My Utterly Spiffing Guide to Light Music. Part 2: Block chords

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  • Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025

Комментарии • 119

  • @calvin808
    @calvin808 7 лет назад +86

    Seriously....this guy is a legend. Most underrated youtuber on earth.

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +3

      John Heath Kind of you. Thanks very much.

    • @palewine
      @palewine 4 года назад +2

      Completely agree

  • @nandoflorestan
    @nandoflorestan 7 лет назад +39

    "Only a hooligan would do that!" HAHAHHAHAHAHAH

    • @DavidGossettMusic
      @DavidGossettMusic 7 лет назад

      *devilish smirk*
      Repeatedly mashes iiim7b9 chord...

  • @justifyed1911
    @justifyed1911 4 года назад +1

    OMG!!! You are the GOAT! A legend like others have said! This is greatest explanation EVER! Thank you Reginald Folly!!!! lol

  • @Tsharkeye
    @Tsharkeye 7 лет назад +14

    Haha this is amazing! :) And you've grrrreatly improved your 1950's accent!
    Sincerely,
    A rambunctious little pumkin

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +8

      ThomasNL Many thanks you squeezy little cheesecake.

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +1

      Can I also ask you a harmony question which is relevant for the next video, as you're good with that.
      If I was passing from C6 to Dm9 and I put this chord in between:
      Db, A, Bb, Db, E
      Is that a Db diminished, but with a 6 instead of a b5? And what do you call it?
      Sounds ace as a passing chord!

    • @Tsharkeye
      @Tsharkeye 7 лет назад +3

      Alex Ball it's actually a secondary dominant! A(7)b9 with the third (so its actually C# not Db) in the bass. It is without the 7 but you'll see you can easily add a G no problem. At least that's what i think :)

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +2

      You legend - of course it is. So it's like a V - I but inverted so there's a chromatic step up - C, C#, D.
      Makes perfect sense as to why it sounds right then! That's from a Robert Farnon piece, wondered what it was and now I know! Will have to include that in my next video.
      What's your email, could I fire a few more of these at you?

    • @Tsharkeye
      @Tsharkeye 7 лет назад +3

      No problem man :) Glad to return the favor! And i'll send you a pm

  • @kevinmccaughey7011
    @kevinmccaughey7011 4 года назад

    I ca't believe there are how-to videos in exactly the niche that I'm interested in. Plus humor. And plain good sense. Bless you, Alex Ball, for bringing spectacularly sensible videos into a crazy world.

  • @markdavenport2613
    @markdavenport2613 7 лет назад +2

    Splendid job, you punctilious frat! Such a wonderful explanation without giving us all a case of the gringles.

  • @royedwards8157
    @royedwards8157 7 лет назад +5

    another outstanding achievement! Lovely stuff!

  • @horizontalblanking
    @horizontalblanking Год назад

    I’ve been watching your channel for some time, but thought I would travel back in time to see what the very earliest days of Alex Ball were like. These are pure GOLD. I’ve always been a fan of this style, and learning about its construction is fantastic! Shame about that double flat, however.

  • @nRGmusicproduction
    @nRGmusicproduction 7 лет назад +6

    This video is so informative and helpful. You are genius. Thank you for that!

  • @KronoMuzik
    @KronoMuzik 7 лет назад +4

    Amazing! Looking forward to seeing the next episode

  • @TheKnightimeProject
    @TheKnightimeProject 7 лет назад +2

    My dear, dear fellow, please do not fail to bring us more of this outlandish or, dare I say, saucy little series; my eyes and ears cannot wait. Toodle pip!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +1

      +TheKnightimeProject Why thank you Sir.
      There most definitely will be several more. They take a lot of effort to research and make, so will take some time, but fear not, they're coming.
      I bid you toodles.

  • @dbo514
    @dbo514 2 года назад

    Bloody hell, this series was a masterpiece!

  • @tnt767
    @tnt767 7 лет назад +1

    Fantastic explanation and thoroughly entertaining!

  • @graxjpg
    @graxjpg 4 года назад

    What a delightful elucidation of these most important concepts. Quite the riveting journey.

  • @Eduaro2U
    @Eduaro2U 7 лет назад +16

    Beautifully done - I think I need to hang around here, I could learn a lot.

  • @Mr.TeETH78
    @Mr.TeETH78 3 года назад

    Alex, I love your videos and music! Thanks, man!

