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01101
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2009
Total Posts : 318

Posted 10/14/2009 2:49 PM (GMT -6)

A survey (jokingly)... There's a piece of music which has a chord in it that sounds very exotic and fascinating to me. I'd REALLY like to see what it looks like on the staff, because due to it's 'clustery' nature, it's basically impossible for me to separate the pitches by ear. It would cost me about $25 to get the score just to acquire the one chord. What do you think, is it worth it? Is there such a thing as the $25 chord? Lol.

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jk
Registered Member

Date Joined Feb 2009
Total Posts : 574

Posted 10/14/2009 3:52 PM (GMT -6)

$25 - that's about three meals at McDonald's.
Why not take three times a sandwich peanut butter/jelly at home in stead, and purchase "the chord"?

Or why not copy the sound and publish it here? Every chord is free (except J.S. Bach's final sequence in the Matthäus Passion!). Maybe there's some solfeggio genious around who might be able to help you ...

^{Instruments: flute, piano, harpsichord}

^{Deliberately, though decisively change your mind from time to time!}

Cattie
Temple University

Date Joined Mar 2007
Total Posts : 1630

Posted 10/15/2009 9:52 AM (GMT -6)

Hmm... is it REALLY impossible to hear?

I don't think there's anything you can't work out with some degree of experimentation. I can't really imagine any one chord that's IMPOSSIBLE to figure out. So keep that $25 and try harder! You're bound to at least find something that has the same effect - the majority of the time, I don't look in scores when I chance hear something I like... I go to the piano. That way, you have the opportunity of stumbling upon new and different things related to that singular inspiration, and even whole progressions surrounding that one chord.

So, pay to get the answer? Or discover it for yourself for free, with the possibility of a domino effect of ideas?

Jeff Cattie (ASCAP)
Custom Print Dept., Theodore Presser Co. (www.presser.com)
Bachelor of Music, Mus. Ed. - Temple University

Current projects: Piano Sonata No. 4 mvts III and IV; 'Bird Song' Quartet mvts I, II, and VI; 'The Neshaminy' Suite
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MM
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2008
Total Posts : 453

Posted 10/15/2009 11:17 AM (GMT -6)

I have to agree wholeheartedly with Cattie....

"As far as consistency of thought goes, I prefer inconsistency."
--John Cage

The Music of Mike Milillo

jk
Registered Member

Date Joined Feb 2009
Total Posts : 574

Posted 10/15/2009 12:38 PM (GMT -6)

Jeff, Mike,
Analyze this ...
Knowing (thus far) 01101 (al. Bb/C, al. Steve) he already tried so. Otherwise he would rather pay $25 than asking us. 01101 is an experienced guitar player, and definitely has his pride and ego.
So, my conclusion is: he can't find the chord, and the domino-chords are left far behind him.

Steve,
Of course there's a $25 chord, there's also a $100 chord.
The alternative is: have your money and never have that chord ever ... and it saves time.
A dilemma? Not to me: I'd pick the chord (three weeks a slice of bread peanut butter jelly!).

^{Instruments: flute, piano, harpsichord}

^{Deliberately, though decisively change your mind from time to time!}

Cattie
Temple University

Date Joined Mar 2007
Total Posts : 1630

Posted 10/15/2009 12:57 PM (GMT -6)

Here's my main argument - looking at a score isn't an act of music... if it were something far grander (like trying to analyze an entire work full of such chords), then I would say 'yes', go buy it. One chord?

No.

He DOES have his pride and ego, so he would undoubtedly realize that letting one chord beat him is rather shameful, and considering some conductors wouldn't pay $25 for a ten-page score, paying the same for one chord (in these times) would be ridiculous, unless he is planning to analyze the entire work (in which case, it wouldn't be a $25 chord).

Hey, why not pay for food? Food is good, and although we make the colorful statement that music keeps us alive - food ACTUALLY DOES.

jk
Registered Member

Date Joined Feb 2009
Total Posts : 574

Posted 10/15/2009 3:41 PM (GMT -6)

Well tried Jeff!

^{Instruments: flute, piano, harpsichord}

^{Deliberately, though decisively change your mind from time to time!}

lesotho72
Registered Member

Date Joined Dec 2006
Total Posts : 137

Posted 10/15/2009 4:47 PM (GMT -6)

why don't you post the (audio) music and time of the chord in the recording and see if anyone here can id it?

Call it outsourcing before you shell out $25

Just a thought...and I'm curious to hear this $25 chord

Thanks,

Dan

http://www.societyofcomposers.org/user/danielcarr.html

01101
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2009
Total Posts : 318

Posted 10/15/2009 7:48 PM (GMT -6)

Lol. You guys are funny.

Sorry it took me so long, Finale was down for me today. Okay well, first, I understand your positions and normally, I would AGREE with them. I've already come up with my 'own' version of something similar, but I can't get the same mojo from it.

EDIT: Upon further review, I have located a more isolated instance of this chord, which I think will be easier to decipher. In any case, the contest still stands. That's more fun.

Now why would this be worth $25 to me? Well, when it comes to atonal music and comparing what I do to what other, better composers do, what I've found is that I learn from the differences in how our harmonic structures differ, and that includes the simple addition and/or subtraction of certain interval qualities in chordal and melodic structures that I find appealing in their music. Often times, after seeing the exact notation of a chord such as the one in question, I find myself surprised at its construction, and my ears opened just a bit after playing it on the piano later and thinking about it in hindsight, etc. To me it's worth it. Is there much else in the piece that I'd like to see? Well, not really, but I always learn a thing or two about musical pacing and structure when following a score as I'm listening to a piece, so I'm probably going to just purchase the score anyway.

BUT, before I do or do not do that. Here's a challenge for the forum. WHO CAN GET CLOSEST TO THE ACTUAL NOTATION OF THIS CHORD? I'll post my guess. I think it will be fun if you guys want to participate. I'll post the recording in another thread shortly...

And what's all this pride and ego talk? You guys are funny, really. That's not a factor. Why does it always have to go there? The only factor is how badly I want to know what I want to know, and ego and pride do not figure into that equation. You only live once. I'm a composer - what if I died next week $25 poorer, but $25 dollars richer in knowledge and understanding pertaining to the craft that I love and live by? What really matters?

Now Jeff, I disagree. How is looking at a score NOT an act of music? And to take that further, this is a chord that I could likely build an entire piece of music around, especially after I put my own twist on it, and especially if it is indeed near 8-10 notes. That's musical I think.

I appreciate the enjoyable replies; a refreshing moment on this recently lifeless board. However, I'll have to go with Mr. Cage on this one, "As far as consistency of thought goes, I prefer inconsistency." Haha.

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Post Edited (01101) : 10/15/2009 8:01:36 PM (GMT-5)

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