Music Theory for Poets #2

[This is a re-post from The Spring Ghazals blog.  Next time there will be a brand new music theory for poets post, probably next weekend.  No photo of the week today—simply put, our harsh winter weather has made it difficult to get around for picture taking.]

Ready for some more music theory?  Remember, this is for poets (non-poets welcome too, of course), so we’re making this as painless as possible!

When I left you last, we were just starting to think about the difference between major & minor chords.  In fact, we discovered a chord called a major 7 that’s a combination of a major chord & a minor chord—music can be pretty witchy that way. 

OK—most folks know do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do.  It’s a major scale—what makes it major?  Actually, there are a few considerations, but for today we’ll just consider the most basic: that’s the interval between do & mi.  If you can sing “do-mi” you are singing what musical types call a “major third.”  If you have a piano or keyboard around the house, play a C followed by an E a couple of notes above it—again, a major third.  A plain old major chord contains just three notes: do-mi-sol.  That’s it!  Here’s that major third:

  C major chord-C minor chord by rfrostbanjo

Perhaps you have a guitar around.  Actually, since you’ll just be using one string, it doesn’t even matter too much whether it’s in tune.  Pluck the low E string—confusingly enough, the “low E” is the string that’s closest to your nose when holding the guitar in any conventional manner.  The high E is the string closest to your toes.  So pluck that low E, then fret the E string on the fourth fret.  In case you’re curious, that’s a G#.  E.  G#.  Major third!  Here’s what it sounds like:

  Guitar major 3rd by rfrostbanjo

Now there are a few differences between a major & minor scale, but for today, let’s just worry about chords.  & I can tell you there’s only one note that’s different between a major chord & a minor chord!  It’s hard to explain using do-re-mi; because the difference would be that rather than singing “mi,” you’d be singing “mi-flat.”  So if you have a piano, strike the C, then strike the Eb a note & a half above it (it’s the black note to the left of E natural).  That’s a minor third:

  Piano Minor 3rd by rfrostbanjo

With your guitar, pluck the E string, then fret the third fret.  You’re playing an E, then a G.  Just a plain old G natural, not G# as you were before.  That’s a minor third.

  Guitar minor 3rd by rfrostbanjo

So the notes of a minor chord are “do-mi flat-sol.”  “Do & Sol” remain the same.  This can be expressed as a pattern of “whole steps” & “half steps,” but this is music theory for poets, so we won’t worry about that right now.  Suffice it to say that sol is the fifth tone of the scale—you can see that easily enough: do-re-mi-fa-sol.  If you’re still at your piano, you will find the “sol” for C is G.  If you play C-E-G simultaneously, you’re playing a C major chord.  If you play C-E flat-G simultaneously, you’re playing a C minor chord.

  C major chord-C minor chord by rfrostbanjo

Now back to the guitar.  We know that if E is “do,” then G sharp is “mi.”  If E is “do” & a G natural is played, it becomes minor.  The “sol” of E is B natural—that would on the 7th fret of the low E string (guitar players—the 7th fret is always the “sol” or fifth of the open string!—also true of banjos, ukes, bass guitars, mandolins, etc)  So E-G sharp-B is E major; E-G-B is E minor.

  Guitar E major E minor by rfrostbanjo

If you recall last time, I mentioned that a major 7 chord adds the tone “ti” from the major scale.  That makes sense because if you count to seven, you’ll see that “ti” is the seventh tone of do-re-mi.  Now it so happens that if you play a C major scale, you’ll hear that B natural is the “ti” note.  Now think about it: a C major 7 contains the notes C-E-G-B.  Think about the C major chord: C-E-G.  The E minor chord? E-G-B.  See how that works?

In the poem “How High the Moon,” I wrote:

 “a trailer truck on Highway 95, the glass slide whooshing guitar strings, a riff existing somewhere between the major & minor modes”

&

“the glass slide existing somewhere between the major & minor modes”

There are a number of guitar riffs, particularly associated with the blues—& therefore by extension to rock & jazz & even country that incorporate the ease with which the guitar can move back & forth between major & minor chords, especially in certain keys.  One of the simplest is this, in the key of E: 

  Guitar major minor strum riff by rfrostbanjo

Here are a few I particularly like in the key of D (with the bass string tuned down to D):

  Guitar drop D riffs by rfrostbanjo

Of course using a slide—which regular readers of Robert Frost’s Banjo know from my Monday Morning Blues series—enables the player to move between tones (& actually even in micro-tones of the established scale) without actually pressing down the strings.  So moving back between the major & minor thirds—again in the key of D, on a guitar tuned to an open major D chord (hey, you know what that means now), sounds like this:

  JH-D slide riffs by rfrostbanjo

That’s all for now.  Next time?  Extended chords!