  • @ornleifs
    @ornleifs 6 лет назад +1

    Absolutely wonderful - these videos are pure gold.

  • @d.1565
    @d.1565 7 лет назад +3

    Oh my... the accent!! You make the king’s jive hahaha I know I was a bit of a party pooper before, but not only your 50s sound improved exponentially, I really appreciate your effort in putting these together. Great job!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +2

      D. Corso Very kind of you, thanks.
      Yeah, listening back it's improving each time. Would change a lot on the first few if I did them again, but that's the whole point of practicing!

    • @d.1565
      @d.1565 7 лет назад +2

      I know sometimes words may sound harsh - I may even deserve a knuckle sandwich here and there - but I'm glad you were mature about it (most aren't) and focused on improving your chops. It's showing, Alex. You have my appreciation and respect! Cheers.

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +2

      D. Corso Cheers, that humble of you.
      Appreciate the internet is an anonymous thing and I pop up out of nowhere with my videos and some folk might think "who the hell is this jerk?"
      Glad to be improving. Onwards and upwards!

  • @Ndo01
    @Ndo01 6 лет назад +4

    This is invaluable!

  • @russellyoung6498
    @russellyoung6498 2 года назад

    Just found this, insanely brilliant and useful too!

  • @paulhoffman-music
    @paulhoffman-music 5 лет назад

    So brilliant!! Can’t wait to try this in Note Flight and make my own. Thanks for making these videos!

  • @ricodomonkos3053
    @ricodomonkos3053 4 года назад

    Hilarious! You have just nailed the accent and the tone perfectly! :)

  • @judpratt6632
    @judpratt6632 4 года назад

    Alex... I was poking around RUclips tonight for something to watch while I had my dinner (ah quarantine!) I'm subscribed to your channel and thought maybe I'd check out one of your retro synth videos but then this series caught my eye. I love it!! Funny AND I'm learning some actual music theory stuff in the process! Love your videos! Thanks for all the hard work you put into them!!!

  • @dxntstress
    @dxntstress 4 года назад

    "I used to have a sauce double flat in Mayfair" HAHAHAHAHAHA. Amazing video Alex, I'm learning so much. Thank you for all the research.

  • @MrOliverTube
    @MrOliverTube 4 года назад

    love your way to deliver....

  • @tanukijessica
    @tanukijessica 7 лет назад +1

    This series is superb. Well done old chap.

  • @maninacupboard
    @maninacupboard 7 лет назад +4

    That Reginald Folly is a bally clever chap!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +3

      +maninacupboard And a little bit of a deviant..

  • @HoraceMash
    @HoraceMash 2 года назад

    When I heard your initial piano reduction of your first exemplar I was quite disappointed: how could such a common modern progression yield anything spiffing, I thought. But Lo, by the time you added your final (lemon) celli, you had confected the lightest, most uplifting aural treat. I have dashed off a congratulatory telegram which should be with you by 1953.

  • @zakerymizell8838
    @zakerymizell8838 7 лет назад +5

    Super excited for episode 3 after the teaser! I love how simple these techniques are; just a few extensions, some substitutions, a sprinkle of chromaticism, and lots of pep. I think it may be about time more me to give it a try!
    One note, at 4:25 you're talking about VIIdim7 but have IVdim7 written above the chord. Of course they are equivalent anyway, but I don't think it was intentional.
    Really loving these videos! Thank you for your dedication!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад

      Thanks Zak. 4:25 - yes you're right. I've copied and pasted that and forgotten to change it to say VII. So easy to miss something on a longer video like this with loads of slides.
      Such an ace genre. I'm basically figuring out how these things are put together and then sharing that online. So I'm learning it too.
      I expect I could now work out what this is from the melody and bass line alone: ruclips.net/video/FWKGIupViVw/видео.html

  • @ReubenCornell
    @ReubenCornell 7 лет назад +5

    THIS IS GENIUS!!!

  • @carstenaltena
    @carstenaltena 7 лет назад +2

    This tutorial is insanely good.

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +1

      +Carsten Altena Cheers! Glad you enjoyed.

  • @dominicirving
    @dominicirving 7 лет назад +3

    Pure gold.

  • @erikradbo
    @erikradbo 7 лет назад

    I'm utterly eager to see the next episode, impatiently waiting :)!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад

      Should be up in the next week. Long story, but basically I've had to remake it several times.

