I have two GREAT OFFERS running right now: the first is a deal on my PDF/video Piano Packs - get all six for £16.95! More info here: www.billspianopages.com/pianopacks - then there's the bundle deal on the digital editions of my three current books, available here: www.billspianopages.com/bundle
@Martinbeef2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Bill. I’m dealing with a lot of depression, and seem to have forgotten the years of music lessons I’ve had in the past 20 years. I’ve got your first book , which is great, but getting out of a depression makes playing music extremely difficult. I hope I can get there. I love the piano and music, and want to play it properly.
@JamesRone2 жыл бұрын
Best of luck, Martin.
@coloaten66822 жыл бұрын
Good luck Martin, I know how you feel. I initially took up piano to deal with depression as well. Practicing scales helped a lot, along with hand independence exercises. My brain found it impossible to think of other things while practicing those.
@nick3266972 жыл бұрын
Depression is horrible but music is one thing that sometime helps. Good luck!
@nick3266972 жыл бұрын
Depression is horrible but music is one thing that sometime helps. Good luck!
@Martinbeef2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the replies ❤️
@joemaddock53872 жыл бұрын
I was thinking the same thing. I agree with the person who said it’s functioning as a B9 (or a B7) I hear it as a V of V thing because it has the same tritone as a B7 would and is leading, effectively, to E.
@yert20082 жыл бұрын
Just some useful theory information if you are interested (I'll try to be as clear as possible): In the context of A major, D#m7b5/E is vii(halfdim)/V with the 5th degree of A major (E) in the bass. (this is secondary dominant in function) This is similarly followed by a V7(13) chord with a I in the bass (E7(13)/A). (Note the added 13 is the major 3rd of the key C#) Brahms uses this interesting technique of adding the root of the following chord in the bass to create more tension while still feeling grounded in the motion of the chords. We assume from this pattern of sustained petal tone bass notes that we would resolve to A major but we instead half cadence instead to the main theme. The oblique motion of the E bass being carried into the next chord helps us not to drift too far from our key of A major while visiting D#m7b5 Also a very common and melancholic way to resolve V to I is to include the 13 of your V chord (or that major 3rd note of the key) in the V7 chord.
@pedrofuster91612 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@demiurge25012 жыл бұрын
This is very helpful, thanks
@Apfelstrudl2 жыл бұрын
THIS!
@TJ-hs1qm2 жыл бұрын
Shouldn't D#m7b5 be the half diminished vii in the key of E major rather than A major?
@yert20082 жыл бұрын
@@TJ-hs1qm it is, however the key of the piece is A major so this is functioning as a secondary dominant.
@steverino34472 жыл бұрын
I would add that the interval of F & B (played together) not only has a tendency to resolve chromatically 'outward' to E & C BUT has an equal tendency to resolve 'inward' to F# & A#. I call this the tritone theory and it's hugely important in understanding jazz chord substitutions.
@lukearmbruster81442 жыл бұрын
all he means is it resolves to a major third
@waytospergtherebro2 жыл бұрын
What else do you call things?
@mosstet2 жыл бұрын
that's because it is behaving as both C#7 and G7- the 3 and 7 of either of those chords. They both, respectively, resolve to F# or C.
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Hey everyone! Somebody yesterday posted a comment suggesting this chord and the one that comes after it are functioning like a heavily modified ii-V (i.e., is it actually a dominant function chord, or predominant?). Unfortunately whoever it was changed their mind and deleted the comment before I got a chance to reply, which is a shame, because it seemed like an interesting thought to me. Thanks for all the interesting analyses, and please keep them coming. I think I might get a whole other video out of the multifarious ways that exist of analysing this chord...! 😂
@nicolaipulley43982 жыл бұрын
Well, its D#m7b5/E to what seems to be Amaj9, so resolving it to Dmaj would place the key as D lydian and resolving it to Bmin would be B dorian.
