Greetings from Iraq. I play music as a hobby (not professionally), but I know enough and I believe that you illustrated the characteristics of the Eastern vs Western music very clearly and very successfully. Keep up the good work.
@@dgates6165 Not at all. The "Major" and the "Minor" scales are part of the set of scales of the Middle East. I think the opposite is more likely. The Middle East scales might sound unpleasant for the western ears, especially the scales with quarter tones. I found one example that a wester band "adopted" the quarter-tone scales: "King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard"... A wonderful band from Australia. Check them on RUclips!
@@ayadalhilo Interesting! I wouldn't say that type of music sounds unpleasant to me. It is just very different! It sounds totally foreign which, in my opinion, is very cool! The intervals you have in that music, to me, sounds very dissonant and I happen to very much enjoy dissonance in music.
@@dgates6165 Excellent! However, it is just like when you and your friends go in a trip, then you try new exotic food for the first time. Some of you will find it delicious, while others will not like it at all! The same with the "exotic" scales, some of people will find it out-of-tune, while others will find it amazing!
@@ayadalhilo I listen to a lot of metal music that purposely uses dissonant chords to add an "edgy" sound to the music. However, hearing it in middle eastern music as just normal part of the music is really cool! Are there any like.... rock bands from your part of the world? As in, using the same scales and music structure, but with a western song structure?!
A highly skilled Musician giving a very knowledgable explanation of Western and Eastern music the difference in their intervals, the individual versus the group, etc.EXCELLENT
As somebody whose roots are in the middle east and grew up in Germany, I am very very thankful for this video and for your accuracy! I wish more people would recognize the beauty in the different music styles over the world and yet how music connects us as an universal language. Well done ❤️
@Auf RUclips nicht an Politik interessiert Ah yes American football which has a much higher rate of concussions and injury overall compared to rugby. Rugby admittedly has higher spinal cord injury rates. Quite frankly it’s stupid to compare the two sports because they’re completely different. The padding in American football actually makes it more aggressive as well, and makes it require less regulation than compared to if there was no padding.
I just watched this video man and my mind is racing - SO GOOD! Thanks so much for making this! I'm a Bangladeshi-American who's super into western classical music and theory, and to be able to learn like this was so enlightening! I especially enjoyed the Balkan part - such a sweet, mellow medium. What fascinated me too, was how the Balkans/Spanish are sort of like that middle between the East and West too - both musically and culturally to an extent too. It's beautiful, everything's beautiful. Thank you for this!
25:56 It doesn't sound "off". There is an Indian song called "Saare Jahan Se Acha" which sounds like this. The National Anthem of Afghanistan also sounds like that. It's correct in a different context. 26:43 True dat, Balkan music also does a lot of that East/West mixture that many people find strange. Even Balkan beats/rhythm sounds "off" to people. Btw didn't watch your entire video. Just scrubbing through to hear examples.
This is a really great video! Thank you so much! I learned more about music theory in this one video than I have in many, many others. So many videos talk about music theory solely from a Western perspective, that western concepts are taken for granted by the people teaching them, and so they never talk about the background, and the wider picture about why it's done that way in the first place. This video really helps give a wider, and broader view of music, that also helps one understand western music theory as well. Thank you!
Wow. This is the most fantastic presentation on the history, development and distribution of world music that I have ever seen. Come to think of it, it's the only one I've ever seen. I'm a lifelong musician only recently wading into music theory. This video really helps explain a lot of fundamental questions. Thank you for a truly unique and valuable educational experience.
For me, it is a very interesting subject and your video put more into what I know about what music is. It started, when I wanted to understand why there are 12 notes in western music. And other questions came: there is a gipsy in the underground playing solo on violin improvising for hours, and you can explain how he changes the tonal centre etc. but he goes through from very eastern sounding music to gipsy and to Vivaldi. He doesn't need a backtrack. I started improvising solo on my guitar ( only one rule - play what you hear in your head) interesting. I also read about that scientists think we could be better with 19 step or (31 that's too much to handle) and to my understanindg this 12 step comes from hour major scale - with compormises in pich.
Very simple yet accurate explanation ... and you are not rusty on oud as you think ;) You played a very clear and beautiful turkish-style oud improvisation. I was always telling my western friend is that westerners tend to simplify ideas for the sake of harmony, while the eastern culture is beyond simplification.
Great video, you explained really well about this subject. Personally, I tend to listen arabic music more, and sometimes I listen western classical and pop music too, and I can feel there's a lot of difference yet I cannot explain it except for the usage of microtonal notes.
Even within India we have two Classical Music, The Hindustani Classical and Carnatic Classical Music . Thanks Aaron for Educating us , Appreciate ur Work .