"Ode to Indeterminacy"

[A wonderful, rollicking poem today from my good friend Jonah Winter.  For more about Mr Winter, see the blurb following the poem!]

Ode to Indeterminacy


There was a thing.
It existed.
Persons also existed
in relation to the thing.
Additionally,

other persons existed
in relation to the persons
connected in some way,
as yet undisclosed,
to the first thing.

Had there been a second thing,
then one would have been correct
in referring to the thing
as having been first.
Fortunately, or unfortunately,

this was not the case,
or at least,
it was not clear
whether or not it was
or was not the case.

Furthermore,
one could not ascertain
the whereabouts
of a potentially large group of things
tumbling through a space

about which
little could be said.
To say something
would have been
presumptuous.

And yet,
to not say anything
could have, feasibly,
been interpreted, in theory,
as unduly cautious, perhaps…

Jonah Winter
© 2010-2011


Jonah Winter’s poetry has been widely published.  In addition to his poems appearing in a number of magazines & in chapbooks, he has also published Maine & Amnesia; the latter book won the 2003 Field Poetry Prize.  Jonah has also published 20 children’s books on  subjects ranging from Roberto Clemente to Hildegard Von Bingen.  You can check out his Writers Talk interview on Robert Frost’s Banjo here.

Homegrown Radio – Caroline Pond – 1/14/11

It’s Friday—& guess what?  After a month & change, we’re back with Homegrown Radio!

I’ll tell you upfront: it’s been worth the wait to have an artist of Caroline Pond’s caliber.  Ms Pond hails from North Carolina, & is a member of a really thriving music community there—another favorite act that I wrote about on Robert Frost’s Banjo, the Mad Tea Party comes from the same town, & in fact Ms Pond counts that band’s members, Ami Worthen & Jason Krekel, among her friends. 

I first ran across Caroline Pond on Twitter & became very intrigued when she started tweeting about a cross-country road trip music tour with her mother along as companion, co-pilot & roadie.  This struck me as a truly remarkable thing, & I was fascinated to follow the tour’s progress on Twitter & on Caroline’s fine blog, Caroline Pond’s Earth Adventures. 

As a bio: Caroline Pond is the front woman for Snake Oil Medicine Show.  She has been performing & touring for over 15 years.  She also plays with an old time band called Tater Diggers & shares a band with Ami Worthen(from Mad Tea Party)  called Sugar & Spice. Caroline started playing violin at age 7 years old & has been playing ever since.  Singing & playing ukulele are also gifts that she shares across the world.

You can find cds from Snake Oil Medicine Show & the Tater Diggers on CDBaby (follow the links on the band names).

So, Caroline Pond emailed me earlier this week to say:

It's a snowy January Monday morning & I have time to make some music.  I happened to get my little Iphone and record 2 songs.  The first one is a traditional song called “Fall on my Knees.”  I just do it solo style, fiddle and vocals.

I know you’re gonna love this one!

Writers Talk with Caroline Hagood

It’s my pleasure to introduce this week’s writer, Caroline Hagood.  Ms Hagood is yet another writer I’ve meet in the Twitterverse—you writers out there who aren’t on Twitter, I must say you’re missing out on lots of smart & supportive folks.  Since meeting Caroline on Twitter, I’ve also begun to follow her excellent Culture Sandwich, an aptly named blog that I recommend highly.  Ms Hagood’s writerly bio reads as follows:

Caroline Hagood is a poet and writer who spends way too much time on the internet. She teaches English and writing at St. Francis College in Brooklyn. She has written on arts and culture for The Guardian, Salon, the Huffington Post, and her own blog, Culture Sandwich, among others. Her poetry has appeared in Shooting the Rat (Hanging Loose Press), Movin' (Orchard Books), Huffington Post, Angelic Dynamo, Ginosko, and Manhattan Chronicles. She has also written a collection of poetry and a novel. She's always looking for adventure, the perfect slice of pizza, and new creative projects.