@diarmuidkeane12 жыл бұрын
It's an unrooted B9/E followed by E7/A passing by D/A resolving to A .so it goes II V (IV) I
@terrylaw182 жыл бұрын
I thought that also after hearing you play the whole phrase that its functioning tonally as a 2 5 1. Read down in the comments and saw a lot of music professors analyzing the heck out of this but isn't the takeaway what you hear? It has the sound of a modified 2 5 1. But isn't that the essence of jazz? Who knew Brahms was a jazz musician?
@terrylaw182 жыл бұрын
All he's missing is the syncopation. Actually, when you think about it, that's the big difference between classical and rock/pop/jazz. Syncopation.
@PANDORAZTOYBOKZ2 жыл бұрын
It would only be functioning as dominant if the progression lead to D- or A#-. Adding a b9 on a D#-7b5 does not give it the function of a diatonic dominant but rather a variation on the iv chord, which is functionally the same since ii and IV are both sub dominant.
@legoguy234512 жыл бұрын
wow, i was kinda worried this tutorial would've been for complete beginners the way you were using your language, but i was surprised to have learned something both new and very valuable. thank you so much for broadening my horizons as a musician, bill
@harvey666162 жыл бұрын
And yet, one of the "magical" elements of the presentation is that, at least to this rank beginner, there is still information that is both valuable, but more importantly, _digestible_ for a beginner. I admit, there may be still things in the video that went over my head, but I still gained a lot in spite of my inexperience. I mean, at some point the student has to understand at least some of the language being used for the topic, but it's a great teacher who can, as Hinton's done here, break the information down into easy enough to understand bits that the less-educated can still benefit. I really appreciate that element here.
@pctarist2 жыл бұрын
I don't remember the last time i had a real rush to learn some music theory but you've made it real. Thank you!
@michaelmorgan16102 жыл бұрын
Thank you Bill! What a great analysis of this enigmatic chord from Brahms' wonderful Intermezzo Op 118 No2. I immediately fell in love with this glorious piece after hearing it, for the first time, performed as an encore by Radu Lupu in Carnegie Hall, in 2010. The piece, written towards the end of Brahms' life, has haunted me ever since and I like to think it finally expresses, better than unspoken words ever could, his love for Clara, the wife of his close friend, the composer Robert Schumann. Typical of Brahms, this Intermezzo is deceptively difficult to play well!
@povilasl53832 жыл бұрын
this is an awesome example of context is the most important thing in music, thank you!
@SomethingImpromptu2 жыл бұрын
Quite a good video; as somebody essentially self-teaching my way through the intermediate level of music theory & songwriting & production & guitar, it gave me a lot to think about, so thanks!
@malcolmbritton332 жыл бұрын
Thanks Bill, I so enjoy your channel. I've been a classical pianist for over 50 years but I always find something interesting in your videos. I've been playing that Intermezzo for about 30 years i think, and I've never thought about that sction in this "chord centric" way; probably because i was trained to think in terms of melody and harmony rather than chord progressions. Great stuff, thank you for this perspective.
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Malcolm - interestingly, it was musicians like you I had in mind when I first started making these tutorials back in 2009, and although the audience has widened a bit since then it's good to hear I'm still doing something that appeals to the original "target market". You can probably do the Brahms much better justice than I can!
@malcolmbritton332 жыл бұрын
@@BillHilton Maybe! 😄. Perhaps you could consider a series analysing classical piano pieces for non classicallly trained musicians? Relating classical music to today's styles would help make it relevant to modern producers and composers? I'm often still amazed to pick up very "modern" melodies and key progressions in classical music, particularly piano repertoire. You could start with Chopin's 4th ballade, I've been trying to understand the coda for 40 years and am still non the wiser - and still can't play it very well either! Keep up the great work Bill!
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
@@malcolmbritton33 Hmmm - that's a very interesting idea, Malcolm. The perpetual bind with this kind of thing is the KZfaq copyright algorithm, which mistakes my playing (it happens to others too) for copyrighted recordings, with all sorts of dire consequences. Even so, there are ways around that. I shall give it some thought. Thanks for the idea!
@malcolmbritton332 жыл бұрын
@@BillHilton Great!
