Music Theory and White Supremacy
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staticshock
Veteran
Another thing in music we do our way is conducting. According to “regular” music theory,
You’re supposed to conduct with stiff ass movements
This is Kedrick Taylor, the head director of the marching band at Southern University. He puts so much passion and soul into conducting that I study him so I can do that with my group of kids.
If he would have went to a white college, they would have kicked him out of conducting class if he did that. fukk traditional music theory
You’re supposed to conduct with stiff ass movements
This is Kedrick Taylor, the head director of the marching band at Southern University. He puts so much passion and soul into conducting that I study him so I can do that with my group of kids.
If he would have went to a white college, they would have kicked him out of conducting class if he did that. fukk traditional music theory
Insensitive
Superstar
Stick at it my guy.
The guitar is very fun and rewarding.
Some tips for first position:
open string: E
Notes on the first four frets for the (LOW) E string. F - F# - G - G#
open string: A
Notes on the first four frets for the A string. A# - B - C - C#
open string: D
Notes on the first four frets for the D string. D# - E - F- F#
open string: G
Notes on the first four frets for the G string. G# - A - A# - B
open string: B
Notes on the first four frets for the B string: C - C# - D - D#
open string: E
Notes on the first four frets for the (HIGH) E string: F - F# - G - G#
Treble staff has E-G-B-D-F on the lines. F-A-C-E on the spaces.
The "E" in "FACE", is the highest "E" string, on the guitar or the last open "Space" on the Treble Clef.
The "F" on the second fret is the "F" in Every Good Boy Does Fine or the last line on the Treble Clef.
As you continue to play, you'll be able to orient yourself based on the position you're playing in.
Especially by knowing how the fret board relates to the staff, it's a pain in the ass because the guitar isn't
laid out in a simple way like the piano is.
Thinking on this I think the only way to properly teach Black American forms of music in a formal setting is taking a "sound before symbols" approach and the theory should be continuously shaped/adjusted/revised to fit the music NOT the other way around as it so often is in the western tradition. Emphasis should be placed on ear training and playing by ear THEN give students tools in the form of notation to notate the music they play and hear not attempting to play based on notation.
@IllmaticDelta Thought?
@Insensitive
recently i found this book that is loosely related to your question
Ancient Traditions Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India | by Matthew Montfort. | download
Ancient Traditions Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training through the Traditions of Africa, Bali, and India
by Matthew Montfort.
This book is designed to fill a need for basic rhythmic training through the study of the rhythmic traditions of Africa, Bali and India. While European classical music emphasized the development of harmony, musicians in cultures such as those of Africa, Bali and India developed rhythm to a very advanced degree. Today, there is an increasing interest among contemporary Western musicians in expanding their awareness of these great oral traditions. Jazz, jazz-rock and contemporary classical music have been absorbing many ethnic musical influences through the work of such artists as Don Cherry, John McLaughlin, Oregon, Paul Winter Consort, Do'a, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and the authors own ensemble, Ancient Future. Contemporary musicians have a unique opportunity to broaden their knowledge and skills through studying the music of cultures foreign to their upbringing.
Most non western music traditions are played by ear. I agree in that should be the foundation of learning before learning symbols.
But black american music doesn't necessarily emphasize rhythm over everything like in "forest" African/india/SE asia traditions. If I had to layout the most important aspects of BA music, it would be a swing feel, synocopation, improvisation, and bluesy feels/forms. Everything else is usually built/expanded off that.
Plus we can simply study our own tradition to see what it means to learn through ear training and feel. Learning about difference cultures is cool, but we don't need to base our theory/pedagogy/knowledge of music on them. Our own tradition provides us all the foundation that we need.
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IllmaticDelta
Veteran
yup...that's actually how alot of ADOS music from the blues/gospel/jazz side of things is taught
IllmaticDelta
Veteran
Oh! and I forgot to list "call and response" as one of the essential elements of black american music.
How tf did I forget that?
Insensitive
Superstar
I agree and I disagree.
I feel both concepts should be introduced around roughly the same time.
As you progress to more complex harmony, I feel knowing what you're doing is essential yah know ?
Jazz, Blues, R&B, Funk, Hip-Hop etc. have a very "pick up and play" kind of approach which allows
beginners to ease in and because they all follow the same tradition and use a lot of the same musical
ingredients it can make it easier to switch between the genres.
Though feel and rhythm are immensely important and is what helps to set them all apart, harmony
is where the water gets muddied.
Can you get by completely by ear ? YES!
But I also feel that to get to where the greats are, eventually we have to spend time "getting learned".
Almost all the greats who truly excelled would push for more knowledge eventually.
Guys like Stevie Wonder or Duke Ellington or to make it Hip-Hop Kendrick Lamar or Dr. Dre are not only masters of their
instruments or style but they also combine that with a very strong understanding of the tradition and expanding their musical
capabilities.
IllmaticDelta
Veteran
also @Insensitive
the part I marked off talks about jazz using different written musical notations from the classical/western standard and then it goes into the listening to internalize the "feel"
Insensitive
Superstar
That fits exactly what I'm talking about.
I've been working from my Real Book and learning about different Substitution for certain Chords.
From what I've read a lot of Jazz "Notation" is more "suggestion" than "direction".
I'm no expert by any means and I'll readily admit I'm more amateur than pro but
learning Jazz for me has been equal parts "Theory" and "Listening".
I knew what Triads were, Major, Minor (Harmonic & Melodic), Inversions etc. were
but once I stepped into Jazz. The chords got bigger, the rhythms got harder and
the amount of knowledge I was expected to have to do even the most basic songs
has only increased the level of respect I have for my musical predecessors.
staticshock
Veteran
I was watching this Southern University video & it reminded me of this thread.
Everything they’re doing in this video is considered an abomination by white tight asses who do music. This video has 1 million views & counting just because SU is that good & their sound is so unique.
These kids play with so much passion..they’re putting their souls through those horns. My band director in middle school was a white dude who went to the university of Florida & he’d have a heart attack if he saw this.
They (white folks) say puffing your cheeks when playing is the worst thing you can do, but again fukk their music theory rules. Black folks puffing their cheeks goes back to Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong, Dizzie Gillespie & countless others. You can’t help but to put your all into it when playing in an HBCU band. I spent many long nights at band practice in college playing just like this.
Even with the bands I work with today I tell them to let their instruments talk for them idc how it looks.
Everything they’re doing in this video is considered an abomination by white tight asses who do music. This video has 1 million views & counting just because SU is that good & their sound is so unique.
These kids play with so much passion..they’re putting their souls through those horns. My band director in middle school was a white dude who went to the university of Florida & he’d have a heart attack if he saw this.
They (white folks) say puffing your cheeks when playing is the worst thing you can do, but again fukk their music theory rules. Black folks puffing their cheeks goes back to Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong, Dizzie Gillespie & countless others. You can’t help but to put your all into it when playing in an HBCU band. I spent many long nights at band practice in college playing just like this.
Even with the bands I work with today I tell them to let their instruments talk for them idc how it looks.