& now, on to the interview:

When did you first realize your identity as a writer?

As a weird little girl who thought everything should be either magical or funny, and when it wasn’t, decided to write it that way.

Describe the creative process involved in any one piece you’ve written—this could be book, a story, a poem, an essay, etc.

Whenever I’m working on anything, the equation seems to be writing with a side order of life. So my typical Sunday would look something like this: Writing with brief interludes of eating anything in the chocolate family; watching old Twilight Zone episodes; crying over little things; laughing over little things; going people-watching; reading some big book that I feel I should have read already; calling my friend to tell her something funny; and googling for entirely too long.

Could you describe your relationship to the publishing process? (this can be publishing in any form, from traditional book publishing to blogging, etc)

I should really hatch some green plan to recycle all my rejection letters into something extraordinary. Yet my relationship to the publishing process remains…hopeful. I’m certainly grateful to all the people who have agreed to publish my poems and articles.

Actually, publishing takes on a whole new meaning when you start your own blog. I remember being nervous at first, then hesitantly sending my words out into the blogo-verse. Suddenly, I got to assume all the roles in the little play of my own publication. I had a place to air my interests and found myself with more of them than ever. Having a blog is like being able to place each of your orphaned ideas in loving homes. It’s pretty powerful.

How has being a writer affected your relationships?

It’s a wonder my husband hasn’t left me. Just kidding (I think). I like to think that my all-encompassing fixation brings new things to the lives of those I love. This is true on good days. On bad days, I can be a moody one—one of those horrible writer stereotypes that’s true, in my case.

How would you describe the community of writers you belong to—if any?  This may be a “real” or “virtual” (in more than one sense) community.

At this point, it’s definitely more virtual because most of my in-flesh friends aren’t writers. Of my cyber-writing-squad, I’d say we’re an obsessive, lonely, self-deprecating, goofy, excitable bunch, in love with information and putting together and taking things apart with our minds, who can take out a box of donuts in one sitting, oh wait, that last one is just me.

There’s one blogger in particular, Hansel Castro over at Hallucina, whose blog I love. I befriended him in the first flush of my blogging life, but have never met him, at least not in that boring, real-world sense.

What are your future goals in terms of writing?

Besides taking over the writing world and reinventing language? No, but seriously, I would like to be able to complete the writing projects on my exceedingly long to-do-list, which I revise in my mind pretty much all the time, but especially while on stopped subways, in boring movies, or while being chewed out by authority figures, which happens more than you might think. It would also be nice to have those writings be appreciated by the public, but that might be asking too much.  At this point, with Manhattan real estate being what it is, I might just settle for a room of my own.

Bonus Question: If your writing were a musical instrument, what would it be?
It would definitely be a trombone. No doubt about it. I was never one for subtle.

Adams County Makes the News - Council Leader #28

The Adams County Leader
Published Every Friday by the Council Publishing Company. 
Eighty-nine per cent of the stock of the above company
is owned by F.H. Michaelson.
F. H. Michaelson Editor and Manager

LOCAL ITEMS, 1920 – 1921

To most of us this spring, sunshine is one thing that remains free, the Standard Oil

Company not having found a means of monopoly.

Council Creamery - We Manufacture the Best Ice Cream.  This creamery is an Adams county institution, established primarily for the benefit of Adams county people.  Its success is your safety.

The mutual mud throwing in the national campaign has commenced rather early to get the best results.  Like a fried egg, slander must be fed hot off the skillet if it is to be swallowed by other than thoughtless people.  If permitted long-time exposure, neither will be gulped down without salt.

The best buy yet – a combination Westinghouse toaster and stove, $11 – Adams County
Light and Power Company.

For sale- Full-blood Lincoln buck lamb.  John Ingram.

We call to mind that for months Uncle Sam has been sending out warnings to prevent owners of Liberty Bonds from being victimized out of their savings.  These warnings make special reference to oil-stock and other get-rich-quick concerns that have gathered in millions through the sale of fake offerings.

Bring Us Eggs – 60 cents a dozen in trade.  Council Grocery.

Dr. M. D. Fleming, optometrist, will be in Council on Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26, and in New Meadows on Monday, September 27.