  • @SayceBuckleyFreak
    @SayceBuckleyFreak 4 года назад

    THis whole series has been amazing !! thank you so much !!

  • @stefanlang3178
    @stefanlang3178 7 лет назад +4

    Very good. Thank you.

  • @garywalker7493
    @garywalker7493 3 года назад

    This is awesome. I keep expecting Leslie Phillips or James Robertson Justice to show up :)

  • @ravenmusic932
    @ravenmusic932 7 лет назад +1

    Hey Alex,
    I noticed the 2nd part 2 months too late, but I am glad, you keep on going. This part is definitely a step up from the first one in educational quality. It's also interesting that you broke my rules of harmonizing melodies with block chords - I would have done a couple of different choices, but it's fascinating to see that it still works. On the other hand I have seen a couple of surprising choices in the scores of the masters as well.
    I really hope you bring up some material on the roles of the other sections in future parts.

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад

      +Daniel Raab Thanks Daniel. Yeah, I decided to cover the most common way I see if done in the scores I've studied, but you're right, there's other options.
      I've pretty much finished the next episode on complex harmony and legato strings but I'm getting effectively peer reviewed before I upload it to avoid any errors. In fact, maybe I could run it past you?
      And yep, woodwinds after that, then brass and then putting an entire piece together. Then after that, an episode on using virtual instruments.

    • @ravenmusic932
      @ravenmusic932 7 лет назад

      Actually, I thought something else would be common according to the couple of scores I had. In the end, you won't hear the difference at this tempo anyway.
      If you like, I can gladly review your next video. E-Mail still is d_raab(at)gmx.net. Please leave some notes, if I am supposed to pay attention to certain aspects.

  • @jeremiahlyleseditor437
    @jeremiahlyleseditor437 3 года назад

    This is adorable.

  • @jeduardolopezo
    @jeduardolopezo 7 лет назад +2

    Hahaha, this is great man! thanks!!

  • @samdhoss
    @samdhoss 4 года назад

    This is SUPER useful. THANK YOU ^ ^

  • @stevebaldock4967
    @stevebaldock4967 7 лет назад +1

    Marvellous !!

  • @roop298
    @roop298 5 лет назад

    Splendid.

  • @michal.gawron
    @michal.gawron 3 года назад

    Perfect light music. I wonder how this would sound made on synths, not trying to replicate classical instruments, but rather using modern synth timbres.

  • @TheBaton
    @TheBaton 6 лет назад

    Wow, I'm learnding! No seriously, never realized there are clear "rules" in light music. Maybe I shall start my Reaper and try to come up with something similar.

  • @bobheatliesongs
    @bobheatliesongs 7 лет назад +1

    Love it!

  • @TimHareFranchisedYouth
    @TimHareFranchisedYouth 7 лет назад +1

    This needs infinitely more views and likes. Any chance you'll post the sheet music for more in-depth spiffy analysis? What Light music composers did you study?

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +1

      Tim Hare You've reminded me, I was totally going to put a PDF of the scores from this video in the description. Totally forgot.
      The scores I hired and studied are by these composers:
      Robert Farnon
      Angela Morley
      David Rose
      Trevor Duncan (Leonard Trebilco)
      Steve Bretton (Leonard Trebilco)
      Alan Perry (Ernest Tomlinson)
      Jack Strachey
      Edward White
      Clive Richardson
      Sidney Torch
      Billy Mayerl

    • @TimHareFranchisedYouth
      @TimHareFranchisedYouth 7 лет назад

      Please do put a PDF up! I look forward to part 3. Heinz Kiessling has some great light music cues if you are unfamiliar with his work

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад

      +Tim Hare Yes Heinz Kiessling is ace. As is Werner Tautz.
      Can't find any proper sheet music of their stuff unfortunately.

  • @carlesmgomez
    @carlesmgomez 6 лет назад

    Dear Mr Folly,
    This is fucking gold!!
    Yours faithfully,
    Carles M.

  • @HagaiDavidoff
    @HagaiDavidoff 4 года назад

    Amazing musician and entertainer! This is pure gold and deserves millions of views! Thank you so much.
    BTW, which sample libraries did you use? sound so good!!!