@Ted6556876532 жыл бұрын
I like this progression that delays the I chord. Its a B9/E to E7 to A major (or a substitute for A major). The B9 does not have the B expressed, however the B is present as a overtone from the E bass note. Another way to express this chord is vii°7 of V / V bass. The B9/E is a substitute for F#m/E (aka vi/V bass), but instead of adding another third on top of the chord, we add another third below the chord. The D# is a minor third below the F#. Yes, this is a creative substitute. The next chord, E7, could be an E9 or E7 b9. As you say, it depends on the context as to which one sounds best in that situation. Cheers!
@adamgreener34752 жыл бұрын
Its also a bit like a ‘5 of 5’ chord. B9( without the root) resolving to E7 and back to a tonic chord. Or alternatively it could be thought of as a heavily suspended E dominant chord with a D# tendency tone thrown in for good measure. Just my take. Sounds very beautiful however we interpret it theoretically
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
That's an interesting way of looking at it, Adam - you're right that it does have that kind of suspended effect, and I certainly find it easier to make sense of in those kind of composite terms rather than as a unified chord (elsewhere on the thread someone has suggested it's simply an Emaj13 voicing, which is a fair comment, but for me doesn't quite capture what the thing is doing).
@ibanezplayaa2 жыл бұрын
I also agree with this theory. When I listen to the resolution, it does seem to function as a V/V-V resolving to a colorful V-I cadence. I think with this analysis, that 4th (E) in the bass really makes for a unique voicing that really piques the ear.
@zinzermunch2 жыл бұрын
I see it more as a #IV approach, D# in the key of A, you can approach the V chord E with the #IV of A, in this case D#, why? Because D# is VII of E and E is V of A, both D#m7b5 and D#dim7 work well, D#m7b5 is VII in E and D#dim7 is VII in Em (D#dim7 borrowing from the parallel minor key Em), Chopin and Liszt use this concept a lot but if I'm not wrong it was Schubert who started it in the classical period, but obviously this approach was widely used and possibly invented by J.S. Bach in the baroque period, in jazz it's called #IV substitution, it's a secondary dominant (VII of V) but with a more dramatic colour. The bass notes E over the D#m7b5 and the A over the E7 chord that follows on the score are simply delayed bass notes, the D# resolves to the E in the next beat and I guess the A bass with the E7 at the top will eventually become an A chord, it's kind of a pedal effect.
@nadasonic62 жыл бұрын
it's B7 (with an appoggiatura to the root) over E. Common II V I device where the II is dominant and suspended over the root of the V.
@pihermoso112 жыл бұрын
sounds like a chord from claude debussy's 'claire de lune' anyway i'm terrible at music theory, i only got a few patterns to get back to the root IV - V - I IV - iv (minor 4th) - I IV - iib5add7 (minor 2nd flat 5 add 7) or ivadd6 (minor 4th add 6) - I i heard the minor 2nd flat 5 add 7 is the same chord as the minor 4th add 6 , i really like this chord before going back to the root
@DavidGraves2 жыл бұрын
You have coalesced in this one video ideas that have taken me years to arrive at.
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Thank you, David - I'm sure there's much more to be said, but I tried to cram in as much useful stuff as I could!
@Jack-fs2im2 жыл бұрын
nice vid.growing up in 50s music teachers taught “the authentic cadence’ or 5 to 1 as “The Amen cadence”
@MrMikomi2 жыл бұрын
I thought Amen was IV - I.
@beanzthumbz2 жыл бұрын
@@MrMikomi haha yeah amen is IV-I. Sing it in your head then map it to the chords
@Jack-fs2im2 жыл бұрын
@@MrMikomi I play it in my piano in church V - 1 amen
@jadeowenhamblyn44052 жыл бұрын
Amen is a plagal cadence not perfect cadence.
@Jack-fs2im2 жыл бұрын
@@jadeowenhamblyn4405 if you want,some use 2m to 1 .I find 4-1 weak and mainly gospel.
@jarlardo2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for explaining. I have seen this chord pop up in some great pieces of music and now I am ready to compose with it myself. I think Elton John used it a lot on his songs
@harukomeyers70732 жыл бұрын
Good luck!