I found the same difference in approach explained this way: western Music is more focused on structure (symphonies n stuff) whereas eastern Music is more of a loop. The paradox to me is that in the latter there is more space for improvisation. Btw thanks a lot for your insightful take on the subject!!!
Thank you for this video. I've been trying to understand the differences between western and eastern music and this is a wonderful explanation that gives respect to both systems.
Wonderful and very clear explanation with solid analogies comparing modal vs. harmonic music, combined with a talent for playing. Much also has to do with society and religion. The Christian and Muslim cultures tend very much towards a follow-the rule-books approach, with the main book being the Bible or the Koran. The Hindu perspective is totally different, where it is up to the individual to dig deep within themselves to find a lot of the answers. Therefore, Indian music tends to be more individualistic and the pure modal form of music suits it much better.
Gud understanding......, Just a while ago a western lady said that Indian singers can't do riffs nd runs like mariah carey nd beyonce......, I found it immature
Dude you are a monster at the saz and as a Turk with English background, it's so good to get the theoretical background behind the type of music I am trying to learn with limited English resources. Props to you my man!
To be honest I wasn't sure where the sports analogy was going but by the end of the video I realised just how well you laid out your explanation and how clear and understandable it was. Well done!
wow. these compromises.... after trying to use oud for metal-style playing, I decided to fully quartertone fret a stratocaster. it completely changed my style. now, i only play 2-string chords, and always bend one string or the other to make the intervals Just. ie: G+/B, B/D+. I tune all fourths and the quartertone frets are almost only used for cutting minor thirds in half. It's almost too hard to arpeggiate and play diminished scales. I need to slow down a bit when playing even diatonic scales. I end up staying within about a fourth (tetrachords). when i listen to umm kulthum daret el ayam... it opens up with a surf-rock toned guitar. just the existence of guitars and pianos constrain the rest of the band; preventing prominent quartertones. usually quartertones only show after they drop out completely or go to pentatonic scales behind bayati, etc.
Listen to Oum Koultoum's Inta Omri, there is an arab metal band who covered it. Transferring middle eastern music into rock guitar actually flourished in Israel, here are some songs to get an idea of the sound ruclips.net/video/IzBoFYMoR2k/видео.html ruclips.net/video/1YW9Xn0SWIQ/видео.html ruclips.net/video/vHyQa2_YV8Y/видео.html (solo at 2:30) ruclips.net/video/Rh9kVQfeNOA/видео.html (from 0:26) ruclips.net/video/3-zUGyxo154/видео.html
This was amayzing I was shearching for where are there 12 notes in music for hours and coulden't find a clear discripive video until I came to you. You should be a teacher, great value my man. Thank you
Playing the minor third, in fact the minor pentatonic scale, over a major chord is completely fine. It's actually quite common in the blues. I know that the blues uses dominant 7th chords but they are still major.
Very interesting video, thank you very much for the time you've put into transmitting this. It has helped me very much in seeing foundational distinctions. In my humble opinion, I think where the two specifically meet is within the realm of harmonizing a melody. That's where you start to get into a whole new realm of creative possibilities and music theory can be visualized as an infinite expanse never ending.. but it feels very difficult to grasp practically and somewhat out of reach. So baby steps. But I also I think that real practice and dedication can be a ferry to bring one to that level of capability and understanding to where it's not overly intellectual killing the 'spirit' of the music so to speak. The first step is always to enjoy it, have fun, and connect, if you ask me that is.. Anyways, I enjoyed this much.Thank you again!
Absolutely excellent explanation for somebody who is trying to make sense of a new music system they've probably just started listening to. I'm really glad I stumbled upon this video of yours. I tend to pretty much like diverse kinds of music, but don't necessarily understand or connect with all of them. You video is surely gonna help me understand some new stuff better. Thank you so much.
My mind is blown. I....don't even know what this guy is doing. Or saying for that matter. Replayed several portions. Played organ and piano for a cpl decades, never gave tones and steps much thought. Trying to follow his hands, dizzying. I have a whole new respect for music theory! This dude is seriously talented!
Hi ! Thank you very much for the video. Do you know about the 22 shrutis discovered by Dr. Oke ? He is an Hindustani classical musician (harmonium maestro) and he has conducted research on music for the past 20 years. He discoverd the 22 musical "notes" or "points" that exist in an octave starting from Shadja. As you know Sa and Pa are fixed. The other 10 have 2 variant each, an entry and an exit, and he explaines very well how our ET scale is "out of tune" when compared to the natural "in tune" and he has explained everything on his website with 50 small articles with all the mathematical explanations. I am studying it, it is very interesting. Explains how some cultures have sharper or flatter notes (frequencies actually) in their scale.
