who bascially just likes/knows their hits )listen to brand new eyes by paramore and its so good
Try to learn the basics first, soon enough u Will rewatch his videos one day n realize u r starting to understand almost everything, a few more practices of the theory and u Will find yourself fluent in music theory, it took me a solid couple of years studying here on YT to be confortable teaching and now most of my buddies come to me to ask for music theory related stuff even though some of them still play better than me .
Brand New Eyes is great!!
@@ricardotmc will definitely do I always wanted to improve my guitar playing that way thanks for actually making me consider it even more
@@DavidBennettPiano yeah it’s honestly one of my favorite pop punk albums now
Agreed, I love how he pulls examples from so many genres and times
Thank you so much for these videos, they are incredibly helpful! I'm surprised you didn't mention Radioheads Videotape as an example for the flattened sixth, love that one ✨
Glad you like them!
Excellent video, David, thank you.
Great explanation about mediant and submediant!
This gave me ideas on how to sing some vocal lines… thx! Always learning something from u!
The song Innuendo by Queen makes really great use out of the tension of the minor second scale degree during the verse section!
This is why we love solfege! Great for learning tonal degree
The leading tone is very prominent in the guitar riff of Faster by Manic Street Preachers. In the intro and verses, the riff basically just switches between the tonic and leading notes
ive been waiting for this one for a while!
thanks
😊😊
A good example of the sharpened fourth is "Maria" from West Side Story. The flattened sixth can be heard in the riff of "Smoke on the water".
Love you david 💗💗 are you planning to make a video about Negative harmony ????? this is concept in music theory never failed to fascinate me ✨ Thank you again for educating us
Thank you! Perhaps I will at some point! It’s quite an unusually, non-traditional idea but it is super cool, particularly as an alternative lens through which to think about music 😊
@@DavidBennettPiano I would love to see a video on negative harmony!
Thank you, David, I’ll definitely try that.
Absolutely perfect video
White Rabbit is a great example of the flat 2nd over top of a borrowed tonic chord (major, rather than the minor normally in Phrygian)
The flattened supertonic is quite common in baroque music as part of the Neapolitan sixth chord. Vivaldi and Telemann often used it.
Thank you David. I think a very good example for the b5 degree is „Dancing Days“ by Led Zeppelin
I think a good example of the Flattened Second is the begining of the vocal part of Enter Sandman. The guitar keeps playing E and F (phrygian mode) and then it changes for the Eolian Mode (G-F#-G-A-E)
In the song michelle by the beatles when they sing “I will say the only words that you’ll understand” they also stay on the dominant degree of the scale
This is my favourite of your videos 😄 stuff about where vocal lines are is stuff a sub par guitarist wouldn't have spotted without help.
(Edit : spelling)
I really like these videos, thank you!
PRINCE!!! WE NEED MORE
Thanks! Just wanted to point out the flattened 2nd (not of the tonic chord) in "Paranoid Android". I believe there's an F in the melody over E major chord in rain section.
Thank you! Very informative and straight to the point. Good job! :)
Unlike the workshop he was sponsored by. One of the biggest time-wasters of my life.
@@unsightedmetal6857 I made it a habit to never ever click on anything that sponsors a UA-cam video. Patreon is the way to go, not sponsorships.
Nitpick, but I think you're playing "Let It Go" on the piano as 5-7-1, but the notes should be 6-7-1 @10:02. (unless I'm wrong) Love your videos!
Thanks for saying this for me
Middle 8 and david bennett videos in one day? My music/youtube filled brain is satisfied
I watched Middle 8’s new video earlier… I loved it!
Super interesting video as always!
Thanks!
Merci beaucoup for this video.
Was hoping to hear Hurt, but a very enlightening video never the less.
just one point. Most of the ear training videos ive come across on youtube only focuses on ascending intervals so we're biased towards playing or making music keeping that in mind. But creators should not neglect descending intervals which i believe is equally important if not too important.
"Rock Lobster" by The B-52s is a good example of the #4th scale degree.
11:35
another good example for #4th is "Maria" from West Side Story
I thought he was going to say this!:)
The flattened 2nd degree is also found in When you wish upon a star. The note of the "on" in "upon".
It's actually a sharp one, or a secondary leading tone of the 2nd degree. This is quite important because while it's the same note, it behaves in a different way, and scale degrees are also about tonal behavior. In that context, I definitely hear it in relation to the 2nd scale degree (as a secondary leading tone). Flat 2 on the other hand would have a tendency to resolve down to the tonic, and if you listen to a song with an actual flat 2, you'll notice that it feels quite different from the leading tone of 2.
honestly, for flattened second you can use many metal songs (because many of them use phrygian). one of my favorites - "Critical Darling" by Slipknot. the song starts with going from first to flattened second
''Wherever I may roam'' has the flat 2nd degree quite distinctive.
I would add the following caveat: when the chord (or harmony) accompanying a note changes, its quality changes as well, even if the note stays the same. For example, the melody note G, the fifth scale degree in the key of C, with a harmonic background of C, it feels aurally like a fifth, but when the accompanying chord changes to, say, G7, even if the melody note stays the same, G, it rather sounds like a root, which it is, based on pitch classes, even though it's still the fifth scale degree.
You voice is as beautiful as yourself.
