Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#647971 03/22/21 07:43 AM
Songwriting
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381
Tangmo Offline OP
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381
At least the ones in your mind.

I've written a piece in the key of Dmajor. Chords used are just D major (I), G major (IV) and A7 (V). It has a middle section that is almost completely hanging on a G major chord for 8 bars, with just a brief turn back to the D major chord progression it started with.

Because it is so long (and of such a different timbre/character) it kinda feels like a key change to G major, but since there are no other chords to "give away" a new tonal center to G, it may NOT be.

So...did I accidentally modulate? What key/scale should I be telling for a solo over that section (planning at present to hire a soloist to improvise) Dmajor or Gmajor? Or would either of those be helpful info?

I'm in no way afraid of being eccentric, so if one might sound "weirder" than the other, that's ok...but good to know in advance. I just want to be able to communicate.

Thanks.

Last edited by Tangmo; 03/22/21 08:23 AM.

BIAB 2021 Audiophile. Windows 10 64bit. Songwriter, lyricist, composer(?) loving all styles. Some pre-BIAB music from Farfetched Tangmo Band's first CD. https://alonetone.com/tangmo/playlists/close-to-the-ground
Songwriting
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,836
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,836
kinda hard to tell without hearing it.


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Songwriting
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381
Tangmo Offline OP
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381
https://soundcloud.com/user-47797156/gob-key-test/s-GJMvj88ZiZw

OK. There's enough of it to get my point across--52 seconds. First bit, I, IV, V of D...false ending...middle 8 G major chord with a bit of a transition...return to original progression.

Last edited by Tangmo; 03/23/21 03:42 AM. Reason: Corrected link.

BIAB 2021 Audiophile. Windows 10 64bit. Songwriter, lyricist, composer(?) loving all styles. Some pre-BIAB music from Farfetched Tangmo Band's first CD. https://alonetone.com/tangmo/playlists/close-to-the-ground
Songwriting
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,047
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,047
Bad link? It says track not found, Tangmo.

Songwriting
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381
Tangmo Offline OP
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381
Thanks, Dave. I have it marked "private" and didn't know there is super secret decoder link required for all pesky other people.

Edited the above, but here it is again.

https://soundcloud.com/user-47797156/gob-key-test/s-GJMvj88ZiZw


BIAB 2021 Audiophile. Windows 10 64bit. Songwriter, lyricist, composer(?) loving all styles. Some pre-BIAB music from Farfetched Tangmo Band's first CD. https://alonetone.com/tangmo/playlists/close-to-the-ground
Songwriting
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,047
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,047

After noodling over it for a bit, I would probably stick to D major pentatonic and/or D minor pentatonic, for the main section, but over that 'G' section I would stick to D major pentatonic, those are the notes that sound best to me.

But, if you are hiring someone and you want them to improvise, just let them do their thing I think.

Songwriting
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,836
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,836
Personally I didn't hear anything wrong with it. That middle section of 4 based on G ... it provided a tension that needed to be resolved but you actually did it in a decent manner. It resolved nicely by returning to the original progression of D G A.

In no way did that middle section sound like a key change to me. You resolved it. You could have used it to change keys but when you resolved back to the original progression, you released the tension.

Yeah.... I'd say go with it like it is.


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Songwriting
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381
Tangmo Offline OP
Expert
OP Offline
Expert
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,381
Oh, no question that I'm going to go with it like it is. Any "key change" (if there actually is one) might be accidental, but the chords are exactly like I want them to be. The issue is "resolution", though. If I'm going to ask for a melodic lead, key matters (or certainly MAY matter). That short melody also needs to resolve and/or modulate.

The real issue is "communication" though. I've got no choice but to let him/her do their own thing, but I feel like I have some choice in how I "hear" it as everyone hears music differently, and if I can't communicate that, then I've frittered away my input.

Side note: I looked up the chord formed by all the notes of both the D and G triads. Turns out it's a Gmaj9 and no naturally occurring D based chord was listed. Might be kinda fun to ask for something of an arpeggiated Gmaj9 (or some inversion thereof) to be considered, at least in part.


BIAB 2021 Audiophile. Windows 10 64bit. Songwriter, lyricist, composer(?) loving all styles. Some pre-BIAB music from Farfetched Tangmo Band's first CD. https://alonetone.com/tangmo/playlists/close-to-the-ground
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Moderated by  Andrew - PG Music, PeterGannon 

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
Holiday Weekend Hours

As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:

April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours

Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!

— Team PG

Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!

If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!

If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!

Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!

PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.

The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.

The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.

Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!

Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.

Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!

Order now!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!

Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!

We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!

Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.

Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.

There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!

Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.

If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!

Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!

We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.

When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.

Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,124
Posts800,508
Members40,037
Most Online44,367
Mar 4th, 2026
Newest Members
tama30, Dewbert, shelipicia, Shakey2, Matt1575
40,037 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 141
rsdean 99
DC Ron 96
WaoBand 64
Today's Birthdays
amsi rizqollah, Spinning Mouse, Zuriel Rubio
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5