Namaste Shanti garu, Dr.Vidyadhar Oke made 22 Shruti Harmonium.But not Shruthies.22 shruties are already discovered by Ancient musicians.22 shruties are already using in our indian music especially in Carnatic music from the olden days.12 Shruthies are essential.Other 12 shruthis rarely use in Rare Raagas.
This is fantastic! Thanks! I play slide in open tunings . Now I understand why drones and power chords work best for accompaniment when I am improvising microtonally all over the place!
I like to have the dissonance of mixing "Western" and "Eastern" music by adding some "Western" / jazz chord progressions onto Middle Eastern maqams incl some 3/4 note interval maqams. Not everyone likes it though. In fact, I also meet similar opposition from changing the standard "trad" guitar (usually DADGAd tuning) to jazz/rock chord progressions sometimes [eg changing an Am - G- Am- G- prgoression to an Am- G- F- E- progression in Aeolian mode jigs and reels
This is fantastic info- you've given me hints of so many threads to explore by discussing music from so many different parts of the world. Thanks so much. Can I ask where you're based?
But when it comes to Indian Classical Music (Eastern Music) the scenario changes gradually. Three basic differences between Indian (Eastern) and Western Classical music: 1. There is absolutely no concept of harmony (in the musical sense) in Indian classical music. There are no chords...only notes and the 'spaces between' them (or microtones, known as sruti) with each note played one at a time to maintain clarity and purity. 2. Indian classical music is largely an oral tradition, facilitating continuity by being sung and played the same way by succeeding generations. But because it is also an improvised art, it means that each musician of succeeding generations can not only add a great deal of creativity but also set a distinct personal style. The raag/raga (melodic structure) itself may be carved in stone and confined to strict rules but because there is no written score, there is no culture of producing an accurate and faithful copy of that score. So, it's a strange mixture...purity combined with full freedom for improvisation and innovation. 3. Western music generally attempts to create a mood as it progresses, Indian music concentrates on exploring a mood from every possible standpoint, plummeting to the very depths of the emotions it creates, but always remaining at the periphery rather than jumping into the centre. Hence, the chosen raag/raga is unfolded very enticingly, note by note and only gradually building up in rhythmic intensity to a fast tempo. ruclips.net/video/yfMHiTIm-zc/видео.html
I am struggling to decide if I should Salute you for this mind-blowing video alone, or simply for your skills of playing all these instruments effortlessly - let alone the fusion itself!!
Your content is great thanks for sharing your knowledge! could you also write some the makams you use with time tags? I recognized some ussak, rast, (mahur?), segah, hicaz movements etc. also do you have some 'sources' for understanding balkan music (bands/styles per country, theory, folk songs, ...)
I agree about most of what you said however, I do not agree that monophonic vs Polyphonic is somehow Arpeggios vs Chords Arpeggios suggest they come from harmony. In arabic music for instance most of the time we follow maqams tetrachords We do not really use the whole scale in one musical phrase (or rarely) so seldom you hear an arpeggios in a real traditional arabic music. We don t also really jump from tonic to fifth to seventh of the scale..This is probably the difference between a maqam and scale and why we need to use a distinct term.
This is interesting and all, but Western music can be sung a cappella or played on a simple wind instrument and still sounds Western, so the "team" analogy only goes so far. This points to the biggest difference between Eastern and Western music, which is that Western music introduced the world to a much more refined concept of melody. The simple way to think about it is: "music that is hummable." Eastern music is interesting, but you can't remember anything you heard as soon as it stops, and you sure can't hum it. Western melody, especially when augmented with modes, creates songs with memorable hooks and that more impact on the emotions. There is a reason Western music (including classical) is so immensely popular in places like Japan and China.
To clarify the difference between; it is that there is no theory (till now at least) able to harmonize quarter tones. So when you say that eastern music is monophonic it is not totally correct because eastern has also modes like major, minor, harmonic and phrygian, additionally to the ukrainian dorian (dorian 4). Because the western could not with its theory harmonize the modes with quarter tones like rast, beyati, saba, sika... they said it is unharmonizable so monophonic. At the same time, I heard some arab compositions with quarter tones and include harmony composition with a very consonant and beautiful tonality to hear.