The most impressive thing about this video is how he got the Prince clip in unedited, must be the sponsor
Here’s what I would call the remaining four scale degree names, maybe they are kind of ridiculous but this is the best I came up with:
Sub-Leading Tone (b2)
Super Submediant (b3)
Anti-Tonic (Tritone)
Super Mediant (b6)
Great vid! 😀🙏
Will you make a video about finger settings? I have seen in your videos that you Pivit much less then me. You spread your fingers instead.
Quite a famous flattened second would be György Ligeti's Musica Ricercata n°2 as heard in the movie Eyes Wide Shut
If I remember it correctly it is called subdominant because it has the same interval between a tonic and a dominant but below the tonic
Leading Tone = 'Dreaming' by Blondie. (That little semitone as always fascinated me).
Can you do a video like this about the natural Chords of a Scale, so that it helps us to hear the Chordprogressions
The song "My Way", popularized by Frank Sinatra, has the first phrase of the verse ending with a flattened second.
Awesome!
Thanks!
Perfect content👌👌
Thanks! I’m glad you’re *content* 😉😉
A couple of minor issues: the "flat 2nd degree" label in the upper left appears early at 14:41 instead of 15:07. Also, if you want the degrees in order at 16:45, the sharpened fourth needs to go after the subdominant.
Another thing worth mentioning is that both the major and minor 3rd degrees are called mediant, and both the major and minor 6th degrees are called submediant. Mediant and submediant don't only refer to major scale degrees. So, the proper names would probably be major/minor mediant and submediant, if you want to use those names.
Great Video!!!
Thanks!!
Wow unique idea!
Laura Palmer's Theme from Twin Peaks has the prominent flattened sixth sound as well
I have this theory that the flat 6 is the key to making a song rock. Whenever a song lands heavily on the flat 6, either as a power chord or as a major VI chord in a minor key, the song just takes on some serious power. Some examples:
- Cowgirl in the Sand by Neil Young (chords alternates between Am and the bVI, F)
- Crazy on You by Heart (main riff ends on the bVI)
- In Bloom by Nirvana (2nd chord)
- Still of the Night by Whitesnake (during the breakdown in the middle, the riff alternates between i and bVI)
Anybody else feel this? Any other good examples?
In the flat 7 section you have flat 2 on screen
thanks men !
Aren't the function names exclusive to the harmony? So the chord on the 5th degree is a dominant. But when you play the tonic chord and the melody plays the note on the fifth degree, it's just the 5th of the tonic. That's how I always thought about it. But maybe that's just because I learned music theory from books in german.?
you’re not wrong
@@phatman811 does it mean I‘m right 😅?
I would say the function names are not exclusive of the harmony...... see the above discussion (in the comments) about a sharp 4th vs a flat fifth. Its relative to the key you are in and where the music has come from, where its going, and how you are conceptualizing the harmony.
It most certainly sounds like it makes sense
3:28 - Those three notes are the same as "She's the One" by Robbie Williams, so that's another example of the Mediant, for your British viewers anyway!
The subdominant is named so because the tonic is the dominant of it, the same relation of the dominant to the tonic. Regardless, great video, David.
I call the b2 phrygian tone, b3 minor tone, #4 lydian tone, b6 plagal minor tone, and b7 backdoor tone.
Thank you for the video. Where did you get your shirt?
The caption for flattened 2nd comes in around 14:50 when you’re still talking about the subtonic in the Stones number
Great vid as always! How about Antônio Carlos Jobim's one note samba for a dominant in the key of G?
Great suggestion!
Every major and minor scale share the all but 1 scale degrees
In major:
1st is the tonic
2nd is the supertonic
3rd is the meidiant
#4th/4th is the subdominant
5th is the dominant
6th is the submeidiant
7th is the leading tone/leading note
In minor:
1st is the tonic
b2nd/2nd is the supertonic
b3rd/3rd is the meidiant
4th is the subdominant
b5th/5th is the dominant
b6th/6th is the submeidiant
7th is the subtonic
Forever I’ve thought John was saying “half of what I say is meaning less” (less than what?)… “half of what I say is meaningless” makes waaaaay more sense.
Flat 2, Masked Ball by Jocelyn Pook (Eyes Wide Shut)
Having learned that Don't Look Back in Anger starts on the fifth degree, is it considered word painting because they're singing the word 'so'?
Great video, but my question is… if I listen to a piece of music, how do I know if the first note is the dominant note of an A key or the tonic of E? I can’t see how you can tell without knowing the key. Not a musician so this might be a dumb question.
It's not a dumb question, and I'm probably not qualified to answer that, but that's exactly what he is trying to say at the start, the notes don't matter nor does the exact key. The tonic of a key sounds completely different to the 5th degree.
I think you should see it the opposite way. You assume that when listening to a song most people go "oh yeah that's an A a C and an E" but in reality what happens is we are always off.
So the A we have in our minds might be an A flat, the C a C flat, and the E is flat as well. So we guess the key incorrectly. But one thing we guessed correctly regardless of key is that it's the first, second and fifth degrees of whatever scale. The reason is that the notes in relation to each other have a sound, regardless of key.
David Bennett: *just counts up to the flat 6th*
My brain: "Bruno says it looks like rain..."
With the mediant, since you were playing in Bb major, I thought you were going to do the “Mama” from the first verse of Bohemian Rhapsody.
Hi David could you do a video on the use of sub dominant, dominant and tonic chord sequences in songs...I'm not sure how important this is in composing?
Do an analysis of the chord progression in Billy Joel’s Souvenir. PLEASE