  • @Qjimbo
    @Qjimbo 7 лет назад +13

    Dear Sir
    I am writing to inform you I have just received your telegram. I say! What a marvelous guide! I can deduce that the original composers likely followed a clear set of rules when crafting the score. One wonders if the original composers even needed to hear the result as they wrote it by following such rules. I kindly welcome your thoughts on this matter.
    With regards

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +5

      Why thank you for your felicitations my good man.
      There's basic rules for sure, but they all broke the rules lots and did unexpected things. They were all pretty serious orchestrators who often did Light Music under pseudonyms.
      The harmony in Angela Morley's stuff is bonkers, I'm hoping to cover some of those ideas.

    • @chrishopkins209
      @chrishopkins209 5 лет назад +1

      She did some great stuff on the Goon Show too....give yourself a toast with some ginger beer!

    • @bronson1392
      @bronson1392 4 года назад +1

      Alex Ball wally stott..who’d have thunk?

  • @martybrueggemann8839
    @martybrueggemann8839 6 лет назад +2

    Ah, those Celli diads - eureka!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  6 лет назад +2

      Small thing that makes a big difference!

  • @4umata
    @4umata 5 лет назад

    I was utterly baffled to find this vid has only 7k views, it's so spiffy!!!

  • @hpotter22090
    @hpotter22090 7 лет назад +3

    Hello, I was curious as to whether you were familiar with the genre of library music, also known as stock or production music?
    Normally, they are responsible for the background music of various cartoons and beat samplers, however quite a few early works could be classified under the umbrella of light music. Some noted labels include KPM, De Wolfe, and Brull-Harmonic. Unfortunately, they are little known and physical copies can be hard to find since they were only meant to be used in the film and television industry and not meant to be sold to the public.
    Quite a few were used as test card music on the BBC such as "Jazz Interlude" and "Swing Doors" and performed by the likes of the Charles Brull Dance Orchestra, the Group Forty Orchestra, the Group Eight Players, and the Sid Phillips Septet.
    Some of these instrumentals have made their way across the pond in a moderately-known video game series, Fallout. Unusually, they are played in full on the in-game radio alongside other period songs, though the latter are much easier to find information on.

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +2

      +hpotter22090 Hi.
      Yes, you're absolutely right. A lot was for TV and was composed under pseudonyms as composers wanted to maintain their reputation in the concert hall.
      I'm familiar with quite a lot of it. The Chappell collections, KPM etc. I even asked DeWolfe if they had any scores knocking around I could get my hands on, but they just had vinyl recordings in the vault.
      I've got some scores coming in January to help with research for the next video which is more complicated. Managed to get scores to Kenneth Essex's "Dance of the hailstones" and the full score of Trevor Duncan's "High Heels" amongst others. You can hear both of those on RUclips.

  • @alainthiry3965
    @alainthiry3965 3 года назад

    thank you... really

  • @emanu1674
    @emanu1674 4 года назад

    *Let's do another!*
    Me: Yayyyy

  • @OliKember
    @OliKember 7 лет назад

    Utterly, utterly spiffing. What is fascinating is how something so imbued with sunshine and picnics can actually be so progressive and jazzy.
    Q1: Could you explain a bit more about filling in the harmony? I get the bass and two melody lines, but what are those extra three string lines playing? They seem to follow the melody but are using harmony from all the possible chords of that note?? I thought you picked one of the possible 5-part harmonies but are you using them all?
    Q2: Which notes do the cello diads play out of the 5 possible notes?
    Thanks!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +3

      Hi Oliver. Yeah, it's surprisingly complicated for such a jolly genre.
      Filling the harmony: So if the basic harmony is chord I, we can use intervals from Cmaj9 and C6/9 and those can be interchanged to taste. So you look at the melody and if that has a G and the bass is playing C then you can put D, E and A in between the top violin and viola or D, E and B.
      But then you can also use other chords that contain the same notes, which I showed with that Bm7b5 that I slipped in there when the melody is playing a D.
      Another way to get your head around it is like this - go to a piano and play E, G, A and C with your right hand. Then just move that shape up the white notes. You get 6th chords in block form with melody in your little finger. It's that idea, but you can use 7th, 9th, 11th etc.
      Celli diads: Varies, you can see them on the score if you pause it. Mainly roots and 5ths, but there's exceptions. When arranging, use your ears and see what sounds right and look for the gaps between bass and viola. That's essentially what it boils down to.