The thing with both western and eastern music scales is, they are not as solid as they are presented in theory books. For example minor scale is actually different in ascending form (with M6 and M7 intervals) and descending form (with m6 and m7 intervals), similar to an approximation of the in between (quarter) tones you are playing middle eastern music on the guitar. The first point where far eastern and middle eastern music began to differentiate is when folks began adding ornamentation, passing notes, and embellishment tones on top of the pentatonic scales. The intervals of these new added tones were personal and local, but for building standard fretted instruments, they were formalized and standardized differently in different regions. The imperial states of Turkestan, India, Persia, Egypt, Islamic, Roman, Byzantine and later Catholic Roman Empires had different takes and different theories for what makes a good scale and good scale intervals. And latest, western church restricted the use of all scales except the seven church modes used in western music today. Tempered tuning standardization came much later after the piano was invented. My idea is that music is just ornamentation on pentatonic scales, western or eastern doesn't matter. One can derive and also use all scales of west and east using this principle. And the quarter tones you may use or not does not change the effect of this kind of music because they are either passing notes or embellishments on the solid pentatonic scale tones, that historically all music on this world derived from. And yet anther fact is, players of non-fretted instruments and vocalists in both west and east play or sing different notes than what theory says they play. For example a violin player will play different micro tones for a sharp F or flat G, which in theory is the same tone (on the piano at least). Also, a violinist will play sharper if the note is the M7 (leading tone) in a major scale. Eastern musicians also play different comma tones (microtones), that can be analyzed on different musicians playing or singers singing the same scale melody. So the solid foundation for me is the pentatonic scales, and building other scales (actually combined scales) on top of the pentatonic scales, but the stable tones (where notes tend to rest more frequently) will be the pentatonic scale tones. And I would build chords mostly from those stable tones/intervals from the pentatonic scale, I would call any other note in a chord as extension notes (melodic intervals) as the 6th, 7th, 9th is called in todays western music theory, but in a more general meaning (any non-pentatonic scale tone), not the 6th, 7th and 9th exactly. And finally I will add that western music has a lot of third leaps in melodies whereas middle eastern music has mostly 2nd, 4th and 5th interval leaps in melodies. And there is limited chord structures built with these 2nd, 4th, and 5th intervals in traditional instruments like baglama/saz and kemence. And there is actually a formalized harmonic theory developed by Kemal Ilerici, that utilized stacked 4ths (which result in these 2nd, 4th and 5th intervals), that is used a lot by Turkish classical music composers whose influence is Turkish folk or traditional middle eastern music (for example Muammer Sun used this theory for most of his works).
nice what you play on uod was the maqam alajam originally from the Parisian gulf these maqam also the hijaz maqam dos not need the quarter ton and going from maqam to another maqam we call it tahwel there is so many way for changing from maqam to maqam i will gladly help you if you need more info
As a guy who lives in the United States, I can say that wearing a house or head covering in a building is generally reguarded as disrespectful. It's just this guy, not half the world genius.
the part where he was saying he couldnt play the minor key because of the major key was one of the best parts - that minor three sounded hella moody. you could easily write sad music with that method no problem. didnt sound off to me at all.
This is a seriously underrated video.
Greetings from Iraq. I play music as a hobby (not professionally), but I know enough and I believe that you illustrated the characteristics of the Eastern vs Western music very clearly and very successfully. Keep up the good work.
Does music from the US sound "weird" to you? Like, does it sound unpleasant or uncomfortable?!
@@dgates6165 Not at all. The "Major" and the "Minor" scales are part of the set of scales of the Middle East. I think the opposite is more likely. The Middle East scales might sound unpleasant for the western ears, especially the scales with quarter tones. I found one example that a wester band "adopted" the quarter-tone scales: "King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard"... A wonderful band from Australia. Check them on RUclips!
@@ayadalhilo Interesting! I wouldn't say that type of music sounds unpleasant to me. It is just very different! It sounds totally foreign which, in my opinion, is very cool!
The intervals you have in that music, to me, sounds very dissonant and I happen to very much enjoy dissonance in music.
@@dgates6165 Excellent! However, it is just like when you and your friends go in a trip, then you try new exotic food for the first time. Some of you will find it delicious, while others will not like it at all! The same with the "exotic" scales, some of people will find it out-of-tune, while others will find it amazing!
@@ayadalhilo I listen to a lot of metal music that purposely uses dissonant chords to add an "edgy" sound to the music.
However, hearing it in middle eastern music as just normal part of the music is really cool!
Are there any like.... rock bands from your part of the world? As in, using the same scales and music structure, but with a western song structure?!
Super explanation, I really enjoyed your baglama solo as well!
A highly skilled Musician giving a very knowledgable explanation of Western and Eastern music the difference in their intervals, the individual versus the group, etc.EXCELLENT
As somebody whose roots are in the middle east and grew up in Germany, I am very very thankful for this video and for your accuracy! I wish more people would recognize the beauty in the different music styles over the world and yet how music connects us as an universal language. Well done ❤️
An american who calls it football :')
Its a wonderful day
@Auf RUclips nicht an Politik interessiert Ah yes American football which has a much higher rate of concussions and injury overall compared to rugby. Rugby admittedly has higher spinal cord injury rates. Quite frankly it’s stupid to compare the two sports because they’re completely different. The padding in American football actually makes it more aggressive as well, and makes it require less regulation than compared to if there was no padding.
