difference in music theory between western and asian?

[wjfkddf]

It seems that music theory differs in many aspects for western and asian countries (for example, japanese). Would it be hard for me to make japanese rock + pop music if I learn the music theory of western way? (The scales and chord progression seem to be quite different in japanese) or am i misunderstanding something here.

[Griffinator]

If you listen to J-pop, you'll hear that it's very western in its intonation. Traditional Japanese music has no influence whatsoever on J-pop.

[wjfkddf]

how about j-rock/alternative rock?

[Griffinator]

Listen to it. They don't use the traditional instruments that would be necessary to create those tonalities, and they don't re-tune their guitars or their keyboards.

[atFulcrum]

I heard and was blown away by the soundtrack to the Macross Plus series and films; I would never have guessed that the composer is Japanese.

 

Your main concern might well prove to be lyrical scansion. If you happen to be Japanese, then it's probably not a concern at all.

 

If you're thinking about incorporating folk elements in your pop-rock, then yeah, it would probably benefit you to take an ethnomusicology course, but even after that it'd be up to you to integrate the disparate harmonic sensibilities. My GF took that one last year through Berklee. Not sure it's being offered this year though.

[online jazz]

The western civilizations music system is based on the major scale and the harmony derived from it. There are several other systems of music that other cultures derive there traditional music from including atonal, microtonal, and various types of african and asian tonal systems

[skipclone 1]

Not only does Asian rock and pop not use microtonal tuning or nonstandard temperament, some of the producers or musicians may be the same people you`re hearing on your favorite chart toppers at home. I`ve seen pop artists from India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Indonesia live-you or me could jam with them. If you look up exotic scales, almost all of them can be played on a standard tuned rock guitar. There are instruments which can be easily tuned away from the tempered (diatonic) scale-the sitar is maybe the best known. But there is an equivalent of Solfegio (do re mi) in Indian music, the pronunciation is different. You have to check out folk music to hear the original sounds.