Come in and let us explain why the Dodge is, above all others, the car you need.  The Addington Auto Company, Council, Idaho

Notice to Public: To all whom this may concern: My wife has left my bed and board and from this date I will not be responsible for any debts she may contract.  Wm. Pappa

Last Saturday evening, twenty members of the local Odd Fellows’ lodge went to Cambridge in autos, and visited the I. O. O. F. lodge at that place, and, incidentally, conferred the Second degree on four candidates for the Cambridge lodge.  After the lodge work had been completed, the Cambridge brothers set up a feast such as a king might envy, to which everybody did ample justice, especially the Council members.  In fact, they did so well that Bro. G. of Cambridge called Bro. W. of Council aside and told him that he could quit eating any time he wanted to, all of which brought no relief for Cambridge.

Meats - Fresh and Cured - at prices somewhat lower than conditions may seem to warrant.  Council Meat Market F. E. Weed, Proprietor

Council Grocery Company – You cannot miss the place—just across the street, east of post office.

June 10, 1921
THE BURTENSHAW FUNERAL

The almost unanimous participation of the local public in the Edward Burtenshaw funeral held here last Friday, together with the numberless manifestations of sympathy and reverence will, we imagine, long be kindly remembered by the relatives of the deceased soldier.  Most of us realized that of our boys who went to France some would almost surely fail to return.  Just who would fall was a problem to be determined by that mysterious thing called fate.  As the boys departed to take up their work in the great struggle, one felt that each was his boy—not in blood but in spirit, in the cause for which he fought and in the sacrifices he was asked to make.  The war brought us all closer together, and to the public in general it will be long comforting to recall that the spirit of unity remains deep down in the hearts of all.  While other boys from this county were also lost, the body of Edward is the only one thus far brought home for burial.

April 15, 1921
UNSIGNED LETTERS

We are in receipt of an unsigned communication, for publication, which begins with the statement that “all men are liars” and then in a spirit of bravery like that of a puppy which barks from behind a fence, attempts to particularize over our shoulders.  We recall having previously stated that it is a policy of this paper to refrain from publication of anonymous communications of any character.  Since unsigned letters continue to come, we would call to mind that, with particular reference to the one just received, a citizen who would abuse his neighbor over the shoulders of a little skinny county editor is as short of courage as he is long on nerve.  Neighbor, if you feel that you should abuse some person, it would be better if you go to him direct rather than ask that another peddle your spleen for you.  If you must spill your disposition, hang your coat on a fence, look up your man and say your say.  You may not look quite natural when through with the job, but you’ll at least feel less like a coyote.  It would perhaps be better for the community and for yourself if, when you feel a spell of cussedness coming on, you count a hundred before starting to abuse a neighbor.

March 11, 1921
SUNDAY THOUGHTS BY A BUSY FELLOW

Recently, while on the street, we heard one of our good neighbors who had been using some rather strong profanity at a time when one of our local preachers was standing near, make the statement, “Gee, I didn’t see the Parson when I was saying that.”  All of which seems to indicate a faulty method of reasoning.  Without a thought of disrespect to the ministry it would seem that if one is going to cuss at all there could scarcely be a better place to “let go” than in the presence of a preacher, rather than in the presence of children who may be impressed by bad example.  Seems to us that swearing in the presence of a preacher would be a little like breaking one’s leg in the presence of a doctor.  One would at least be near help if he felt that he needed it.  Better, far better, to be careful of one’s language near little folks.  It is to be assumed that a preacher can hear bad words without being in the least corrupted.  Otherwise he is working on the wrong job. 

But we advance this thought merely to call to mind that most of us too often regulate our conduct on a basis to avoid criticism rather than with regard to a common-sense view of right and wrong.  Anyway, if one wants to “cuss” it would seem that there are two places in particular where ha can do so with reasonable propriety—either when he is alone or with a preacher, the reason being that in either event he will harm only himself.  However, since we have invited our local pastors to go fishing with us this spring, we will mention, to allay possible apprehension, that we’ll do our best at “holdin’ in” even though our last spoon hook gets caught and we lose our entire d—d—arned line.

March 18, 1921
WHY NOT?