I just watched this video man and my mind is racing - SO GOOD! Thanks so much for making this! I'm a Bangladeshi-American who's super into western classical music and theory, and to be able to learn like this was so enlightening! I especially enjoyed the Balkan part - such a sweet, mellow medium. What fascinated me too, was how the Balkans/Spanish are sort of like that middle between the East and West too - both musically and culturally to an extent too. It's beautiful, everything's beautiful. Thank you for this!
Aaron you should come out with a book, with a Companion Dvd it would be wonderful!, teaching Arabic, Indian, Balkan corresponding to Western music...
i'd buy
Thanks so much for making this! I have a Western classical background and am starting to play Middle Eastern music, so this was SO HELPFUL!
26:56 that is literally Greek bouzouki music, you would be an amazing bouzouki player
That’s what I thought too, that sounds Greek.
It also sounds a lot like a type of music from central Anatolia, especially Ankara
25:56 It doesn't sound "off". There is an Indian song called "Saare Jahan Se Acha" which sounds like this. The National Anthem of Afghanistan also sounds like that. It's correct in a different context.
26:43 True dat, Balkan music also does a lot of that East/West mixture that many people find strange. Even Balkan beats/rhythm sounds "off" to people.
Btw didn't watch your entire video. Just scrubbing through to hear examples.
I'm an eastren singer and I'm so proud of you .... and this video is so helpful .. good job 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Aaron! You are adorable, and knowledgable, and thank you for making this and sharing!! Love to you
This is a really great video! Thank you so much! I learned more about music theory in this one video than I have in many, many others. So many videos talk about music theory solely from a Western perspective, that western concepts are taken for granted by the people teaching them, and so they never talk about the background, and the wider picture about why it's done that way in the first place. This video really helps give a wider, and broader view of music, that also helps one understand western music theory as well. Thank you!
You have broadened my perspective on looking at music. Respect your multicultural knowledge. Thank you!
Wow. This is the most fantastic presentation on the history, development and distribution of world music that I have ever seen. Come to think of it, it's the only one I've ever seen. I'm a lifelong musician only recently wading into music theory. This video really helps explain a lot of fundamental questions. Thank you for a truly unique and valuable educational experience.
For me, it is a very interesting subject and your video put more into what I know about what music is. It started, when I wanted to understand why there are 12 notes in western music. And other questions came: there is a gipsy in the underground playing solo on violin improvising for hours, and you can explain how he changes the tonal centre etc. but he goes through from very eastern sounding music to gipsy and to Vivaldi. He doesn't need a backtrack. I started improvising solo on my guitar ( only one rule - play what you hear in your head) interesting. I also read about that scientists think we could be better with 19 step or (31 that's too much to handle) and to my understanindg this 12 step comes from hour major scale - with compormises in pich.
Very simple yet accurate explanation ... and you are not rusty on oud as you think ;)
You played a very clear and beautiful turkish-style oud improvisation.
I was always telling my western friend is that westerners tend to simplify ideas for the sake of harmony, while the eastern culture is beyond simplification.
Great video, you explained really well about this subject. Personally, I tend to listen arabic music more, and sometimes I listen western classical and pop music too, and I can feel there's a lot of difference yet I cannot explain it except for the usage of microtonal notes.
Aaron:Plays the best oud ever
Also Aaron: I'm a little rusty on the oud
Even within India we have two Classical Music, The Hindustani Classical and Carnatic Classical Music . Thanks Aaron for Educating us , Appreciate ur Work .
I found the same difference in approach explained this way:
western Music is more focused on structure (symphonies n stuff) whereas eastern Music is more of a loop.
The paradox to me is that in the latter there is more space for improvisation.
Btw thanks a lot for your insightful take on the subject!!!
Thinking of Western music is linear and Indian music is cyclic as similar to their understanding of time.
Thank you for this video. I've been trying to understand the differences between western and eastern music and this is a wonderful explanation that gives respect to both systems.
Wonderful and very clear explanation with solid analogies comparing modal vs. harmonic music, combined with a talent for playing. Much also has to do with society and religion. The Christian and Muslim cultures tend very much towards a follow-the rule-books approach, with the main book being the Bible or the Koran. The Hindu perspective is totally different, where it is up to the individual to dig deep within themselves to find a lot of the answers. Therefore, Indian music tends to be more individualistic and the pure modal form of music suits it much better.
Gud understanding......, Just a while ago a western lady said that Indian singers can't do riffs nd runs like mariah carey nd beyonce......, I found it immature
what an idiot
Maqaams variations and Ghazals kind of ...
Dude you are a monster at the saz and as a Turk with English background, it's so good to get the theoretical background behind the type of music I am trying to learn with limited English resources. Props to you my man!
The segah phrase on the oud was especially great. What approach did you have, past mechanical skill, to learning and perfecting the art of makams?
