~ simply swapping numbers #'s for letters ~ ~ measuring the intervals from a root by #'s ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 A B C D E F G A
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"What we play is life." |
wiki ~ Louis Armstrong
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In a nutshell; by the numbers. Thinking that the pitch letter names of the diatonic and chromatic scales are already known to the reader, a super easy way into our music theory is to simply begin the process of matching pitch letter names with a corresponding number. In the key of 'C', the letter 'C' is number One, '1', everything else builds out from there. That's the easy part :) |
The tricky part is that each of our essential components have a bit of a different counting system but the good news is that once a letter name is chosen to be '1', it stays 'One.' For example, when thinking in the key of 'A' is always '1' :) Scales are thought of as the numbers 123 not A B C, arpeggios are 135 not A C E, triads are also 135, or even root, 3rd and 5th. Counting a four bar phrase is 1234 2234 3234 4234 etc. Rhythms 1234. It becomes a '12' bar blues. An 'A' section in rhythm changes is always eight bars. Sonata allegro is always 'A A B A' to star ... oops went back to letters, sorry ! Eventually they're all just a swap, pitch letter names and corresponding numbers, depending which component you start with. With some effort, knowing multiple ways to say the same thing, with letters and numbers, wins the day and gets you into the 'conversation' with lots of different artists in a spectrum of venues; from dive bars to formal academies of music. Cool ? Deeper theory numbers ~ music and math. Then there's the ratios for our intervals; the 2:1 octave basis of all, 3:2 of the perfect fifth to get the wheel to create new pitches a turning 12 times for the cycle of 5th's. 'The '440' frequency pitch of today's tuning note, 'A' 440, and its detune to 432 hz. and beyond even, making new musics with a new pitch center of earth tuning. Now midi and the marketplace have created an equal tempered tuned, 24 pitches to the octave keyboard, maybe a deeper nuance for making movie scores ... ? |
Quick review. So not quite on and on depending (unless you be a jazz leaning artist) but for those so curious for sure, that any of these last ideas can probably become a thesis in academia is cool to know. The knowledge base is deep all is related to one another, forming the loops within our Americana musics. |
Jazz leaning artists. Just to note that this numbers approach can get applied to the shedding method too, ensuring that all of the resources are fairly available over the first 12 frets or so. Scale shapes can be numbered into a loop of 5, there's working with a metronome (really for everybody), there's numbers for the chord voicings; 1 5 b7 3 5 8 (15) power barre chord, there's interval studies; major scale in 3rd's, chord progressions by numerical root position so yea ... on and on might be true, for those that get bit the theory bug, doesn't itch so much as make us want to search :) |
Why do? Numerical theory allows us to project any idea onto any pitches of any music, into any key scheme in any style of the past, present and forward. So, anything from anywhere? Yes but we have to flip around the AFA telescope view to get the right focus here. For here are view is all a numerical center :) |
First number. Eggs in a dozen ? 12. Numbers on the face of a clock ? 12 Number of pitches in the chromatic scale ? 12 |
One through #15. This goofy looking chart stage left is the numerical linking to the original intent of this 'by the numbers' discussion. Based on an idea sparked to life during a lesson I took with longtime Alaska jazz guitar ally Mark Manners in its writing, each of our numerical positions within a two octave chromatic scale are examined. The half dozen or so letter / number swaps listed above became the narrative basis for discussion. |
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References. References for this page come from the included bibliography from school and the bandstand, made way easier by the folks along the way. In addition, books of classical literature; from Homer, Stendahl and Laudurie to Rand, Walker and Morrison and of today, provided additional life puzzle pieces to the musical ones, to shape the 'art' page and discussions of this book. Special thanks to PSUC professor Dr. Y. Guibbory, who 40 years ago now provided the spark to ignite a love within me of the weaving of the history of the arts into the evolutions of Americana musical art. |
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"I have to be my own teacher, curious to know the reason for things." |
wiki ~ Laurindo Almeida |
Find an e-book mentor. Always good to have a mentor when learning about things new to us. And with music and its magics, nice to have a friend or two ask questions and collaborate with. Seek and ye shall find. Local high schools, libraries, friends and family, musicians in your home town ... just ask around, someone will know someone who knows someone about music who can help you with your studies of the musical arts with this e-book. |
Intensive tutoring. Luckily for musical artists like us, the learning dip of the 'covid years' can vanish quickly with intensive tutoring. For all disciplines; including all the sciences and the 'hands on' trade schools, that with tutoring, learning blossoms to 'catch us up.' In music ? The 'theory' of making musical art is built with just the 12 unique pitches, so easy to master with mentorship. And in 'practice ?' Luckily old school, the foundation that 'all responsibility for self betterment is ours alone.' Which in music, and same for all the arts, means to do what we really love to do ... to make music :) |
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"These books, and your capacity to understand them, are just the same in all places. Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed, is more important than any other one thing." |
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Academia references of Alaska. And when you need university level answers to your questions and musings, and especially if you are considering a career in music and looking to continue your formal studies, begin to e-reach out to the Alaska University Music Campus communities and begin a dialogue with some of Alaska's finest resident maestros ! |
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Formal academia references near your home. Let your fingers do the clicking to search and find the formal music academies in your own locale. |
"Who is responsible for your education ... ? |
'We energize our learning in life through natural curiosity and exploration, and in doing so, create our own pathways of discovery.' Comments or questions ? |