Why not be full of fun and humor at home—like the folks in the movie pictures are?  We imagine that when a man comes home tired from work it would be restful to pick up a custard pie and slam it is the faces of the wife and children, a la movie comedy.  Many people who attend movies laugh at such things—and so do we—and, through their approval, ask that they may be presented with regularity.  If there is a guest in the house to spend the evening, empty a bucket of scrub water over his head.  This will cause much laughter from the family and will make the guest feel perfectly at home.  Then throw a few plates at everybody in sight.  If this does not provoke enough humor, try flooding the house with water so that each person may float about the room on a piece of furniture, using a broom for a paddle a la Charlie Chaplin.  People laugh at such things when shown at a movie comedy, so why would it not be the proper procedure at home?

October 7, 1921
HAVALIN CHINA FREE
Commencing October 3, we will give absolutely free with each and every twenty dollars’ worth of merchandise for cash, one beautiful Havalin China Cup and Saucer.  Concentrate your buying and you will be surprised how quickly you get a full set.  Purchases from any of our departments apply, so, ladies, bring in your husbands and boys and supply their wants as well as your own, and carry away this beautiful ware.
W. T. Lampkin, Department Store, Council, Idaho
October 7, 1921

COUNTY SCHOOL HEALTH REPORT

There was a meeting of the executive committee of the Adams County Red Cross held at the court house on Tuesday afternoon, at which time Miss Annie Duncan, the county school health nurse, rendered a report of her month’s work among the school children of this county.  The figures resulting from her investigations are very similar to those found in the average rural community, and, while they are unpleasant to contemplate, furnish food for needed reflection.  In fact, it is up to our people to think—and think seriously—in regard to this problem if the defects found are to be actually corrected.  Otherwise, the community must face evidence of laxity in health control.  Miss Duncan’s report covered examination of 258 pupils, representing various neighborhoods of the county, and showed as follows:

One percent mentally defective.
Two percent tuberculous, now or in the past.
Four percent have defective hearing.
Ten percent have defective eyesight.
Twenty-two percent, diseased tonsils or adenoids.
Thirty-nine percent have defective teeth and three percent of these have diseased gums.
Thirty-nine percent are anywhere from seven to twenty percent underweight.
Four percent have various forms of skin disease.

compiled by Eberle Umbach

"GESTURE"

[A beautiful lyric poem from L.E. Leone—enjoy!]

GESTURE


You can love the world
so, so much yet know that
no matter how ultimately it embraces
you, it won’t, can’t return

your box of chocolates

So you hope to find
instead a person
maybe loves the world
as much as you do

or more even, and
you can play together
in a darkened room
while outside, without knocking

the earth sends flowers

L.E. Leone
© 2010

“Blue Yodel #5"

A happy Monday to you.  The Monday Morning Blues is a trifle late this morning thanks to technical glitches, but as is so often the case, a combination of re-booting & dogged persistance have paid off.  I chalk much of this up to January, which always seems to be a cursed month!

Anyway, our month of Jimmie Rodgers covers continues with my take on “Blue Yodel #5.”  As Rodgers fans know, the Singing Brakeman composed & recorded 13 “Blue Yodels, starting with the song also known as “T for Texas,” which Rodgers recorded in 1927 & which became a huge hit upon its release.  The final song was titled, appropriately enough, “Jimmie Rodgers Last Blue Yodel”; this was recorded in May 1933 just over a week before his death & was released posthumously.

Rodgers was a great singer & songwriter, & his yodeling ability was top-notch.  Bob Dylan has described Rodgers’ yodeling as follows: “that famous blue yodel that defies the rational and conjecturing mind.”  Rodgers himself described his yodeling in more mundane terms as “curlicues I can make with my throat.”  Tho he used this ability in a great number of his songs, the “Blue Yodel” series is a remarkable set of songs & one that had profound effects on the development of country music & probably had influence into other music as well—just as Rodgers himself learned from the African-American stylings we call the blues, there’s every reason to believe that Rodgers’ songs had an impact on contemporary blues performers.  His songs were major hits, & it’s known that blues artists such as Muddy Waters & Howlin’ Wolf admired his work.  I’ve also seen conjecture that Rodgers may have influenced Tommy Johnson’s singing.

The yodeling is a stretch for me, but I had fun with it.  I’m playing my Gold Tone resonator tuned to an open D but capoed so that the actual key is E.  I originally intended to play this one slide style, but at the last minute I chose to go with straight fingerpicking.  Hope you enjoy it!