To be honest I wasn't sure where the sports analogy was going but by the end of the video I realised just how well you laid out your explanation and how clear and understandable it was. Well done!
Would love to hear more about similarities between Eastern maqam and Western bebop/jazz!
wow.
these compromises.... after trying to use oud for metal-style playing, I decided to fully quartertone fret a stratocaster. it completely changed my style. now, i only play 2-string chords, and always bend one string or the other to make the intervals Just. ie: G+/B, B/D+. I tune all fourths and the quartertone frets are almost only used for cutting minor thirds in half. It's almost too hard to arpeggiate and play diminished scales. I need to slow down a bit when playing even diatonic scales. I end up staying within about a fourth (tetrachords).
when i listen to umm kulthum daret el ayam... it opens up with a surf-rock toned guitar. just the existence of guitars and pianos constrain the rest of the band; preventing prominent quartertones. usually quartertones only show after they drop out completely or go to pentatonic scales behind bayati, etc.
Listen to Oum Koultoum's Inta Omri, there is an arab metal band who covered it. Transferring middle eastern music into rock guitar actually flourished in Israel, here are some songs to get an idea of the sound
ruclips.net/video/IzBoFYMoR2k/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/1YW9Xn0SWIQ/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/vHyQa2_YV8Y/видео.html (solo at 2:30)
ruclips.net/video/Rh9kVQfeNOA/видео.html (from 0:26)
ruclips.net/video/3-zUGyxo154/видео.html
This was amayzing I was shearching for where are there 12 notes in music for hours and coulden't find a clear discripive video until I came to you. You should be a teacher, great value my man. Thank you
Playing the minor third, in fact the minor pentatonic scale, over a major chord is completely fine. It's actually quite common in the blues. I know that the blues uses dominant 7th chords but they are still major.
Very interesting video, thank you very much for the time you've put into transmitting this. It has helped me very much in seeing foundational distinctions. In my humble opinion, I think where the two specifically meet is within the realm of harmonizing a melody. That's where you start to get into a whole new realm of creative possibilities and music theory can be visualized as an infinite expanse never ending.. but it feels very difficult to grasp practically and somewhat out of reach. So baby steps. But I also I think that real practice and dedication can be a ferry to bring one to that level of capability and understanding to where it's not overly intellectual killing the 'spirit' of the music so to speak. The first step is always to enjoy it, have fun, and connect, if you ask me that is.. Anyways, I enjoyed this much.Thank you again!
Absolute peach of a video. Got the answers for almost all the questions I had. Great Job Aaron!
Absolutely excellent explanation for somebody who is trying to make sense of a new music system they've probably just started listening to. I'm really glad I stumbled upon this video of yours.
I tend to pretty much like diverse kinds of music, but don't necessarily understand or connect with all of them. You video is surely gonna help me understand some new stuff better.
Thank you so much.
Very interesting, liked and shared my dude. Keep it up. Love this
Thank you! A very interesting video with clear explanations and great analogies with sports!
This is Great! This Helps a lot! We would like to see more demonstrations! Great!
My mind is blown. I....don't even know what this guy is doing. Or saying for that matter. Replayed several portions. Played organ and piano for a cpl decades, never gave tones and steps much thought. Trying to follow his hands, dizzying. I have a whole new respect for music theory! This dude is seriously talented!
Hi !
Thank you very much for the video. Do you know about the 22 shrutis discovered by Dr. Oke ? He is an Hindustani classical musician (harmonium maestro) and he has conducted research on music for the past 20 years. He discoverd the 22 musical "notes" or "points" that exist in an octave starting from Shadja. As you know Sa and Pa are fixed. The other 10 have 2 variant each, an entry and an exit, and he explaines very well how our ET scale is "out of tune" when compared to the natural "in tune" and he has explained everything on his website with 50 small articles with all the mathematical explanations. I am studying it, it is very interesting. Explains how some cultures have sharper or flatter notes (frequencies actually) in their scale.
Namaste Shanti garu, Dr.Vidyadhar Oke made 22 Shruti Harmonium.But not Shruthies.22 shruties are already discovered by Ancient musicians.22 shruties are already using in our indian music especially in Carnatic music from the olden days.12 Shruthies are essential.Other 12 shruthis rarely use in Rare Raagas.
This is fantastic! Thanks! I play slide in open tunings . Now I understand why drones and power chords work best for accompaniment when I am improvising microtonally all over the place!
25:00 I understand the point being made about dissonance but tbh I personally liked how it turned out. (context: I listen to King Gizzard)
excellent presentation very educational
That music at 26:55 was really cool sounding
you would like greek rembetiko music then
@@AlexandrosT1 Alright, I'll look that up
... and central Anatolian folk dance, especially from around Ankara
Great video lecture! Just what I was looking for! Thanks!
