The Toughest Question I've Seen on Music Theory

[AROIOS]

[dazzjazz]

Not a question of music theory, rather the combined effects of amphetamines and psychedelics…

[niacin]

What do you mean? An African or European hi-hat pattern?

[nadroj]

The answer depends on what kind of pizza he’s making. 

[Rodan88]

I don’t know, but that’s the exact harmonic progression the singer I worked with the other night implied while scatting over an F blues.  

[The Real MC]

How much does the gig pay?

[CyberGene]

I know it’s a thread for fun but that joke is so close to the actual reality of mathemat-ization, oversimplification and mass explain-ization of jazz in recent times, it’s the real reason why I stopped listening to jazz. Jazz used to be a great art of intuitive improvisation of selected few masters. But then it became a learned skill of the masses, the equivalent of solving high school math equations. Practice them well enough and you just apply learned patterns. It’s assumed music but is actually the craft of learning and internalizing how to apply modes, scales, licks and whatnot over stock chord progressions with stock voicings. No wonder the audience size is shrinking. End of rant 😀

[The Real MC]

1 minute ago, CyberGene said:

I know it’s a thread for fun but that joke is so close to the actual reality of mathemat-ization, oversimplification and mass explain-ization of jazz in recent times, it’s the real reason why I stopped listening to jazz. Jazz used to be a great art of intuitive improvisation of selected few masters. But then it became a learned skill of the masses, the equivalent of solving high school math equations. Practice them well enough and you just apply learned patterns. It’s assumed music but is actually the craft of learning and internalizing how to apply modes, scales, licks and whatnot over stock chord progressions with stock voicings. No wonder the audience size is shrinking. End of rant 😀

 

You'll get no argument from me.  The art of playing solos that are MELODIES is long lost in jazz.  Fusion too.

[Reezekeys]

27 minutes ago, CyberGene said:

it’s the real reason why I stopped listening to jazz.

 

There's a hell of a lot of jazz that predates the "mathematica-tion" of it in recent times, lol. Some of that style is actually still being played, believe it or not!

[KuruPrionz]

Yes, he can play an E over a C chord and who cares if he doesn't?

Meanwhile, the lady who changes his diapers can sing in Cb and E# simultaneously over Augminished and Demented chords.

 

It will be the best thing ever.

[Docbop]

7 hours ago, dazzjazz said:

Not a question of music theory, rather the combined effects of amphetamines and psychedelics…

The name of the Reddit that post was from says it all....

 

musictheorycirclejerk

[EscapeRocks]

It all leads back to this:

With sheep flying, one yellow and the other headed right;

How much does a pound of asphalt cost, given that the cow is ten years old?

[S_Gould]

...and if a chicken and a half lays an egg and a half in a day and a half, how long would it take for a grasshopper with a wooden leg to kick all the seeds out of a dill pickle?

[The Real MC]

*HEAD EXPLODES*

[Konnector]

I think there's two possible answers: 

42

or 

Nord Lead

[El Lobo]

It depends on whether you play standing or sitting

[Coker]

I think I’m going into the catatonic mode. 

[lightbg]

I want what he's drinking......

[Outkaster]

People really sit around thinking of this stuff??

[KuruPrionz]

1 hour ago, Outkaster said:

People really sit around thinking of this stuff??

What is this "thinking" you speak of?

I'm a guitarist, I don't need to think - at least that's what all the keyboard players tell me... 🤣

[The Real MC]

3 hours ago, Outkaster said:

People really sit around thinking of this stuff??

 

Sadly yes.

I was taught this stuff while taking piano lessons.

Today I am not the least bit analytical thinking of "modes" and whatever while I play.  That stuff became part of my subconscious, and I let my fingers do the thinking.