23 replies to this topic

[nicklegends]

What's wrong with A#? I'm not a music master, but I don't understand why one particular key is more suitable than another. It would probably be better to use B♭ anyway, since A# has like, nine sharps.

EDIT: This was replying to Powerbracelet.

Edited by nicklegends, 26 June 2008 - 09:14 PM.

[Espilan]

*midi*

Some simple chord stuff going there, that could be usable as a standalone right now for a "quiet" feel, or maybe take the chords and put them to strings or something and use them in another song, or even use them as part of a melody. With something that small, you can pretty much find a place to fit it, and next thing you know, you're on your way.

What's wrong with A#? I'm not a music master, but I don't understand why one particular key is more suitable than another. It would probably be better to use B♭ anyway, since A# has like, nine sharps.

A# has five sharps, nine sharps is definitely impossible since there are only seven note-letters.

As a serious answer, it's probably due to readability and how common the key signature is to begin with. A# is very uncommon if I remember correctly, so reading sheet music in that key might produce some consistent problems with accidentally playing natural notes instead. On the other hand, B♭ only has one flat, and is probably one of the most-common signatures, so it's no surprise that it would be easier to read.

Also, if you do prefer flats over sharps, A#'s equivalent is F♭. That's right, the key signature with all seven flats. Knock yourself out.

Edited by Espilan, 27 June 2008 - 03:28 AM.

[LostInHyru1e]

Thank you all for your input. And I don't plan on Transposing it anytime soon.

Anyway, I've been working on it, it's not done, but here's what I've got so far:

http://www.freewebs....SadnessMidi.mid

Thoughts? I don't really know what to do with it. It's got 4 tracks right now.

EDIT: Oh yeah, when the Flute comes in, the Chords drop off, but this is due to an error I made, it's not supposed to be like that. The finished product will have the Chords all the way through.

Edited by LostInHyru1e, 27 June 2008 - 04:45 PM.

[AgentLym]

Wow. I wish I could make music like that. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how... maybe I'll try out Anvil Studio...

And I really like it! Just, perhaps tone down the flute that comes in half way. It kinda struck me by surprise since it was so sharp a transition. But otherwise, very nice!

[Snarwin]

Well first of all, the piece is in A major (F#, C#, G#), which is a fairly common key, so everyone can stop worrying about that.

A# has five sharps, nine sharps is definitely impossible since there are only seven note-letters.

As a serious answer, it's probably due to readability and how common the key signature is to begin with. A# is very uncommon if I remember correctly, so reading sheet music in that key might produce some consistent problems with accidentally playing natural notes instead. On the other hand, B♭ only has one flat, and is probably one of the most-common signatures, so it's no surprise that it would be easier to read.

Also, if you do prefer flats over sharps, A#'s equivalent is F♭. That's right, the key signature with all seven flats. Knock yourself out.

...I think you might want to be more careful next time you decide to post at 4:00 AM; that post is riddled with errors. To wit:

• A# major has, as nicklegends explains below, ten sharps (four normal and three double). Five sharps is B major. The standard way of writing A# major is with two flats, as Bb major.
• A# minor, on the other hand, is the relative minor of C# major. It can also be written with five flats as Bb minor. All of these are standard key signatures, though they're relatively uncommon.
• Fb major has eight flats (six and one double), and is written by most sane people with four sharps, as E major.
• Fb minor has ten flats (four and three double), and is generally written with one sharp, as E minor.
• The actual key signatures with seven flats are Cb major and Ab minor, which can also be written as B major and G# minor (five sharps), respectively.

Circle of fifths in case anyone isn't convinced.

Edit: As nicklegends explains below, it is, in fact, possible to have more than seven sharps or flats--not that you'd ever want to. I've corrected my post accordingly.

Edited by Snarwin, 01 July 2008 - 05:19 PM.

[nicklegends]

I think you should be more careful with saying that things "don't exist." Most of those things you mentioned exist and are valid; it's just that they're not customary.

For the rest of this post, "x" means "double-sharp."

The traditional way to write the key of A# major is based off the rules that form all the other scales. It would be A#, B#, Cx, D#, E#, Fx, Gx, then A# again, actually creating a scale with ten sharps (yes, I misspoke earlier). Obviously, it's a ridiculous way to rewrite a B♭ major scale, but it doesn't break any musical rules. The reason for the double sharps is that every letter needs representation when writing a scale, and major scales with accidental tonics require that same accidental in all its notes. Perhaps even stranger is the fact that the relative minor of A# major is Fx minor. That would get me confused really quickly.

Yes, I'm drifting WAY away from the topic. The good news is that LostInHyru1e won't have to worry about this at all.

Edited by nicklegends, 01 July 2008 - 04:22 PM.

[LostInHyru1e]

I don't know how staff feel, but I don't mind at all about the off-topicness. It's actually very educational for me, so I don't mind in the slightest.

Back on the topic of the song, I toned down the Flute(which is actually an Ocarina upon remembering) like AgentLym suggested and it sounds much better coming into that part. I've progressed with it a tiny bit, but not so much. I'm working on it right now, actually.

[Snarwin]

I think you should be more careful with saying that things "don't exist." Most of those things you mentioned exist and are valid; it's just that they're not customary.

Well once you allow double sharps and double flats in key signatures, then yes, you can make any key starting on any note you like--after all, a major scale is just a pattern of whole- and half- steps starting on a given note. In fact, you can start one from pretty much any frequency at all; you don't have to limit yourself to the diatonic scale. As long as the ratios of the frequencies are the same, it doesn't matter what the tonic is. But I digress.

So yes, they do exist. You can construct them--not that there's any practical reason you'd ever want to.

[Russ]

Very good. Very, very good. It reminds me a lot of the graveyard from HoD. Regardless, it's very good.