Very well explained, thanks for this content. I have minimal knowledge of music theory, was just curious, and yet your examples worked great.
I like to have the dissonance of mixing "Western" and "Eastern" music by adding some "Western" / jazz chord progressions onto Middle Eastern maqams incl some 3/4 note interval maqams. Not everyone likes it though. In fact, I also meet similar opposition from changing the standard "trad" guitar (usually DADGAd tuning) to jazz/rock chord progressions sometimes [eg changing an Am - G- Am- G- prgoression to an Am- G- F- E- progression in Aeolian mode jigs and reels
This blew my mind and explains so much. Thank you!!
This is the first time actually I heard the sound of Bağlama with the Western notes.
The Arabic Oud part was enchanting!
So glad I found this video! Excellent explanation. Greets from Poland :)
Are you going to put out a CD of these improv and pieces you've written??? So much God-given talent!!!!
You’ve tried to explain it from a very understandable point of view, and which I think is pretty solid way to do so.
you nailed Manele music. nice job
Very helpful! Thanks a lot!!
Brilliantly explained and really interesting! Great vid man!
This is fantastic info- you've given me hints of so many threads to explore by discussing music from so many different parts of the world. Thanks so much. Can I ask where you're based?
jgreyson2012 no
But when it comes to Indian Classical Music (Eastern Music) the scenario changes gradually. Three basic differences between Indian (Eastern) and Western Classical music:
1. There is absolutely no concept of harmony (in the musical sense) in Indian classical music. There are no chords...only notes and the 'spaces between' them (or microtones, known as sruti) with each note played one at a time to maintain clarity and purity.
2. Indian classical music is largely an oral tradition, facilitating continuity by being sung and played the same way by succeeding generations. But because it is also an improvised art, it means that each musician of succeeding generations can not only add a great deal of creativity but also set a distinct personal style. The raag/raga (melodic structure) itself may be carved in stone and confined to strict rules but because there is no written score, there is no culture of producing an accurate and faithful copy of that score. So, it's a strange mixture...purity combined with full freedom for improvisation and innovation.
3. Western music generally attempts to create a mood as it progresses, Indian music concentrates on exploring a mood from every possible standpoint, plummeting to the very depths of the emotions it creates, but always remaining at the periphery rather than jumping into the centre.
Hence, the chosen raag/raga is unfolded very enticingly, note by note and only gradually building up in rhythmic intensity to a fast tempo.
ruclips.net/video/yfMHiTIm-zc/видео.html
God dude
You are a divine source of analogy. Very sportive 🙂
Thanks for this Great Knowledge..!
Keep it up..!
I am struggling to decide if I should Salute you for this mind-blowing video alone, or simply for your skills of playing all these instruments effortlessly - let alone the fusion itself!!
Your content is great thanks for sharing your knowledge! could you also write some the makams you use with time tags? I recognized some ussak, rast, (mahur?), segah, hicaz movements etc. also do you have some 'sources' for understanding balkan music (bands/styles per country, theory, folk songs, ...)
Just got a sub. I feel there is something to learn.
ditto
I really needed this video, thank you
"I'm a little rusty on the oud" hahaha
27:00 Dan Ciotoi - Generic
I agree about most of what you said
however, I do not agree that monophonic vs Polyphonic is somehow Arpeggios vs Chords
Arpeggios suggest they come from harmony. In arabic music for instance most of the time we follow maqams tetrachords
We do not really use the whole scale in one musical phrase (or rarely) so seldom you hear an arpeggios in a real traditional arabic music. We don t also really jump from tonic to fifth to seventh of the scale..This is probably the difference between a maqam and scale and why we need to use a distinct term.
Your Oud playing is very good !
Really nice explanation! Thanks!
This is gold. Thank you man
13:56 - 14:04 Anatolian rock
wow, great demo! :-)
Thanks for the video aaron ;)
This is interesting and all, but Western music can be sung a cappella or played on a simple wind instrument and still sounds Western, so the "team" analogy only goes so far. This points to the biggest difference between Eastern and Western music, which is that Western music introduced the world to a much more refined concept of melody. The simple way to think about it is: "music that is hummable." Eastern music is interesting, but you can't remember anything you heard as soon as it stops, and you sure can't hum it. Western melody, especially when augmented with modes, creates songs with memorable hooks and that more impact on the emotions. There is a reason Western music (including classical) is so immensely popular in places like Japan and China.
