Indian music is melodic. In melody we sing one note at a time. In case of Indian movie (film) songs, the melody still has a role to play. But singing only one note at a time does not satisfy the needs of the film industry, which requires the film songs to sound "modern". This translates into adding 'hot', loud beat and heavy orchestration to accompany the melodic line. This has made our film music a kind of hybrid. Much of the current Indian film music tends to sound like dance music. Melody, the queen of the past days, is now relegated to a much less important position.
To achieve this added punch to the 'dry' melodic line, harmonizing Western music style is extensively employed. Chords and chord progressions accompany the melodic lines, so that the music sounds fuller. This makes it necessary that we learn the rudiments of chords as employed in Indian film music. What, you may ask, is a chord?
A chord is a combination of three (or more) notes played at the same time. All chords are formed by playing simultaneously three or more notes, according to definite rules.
Chords are played, mostly by your lrft hand, and mostly in the left-most keyboard (harmonium) area. Since you are learning harmonium, and NOT the electronic keyboard, your left hand is already occupied with the task of pumping the bellows to force air onto the reeds of the harmonium. So, how do you play the chords? Well, you simply CANNOT -- unless you do something about this problem. I will not take up this issue here. I would only say that, in spite of this problem, you should have a rudimentary information about chords. And, you should be able to play the chords we will use to accompany our songs, in a simple way. In the next article, we will deal with the chords that we need to use more commonly.
A chord is a combination of three (or more) notes played at the same time. All chords are formed by playing simultaneously three or more notes, according to definite rules.
PLEASE REVISE Harmonium Lesson 2: The Basics. Keep the keyboard diagram in view. Please remember, once again, that any key can become a Sa; but we have assumed the first white key to be the Sa (S), for convenience and convention, simplicity and uniformity.
CHORD: TYPES and SYMBOLS. Out of a very, VERY large number of chords, we need to do only very, VERY few of those. To avoid any confusion and conflict of symbols, I have entirely Indianised (Indianized?) the names of the types and symbols of the chords. Later on, in a separate article, only for your information, I will present you with the comparative names used in this Indian syatem and those used in the Western system.
MAJOR CHORDS
Chord Type 1: Major Chords. Symbol V. A major chord is formed when we simultaneously play three notes S-G-P or an equivalent combination. Let me explain by assigning key numbers, calling Sa (S) as key number 1.
Note: S key number: 1
r .......... 2
R .......... 3
g .......... 4
G .......... 5
m .......... 6
M .......... 7
P .......... 8
d .......... 9
D .......... 10
n .......... 11
N .......... 12
S' .......... 13
r' .......... 14
R' .......... 15
g' .......... 16
G' .......... 17
m' .......... 18
M' .......... 19
P' .......... 20
So, to play the major chord S-G-P, you will play key numbers 1-5-8. This major chord is called S major. Using the symbol 'V' for a major chord, S major chord will be written as SV.
Similarly, the major chord "rV" will be formed of the following notes (to be played all at a time): r-m-d. How can we say that? Like this: Now, r is key number 2. So the new set of three keys [in the relative distance 1-5-8] will be 2-6-9. The keys 2-6-9 represent the notes r-m-d. Here is the complete list of the major chords we will use:
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S major chord, symbol SV, key# 1-5-8, notes S-G-P
r major chord, symbol rV, key# 2-6-9, notes r-m-d
R major chord, symbol RV, key# 3-7-10, notes R-M-D
g major chord, symbol gV, key# 4-8-11, notes g-P-n
G major chord, symbol GV, key# 5-9-12, notes G-d-N
m major chord, symbol mV, key# 6-10-13, notes m-D-S'
M major chord, symbol MV, key# 7-11-14, notes M-n-r'
P major chord, symbol PV, key# 8-12-15, notes P-N-R'
d major chord, symbol dV, key# 9-13-16, notes d-S'-g'
D major chord, symbol DV, key# 10-14-17, notes D-r'-G'
n major chord, symbol nV, key# 11-15-18, notes n-R'-m'
N major chord, symbol NV, key# 12-16-19, notes N-g'-M'
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Similar sets of notes will apply in all the three octaves. So much for the major Chords.
Please note:
WHATERVER KEY IS YOUR Sa, the major keys will retain their names (like, for example, R major chord), will retain their symbols (like, for example, RV), will retain their key# (like, for example, 3-7-10), will retain their notes combination (like, for example, R-M-D).
In the Part III of this series, we will take up the Minor Chords.
MINORCHORDS
A chord is a combination of three (or more) notes played at the same time. All chords are formed by playing simultaneously three or more notes, according to definite rules.
PLEASE REVISE Harmonium Lesson 2: The Basics. Keep the keyboard diagram in view. Please remember, once again, that any key can become a Sa; but we have assumed the first white key to be the Sa (S), for convenience and convention, simplicity and uniformity.
Chord Type II: Minor Chords. Symbol L. A minor chord is formed when we simultaneously play three notes S-g-P or an equivalent combination. Let me explain by assigning key numbers, calling Sa (S) as key number 1.
Note: S key number: 1
r .......... 2
R .......... 3
g .......... 4
G .......... 5
m .......... 6
M .......... 7
P .......... 8
d .......... 9
D .......... 10
n .......... 11
N .......... 12
S' .......... 13
r' .......... 14
R' .......... 15
g' .......... 16
G' .......... 17
m' .......... 18
M' .......... 19
P' .......... 20
So, to play the minor chord S-g-P, you will play key numbers 1-4-8. This minor chord is called S minor. Using the symbol 'L' for a minor chord, S major chord will be written as SL.
Similarly, the minor chord "rL" will be formed of the following notes (to be played all at a time): r-G-d. How can we know that? Like this: Now, r is key number 2. So the new set of three keys [in the relative distance 1-4-8] will be 2-5-9. The keys 2-5-9 represent the notes r-G-d. Here is the complete list of the minor chords we will use:
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S minor chord, symbol SL, key# 1-4-8, notes S-g-P
r minor chord, symbol rL, key# 2-5-9, notes r-G-d
R minor chord, symbol RL, key# 3-6-10, notes R-m-D
g minor chord, symbol gL, key# 4-7-11, notes g-M-n
G minor chord, symbol GL, key# 5-8-12, notes G-P-N
m minor chord, symbol mL, key# 6-9-13, notes m-d-S'
M minor chord, symbol ML, key# 7-10-14, notes M-D-r'
P minor chord, symbol PL, key# 8-11-15, notes P-n-R'
d minor chord, symbol dL, key# 9-12-16, notes d-N-g'
D minor chord, symbol DL, key# 10-13-17, notes D-S'-G'
n minor chord, symbol nL, key# 11-14-18, notes n-r'-m'
N minor chord, symbol NL, key# 12-15-19, notes N-R'-M'
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Similar sets of notes will apply in all the three octaves. So much for the minor Chords.
Please note:
WHATERVER KEY IS YOUR Sa, the minor keys will retain their names (like, for example, R minor chord); will retain their symbols (like, for example, RL); will retain their key# (like, for example, 3-6-10); will retain their notes combination (like, for example, R-m-D).
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