Zoom Meeting

[Age]

Zoom Zoom today at 4 PM EST.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85493760547?pwd=S29sRzAvWkJYKzI3ZFc5dEs1c1BpZz09

[Age]

Remember, next week's assignment (if you choose to accept it, Mr. Felps  ) is to be prepared to play a number in the key of B on a C Chromatic, (Aaaaaggghhhh!) farkles and and all. (wouldn't be any fun without the farkle factor, and oh yes, no cheating ) Gunna be fun.

Also, maybe we can share some "by ear" and improv exercises just for giggles.

[Age]

ZOOMER THURSDAY @ 4:PM EST
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85493760547?pwd=S29sRzAvWkJYKzI3ZFc5dEs1c1BpZz09#success

[Age]

"And a good time was had by all!"
I dunno, there were 8-9, whatever (the usual suspects)
We all had to play something in B. Aaaaagghhh! it was fun. Lotsa talking, (very little swearing  ) good playing, laughing, mistakes, farkles, clams, cutting up and stuff. I couldn't help but notice (as a "regular" on the meeting) that I can see/hear everyone that participates in these weekly get-togethers, is getting better. No, it's not magic, it's just what happens when musicians "fellowship." (You know "a buncha fellows in a little ship?" It doesn't take long to "be yourself," as you begin to feel the ease of tensions, while being strangely challenged by others in the boat. Kinda like church; even you don't wanna go but go anyway, and you come home felling glad that you went.

C'mon kids! We've been doing these every Thursday for the past 14 months now and the only thing missing is you!
Remember, we're having another one next Thursday.

[brorat]

"And a good time was had by all!"
I dunno, there were 8-9, whatever (the usual suspects)
We all had to play something in B. Aaaaagghhh! it was fun. Lotsa talking, (very little swearing  ) good playing, laughing, mistakes, farkles, clams, cutting up and stuff. I couldn't help but notice (as a "regular" on the meeting) that I can see/hear everyone that participates in these weekly get-togethers, is getting better. No, it's not magic, it's just what happens when musicians "fellowship." (You know "a buncha fellows in a little ship?" It doesn't take long to "be yourself," as you begin to feel the ease of tensions, while being strangely challenged by others in the boat. Kinda like church; even you don't wanna go but go anyway, and you come home felling glad that you went.

C'mon kids! We've been doing these every Thursday for the past 14 months now and the only thing missing is you!
Remember, we're having another one next Thursday.

Can I have an “Amen”?!!

[brorat]

Here's my dilemma:  This past Thursday on our Zoom session, we had an "assignment" to learn a song in the key of B maj on our C chromatic harmonica.  I went onto iRealPro and found a backing track for the song "Unforgettable".  I clicked to change it to the key of B maj, and I worked to learn it on my harmonica.

During the Zoom session, I played it as I had learned it.  There was a group discussion about what key it was really in, and the consensus (by those who understand such things ) was that it was in the key of E maj.  (I presume because the last note of the song is an E.)

I didn't understand why iRealPro would show the tune in B when it was actually in E.  So ... I went online to a site called Moises, which allows me to upload the tune from my computer.  Once uploaded, it shows the key that the song is in.  In my case, it showed that the song was in the key of B maj.

So now I'm totally confused!  How can I definitively tell what key the song is in?  Two different softwares show it is in B, but our Zoom consensus was that it is in E.  I'm going to post it here for some expert discussion!  Did I complete the "assignment" and learn a song in B maj, or did I flunk the day?

BTW, pay no attention to the title of the uploaded tune which indicates a key!  That's what I'm trying to determine!  Thanks!

[servus]

One possibility: Maybe the song doesn't end on the tonic. That happens in modern music - especially jazz. In this case it would end on the third or the tenth. Why not?

PJ

[brorat]

One possibility: Maybe the song doesn't end on the tonic. That happens in modern music - especially jazz. In this case it would end on the third or the tenth. Why not?

PJ

In that case, PJ, what is the key signature of the backing track I posted?  The last note of the song is an E. However, the two software programs I utilized say the sing is in B.
Inquiring minds want to know! 

[servus]

Just listened to the backing track a bunch of times, Doug. My guess is the key of B. The first chord is a B.The last chord is not an E. Or let's say I don't think so. Playing it over and over again, I hear a D (not a D#). D is a minor third above B. That means somehow the backing track may end  on a Bminor chord, meaning a switch from Bmajor to Bminor. That happens in jazz - and the backing track is after all kind of jazzy.

PJ

[Age]

I just played it and blew more clams and farkles than the law allows, so yeah, it's definitely in B. I also used my other little trick below.

                                                      Finding the key
I just normally find what sounds to me like the single root note of the piece, then play the rest of the notes that make up the chord that go with that root note, and see if it makes sense, and when it does, I know the key. (works  for me 99 times out of a hundred (or more)

[Age]

Another way to do it is to play chords on another instrument, like (in my case) a chord harumka or guitar. You'll know for absolutely sure when the chords "link up."

[Laina]

Playing notes of the key scale with the backing it sounds like B, with the melody starting on the fifth. Another way I can usually locate a key without too much faffing when playing by ear is to noodle on G & G#, seems to work neatly on eliminating what key it isn't in, if that makes sense.

Does anyone else use Perfect Piano app?  I've got it on my phone and tablet - really useful for working out melodies,chords etc when you've no harmonica, keyboard etc to hand. It records too.

[brorat]

Thanks all!  I'm now convinced that iRealPro didn't mislead me, and that the backing track is really in B.  I was losing faith in my technology!  Oh, no!!

FWIW, the notation on iRealPro shows the first chord of the song is B maj 7th.  The last chord of the song is shown as E6.  When I am playing the song, the very last note of the song is E (open blow on hole 2). 