To clarify the difference between; it is that there is no theory (till now at least) able to harmonize quarter tones. So when you say that eastern music is monophonic it is not totally correct because eastern has also modes like major, minor, harmonic and phrygian, additionally to the ukrainian dorian (dorian 4). Because the western could not with its theory harmonize the modes with quarter tones like rast, beyati, saba, sika... they said it is unharmonizable so monophonic. At the same time, I heard some arab compositions with quarter tones and include harmony composition with a very consonant and beautiful tonality to hear.
awesome! thank you for this perspective
Thanks for making this :)
The thing with both western and eastern music scales is, they are not as solid as they are presented in theory books. For example minor scale is actually different in ascending form (with M6 and M7 intervals) and descending form (with m6 and m7 intervals), similar to an approximation of the in between (quarter) tones you are playing middle eastern music on the guitar. The first point where far eastern and middle eastern music began to differentiate is when folks began adding ornamentation, passing notes, and embellishment tones on top of the pentatonic scales. The intervals of these new added tones were personal and local, but for building standard fretted instruments, they were formalized and standardized differently in different regions. The imperial states of Turkestan, India, Persia, Egypt, Islamic, Roman, Byzantine and later Catholic Roman Empires had different takes and different theories for what makes a good scale and good scale intervals. And latest, western church restricted the use of all scales except the seven church modes used in western music today. Tempered tuning standardization came much later after the piano was invented. My idea is that music is just ornamentation on pentatonic scales, western or eastern doesn't matter. One can derive and also use all scales of west and east using this principle. And the quarter tones you may use or not does not change the effect of this kind of music because they are either passing notes or embellishments on the solid pentatonic scale tones, that historically all music on this world derived from. And yet anther fact is, players of non-fretted instruments and vocalists in both west and east play or sing different notes than what theory says they play. For example a violin player will play different micro tones for a sharp F or flat G, which in theory is the same tone (on the piano at least). Also, a violinist will play sharper if the note is the M7 (leading tone) in a major scale. Eastern musicians also play different comma tones (microtones), that can be analyzed on different musicians playing or singers singing the same scale melody. So the solid foundation for me is the pentatonic scales, and building other scales (actually combined scales) on top of the pentatonic scales, but the stable tones (where notes tend to rest more frequently) will be the pentatonic scale tones. And I would build chords mostly from those stable tones/intervals from the pentatonic scale, I would call any other note in a chord as extension notes (melodic intervals) as the 6th, 7th, 9th is called in todays western music theory, but in a more general meaning (any non-pentatonic scale tone), not the 6th, 7th and 9th exactly. And finally I will add that western music has a lot of third leaps in melodies whereas middle eastern music has mostly 2nd, 4th and 5th interval leaps in melodies. And there is limited chord structures built with these 2nd, 4th, and 5th intervals in traditional instruments like baglama/saz and kemence. And there is actually a formalized harmonic theory developed by Kemal Ilerici, that utilized stacked 4ths (which result in these 2nd, 4th and 5th intervals), that is used a lot by Turkish classical music composers whose influence is Turkish folk or traditional middle eastern music (for example Muammer Sun used this theory for most of his works).
is there any application out there to write note for Arabic or Persian musical instruments?
Wow, I wish I can play as much instruments as you! 😊 You know so much.
I only play piano, trumpet, and clarinet.
This video should when an Oscar.
Amazing video thank you
you should definately do more vids!
Hey! This is bağlama :) I like it very much
brilliant video. I hardly ever leave comments but this one blew me away!
What are you playing around 18:00? i love the riffing around the Maj7 harmony
Oud
Oud we play it a lot in Tunisia
I think I meant was it a specific piece of music? Can’t remember it was a long time ago but I think I would’ve recognised an Oud
@@lepistanuda it is an improvisation/taksim on maqam rast
nice what you play on uod was the maqam alajam originally from the Parisian gulf these maqam also the hijaz maqam dos not need the quarter ton and going from maqam to another maqam we call it tahwel there is so many way for changing from maqam to maqam i will gladly help you if you need more info
This is a really great teaching video. I'm curious where u bought your oud, also what effects pedal did u use for the sustain drone?
I want an oud but I don't know where to buy a good one in USA
cool video :D
Really enjoy this video.
Amazing! Btw.. are those guitar strings on the oud?
Is that guitar scalloped? Is that an effective guitar modification if you want to play microtonal music on the guitar?
Great video!
thanks guy for this super explanation :)
Amazing Aaron
Very informative but why do Americans always have to wear caps indoors contrary to the etiquette rules?
hahah bruh
As a guy who lives in the United States, I can say that wearing a house or head covering in a building is generally reguarded as disrespectful. It's just this guy, not half the world genius.
This is so divine ❤️
That sharp 'flat sixth' does need to be treated as a dissonant interval.
great
This is a knowledge bomb!!
the part where he was saying he couldnt play the minor key because of the major key was one of the best parts - that minor three sounded hella moody. you could easily write sad music with that method no problem. didnt sound off to me at all.