    • @OliKember
      @OliKember 7 лет назад +1

      Alex Ball Thanks very very much! Got it. Inspired to try it myself and excited for the next part in the series. Education should always be this fun!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад

      Oliver Kember Be interested to hear others try it. Post a link if you have a crack.
      Will be going into substitute / borrowed chords and chromaticism in the next one. Will take a while for me to put together, but that will take it a lot closer to the authentic sound.

  • @MichelSchallenberg
    @MichelSchallenberg 6 лет назад +1

    Hey Alex, i'm copying these examples into my daw for understanding and reading practice.
    I noticed that the voices are always in the same order: Vio1, Vio2, Vio1Div, Vio2Div.
    But in example 4, bar 7, on the last eight note, Vio1Div is at the top, so its Vio1,Vio2,Vio2Div,Vio1Div.
    Is it a mistake? Does it matter?
    Thanks so much for your videos, i'm learning a lot thanks to you!

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  6 лет назад

      Rule of thumb is the former - V1, V2, V1 div, V2 div.
      Basically just spreads the harmony across sections and helps blend the sound.
      But rules are there to be broken.

  • @mylo9753
    @mylo9753 2 года назад

    dude that accent is perfect haha!

  • @EverettDudgeon138
    @EverettDudgeon138 5 лет назад

    Absolutely fantastic, I’m actually looking at doing some 1950s inspired soundtrack for my film. Heavily influenced by Les Baxter and Ronald Stein, any tips you might have for approaching those classic 1950s style horror scores?

  • @fauzanrahman3149
    @fauzanrahman3149 6 лет назад +1

    Dear Alex Ball,i love you

  • @MichelSchallenberg
    @MichelSchallenberg 6 лет назад +1

    Hey Alex, thanks for your great Videos!
    But i'm a little slow:
    I don't get that whole options thing at 1:25
    I'm familliar with all the chord types, but why do you say these are the only options available?
    Because they sound fitting for the genre? Why is Cmaj11 not an option? Why is Dm11? Why is Dmadd6 not an option?
    What's the rule behind that?
    Thanks again for the great content, i finally want to pick up theorie again.
    Greetings
    Michel

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  6 лет назад

      Yes, it was having analysed a bunch of scores, which chords are the most common. Just to make it simpler and more digestible. But there are more chords possible as you say.

    • @MichelSchallenberg
      @MichelSchallenberg 6 лет назад

      @@AlexBallMusic Ahh, okay. Thanks man :)

  • @JamesPetts
    @JamesPetts 6 лет назад

    This is very interesting. I should be very grateful to know what equaliser settings that you used to process your voice, as you have managed to get the recording of your voice sound just like an old recording rather better than I have so far managed.

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  6 лет назад +1

      It's using "The King's Microphones" filter from Waves on the channel. Then Waves Vinyl on the master bus.
      A different voice / mic would probably need different settings. But those are the plugins to use.

  • @wingflanagan
    @wingflanagan 7 лет назад +1

    Ahhhh! Bliss! Spiffing, indeed! I'm feeling the strangest urge to speak in a posh accent and drink tea. Are there any scones...? I can't seem to get this silly grin off my face...

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад

      +Wing Flanagan Mine's a G&T old bean. Heavy on the lime.

    • @wingflanagan
      @wingflanagan 7 лет назад +1

      Most excellent! Might I trouble you to pour another? Beefeater and Schweppes? Cheers!

  • @sandspider8961
    @sandspider8961 5 лет назад

    Hey Alex, if it is not too much trouble could you export the midi for these examples? I am having difficulties following along

  • @Iocus_Severus
    @Iocus_Severus 3 года назад

    Rum thing, what!

  • @terryraymond7984
    @terryraymond7984 2 года назад

    Whew

  • @sachamht
    @sachamht 6 лет назад +3

    I am a hooligan.

  • @ThomasMYoutube
    @ThomasMYoutube 7 лет назад

    Who's velvet voice is this?

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +1

      That would be mine.

    • @ThomasMYoutube
      @ThomasMYoutube 7 лет назад +2

      How do you get it to sound so realistic; what processing have you done to get the 'vintage vibe'?

    • @AlexBallMusic
      @AlexBallMusic  7 лет назад +3

      Thomas Mclaughlin Waves "The Kings Microphones" filter which is designed exactly for this situation, plus "Abbey Road Vinyl". Both with mild settings rather than smashed into the plugin.

  • @mrconcept
    @mrconcept 7 лет назад

    only a hooligan would do that :p