This has been a pretty cool exercise demonstrating how little I know about music theory!  My "new" mission, should I choose to accept it ...

[Age]

Ha ha! I just realized, I never look at the chords on iReal, cept maybe to see when the number in gunna end. I even looked for a way to eliminate them from the ap so I would have more room on my desktop for all the other stuff I got going on for our zoom meetings.

[servus]

An esoteric skill, these chord changes. Oh, and thanks for the tip about pocket piano, Laina. That all this stuff exists digitally leaves me bit and byteless.

PJ

[Vale]

Does anyone else use Perfect Piano app?  I've got it on my phone and tablet - really useful for working out melodies,chords etc when you've no harmonica, keyboard etc to hand. It records too.

I do, Laina. I also got a mini midi keyboard that I use with it when I am on business travels. I find it very helpful, especially for an ear player like me, to learn and experiment with music theory.

[Gnarly He Man]

Does anyone else use Perfect Piano app?  I've got it on my phone and tablet - really useful for working out melodies,chords etc when you've no harmonica, keyboard etc to hand. It records too.

I do, Laina. I also got a mini midi keyboard that I use with it when I am on business travels. I find it very helpful, especially for an ear player like me, to learn and experiment with music theory.

I downloaded Perfect Piano upon your recommendation, it’s free (with in-app purchases available, are you using those?).

[Vale]

I downloaded Perfect Piano upon your recommendation, it’s free (with in-app purchases available, are you using those?).

I have not, until now.

[Laina]

Does anyone else use Perfect Piano app?  I've got it on my phone and tablet - really useful for working out melodies,chords etc when you've no harmonica, keyboard etc to hand. It records too.

I do, Laina. I also got a mini midi keyboard that I use with it when I am on business travels. I find it very helpful, especially for an ear player like me, to learn and experiment with music theory.

I downloaded Perfect Piano upon your recommendation, it’s free (with in-app purchases available, are you using those?).

I've not used any yet.

[Lockjaw Larry]

I just downloaded the app and tickled it a little.  I look forward to exploring it deeper as time, and resolve, permits.  I usta have a similar, if simpler, one on my iPad so I either deleted it to save space or now have two apps.

[Age]

Last I checked, the only aps I have are either on my mac or PC.
I flat-out hate sell-fones, and just about everything that goes with them. I musta investigated over a hundred personal injury cases where folks got creamed by some moron texting & driving.  🤬

Yeah, I have one, but I keep it powered off and in a drawer (somewhere in the garage I think I check it for texts every few days or so for texts and stuff. If an ap doesn't won't work on my computers, I just do without'em.

[brorat]

I don’t text or read texts while I’m driving. I put my phone in a holder in the car and I have Bluetooth connectivity with a button on my steering wheel that activates the ability to tell some unknown female who I want to call.
Seriously, I see my smart phone as a valuable tool. I use it for lots of things that make my life better. Admittedly my phone is old, but…so am I, and I’m still pretty useful.
I agree there are those that misuse smart phones and who depend on them for more than they should.
That’s not the phone’s fault!  It’s like any other tool…used properly it can be a big help.

[Age]

THAT (what you just mentioned) is the ONLY thing I like about a cell phone. Now that I retired from that "investigator in the hood" thing, where I actually used it to talk to clients and/or the law office, I almost never use the thing. Whenever I do, (and I'm rolling) I ALWAYS use the Bluetooth on the steering wheel thing, which is actually pretty cool.

I ALWAYS use that feature to talk to DannyG when we're enroot to the party every year. Other than that, I make maybe two or three calls a month on the silly thing, really. Every time I look at the thing laying around the house, it's lighting up for no reason, so I just turn it off till I need to get a text with an access number or something, then I shut it back to the default "off/dead" position and keep it in the microwave in my garage. Yeah, I know, I'm nuts, but being nuts can be a lotta fun if ya do it right. 

Every time I turn it on it says "YOUR MICROSOFT ACCOUNT NEEDS ATTENTION" to which I just say "Yeah right! Bite me" and clear the screen

Gettin' crankier all the time. Whatta hoot!

[Vale]

I know that this has nothing to do with the common sense concept of a phone, but I love the fact that with smart phone tech today I can be in a hotel room and connect a mini midi keyboard to my phone and actually play some harmony. Of course, we love harmonicas, and we can play them in hotel rooms without the need of technology I actually find it to be a remarkably interesting practice session, when you must try to play the chrom at a very low volume.

[Age]

Yeah, I have an old (waaay old) the first generation Android smart (yeah right) phone that ain't connected to my home network, and won't even work on any phone service anymore cuz it's so old, but I use it every night. I keep it plugged in (charging) and it plays an audio version of the Bible to me while I sleep. When I wake up, I let it play the that Acappella worship album (both of which can be downloaded from the downloads page on the main site, then I usually move over to "The Best of Bonnie Raitt" (I love that old girl!) and sometime I use that little Android to play all my backup tracks. (I got a zillion of those on there too) So yeah, they are good for some things.

[Age]

Don't forget: ZOOM meeting today at 4:00 EST

[Age]

Don't forget: ZOOMER today at 4:00 EST
click the SlideMeister logo at the top left for details

[brorat]

I have a minor plumbing issue that might interrupt my time on Zoom today.  I plan to be on the Zoom, but if the guy actually shows up late, I'll quietly take my leave.  Just didn't want anyone the think badly of me

[Age]

Yeah, you and me both! (only mine is a strained back issue) but I'll be there. Just ate another ibuprofen sandwich 

[Age]

Okay, heading down to the old basement Zoom-Room/studio,  See ya there guys!