@jamesmitchell69252 жыл бұрын
Your explanation of tritone substitution is sort of right. It’s usually the root that changes. Not Db7/G but G7/Db (Db7-5-9). Important note about the beginning: it’s not just Dmaj at the beginning but D/A. More on this in a second I see Brahms doing a 2,5,1. Instead of Bm7, E7, A it’s (in my opinion) upper structure B9 (secondary dominant) followed by E13. In his genius, he uses the melody c#,b,d (that finally resolves to c#, b, a). The B9/E followed with E13/A is typical V7/I stuff seen all over classical music. Ultimately it results in a deceptive cadence: II, V7, IV
@AuXXKeyz2 жыл бұрын
Ok
@decemberswitch2 жыл бұрын
wow! I recognized the right hand as a Half Diminished chord, but this is the first time I've seen the left hand split like that. Its almost like a 251 with a left hand inversion / left hand playing early. I'm happy you explained the relation to Diminished chords at 12:40. Thanks for the lesson!
@ulfsvensson97102 жыл бұрын
Exelent lesson!
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Ulf!
@swaguilar_2 жыл бұрын
The infographics and emojis really helped understand what you were saying 👍
@coloaten66822 жыл бұрын
This video really pulls together many strands, great job Bill. Thanks! :)
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Good to hear you like it Col - thanks very much!
@antoniosmusic2 жыл бұрын
From the perspective of classical music theory all 4 of the notes over E are appoggiaturas, neighbouring dissonant notes of the harmony notes of chord E that resolve with a step.
@thomasbruno58602 жыл бұрын
Your Right! Brahms did make that progression and my ear could not understand it! None the less, I LOVE IT!!! Thanks for allowing me to understand Brahms a "little bit better." (Very Interesting Cord!)
@josdurkstraful2 жыл бұрын
Actually it functions as a V of V B7/E omitting the root B, secondary dominant for E with the E already in the bass, followed by E (V) to I (I guess it goes to A).
@odedkeren54042 жыл бұрын
there we go, I thought so as well - that it's an expansion of the idea of delayed reolution, where B7/E would resolve to E, a typical beethoven device that brahms also uses, only here by the time the dominant sound of D#m7b5 resolves to E713, a dominant, we get A in the bass, like a chain of delayed resolutions.
@jorgemartinez420692 жыл бұрын
I like this explanation as well. However, as with all things music theory, there is not usually one "correct" interpretation. There can be multiple ways of using music theory to "accurately" explain the same piece.
@TracksWithDax2 жыл бұрын
This to my ear makes the most sense by far. Especially when you hear it in context in the example he put in the description
@gtrdaveg2 жыл бұрын
Take a _ii > V > I,_ change the _ii_ to major, so that it functions as a secondary dominant onto the _V,_ extend the chords for some extra flavour so you end up with _II9 > V7 > I_ and now take the root away from the _II9_ chord (you don't need it) and voila! Then bring the bass notes in one chord too soon because Brahms and you're sorted.
@passage2enBleu2 жыл бұрын
Excellent that you give classical examples. Thanks.
@CommunicationsPC2 жыл бұрын
KInda roughly knew about the theory behind this lesson, but it's very helpful to hear it explained and confirmed by a pro like yourself. Now I know for sure. This deepens my understanding ! Great lesson ! Thanks !
@michaeldeloatch74612 жыл бұрын
I have been a fan of classical music since childhood. However I can clearly recall I didn't "get" Johannes Brahms at all until I hit my mid 30s. Now that I am looking at the commencement of my declining years, I can't imagine life without the consoling genius of Brahms. Not to say I can play classical myself worth a hoot, and have never tried intermezzos, but this particular chord has always stood out to me while listening to this piece. Thanks for the explanation.
@Healingmind12 жыл бұрын
Wow😍 this is very nice lovely ambience music and video. Nice sharing my friend!👏
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
You're welcome!
@johngilbert1842 жыл бұрын
Super clear explanation. very helpful for chord prog design. Many thanks.
@tdlabs2 жыл бұрын
thank you for sharing your knowledge ! keep up the great work! cheers from Portugal !
@smokey64552 жыл бұрын
Great video!! However, I was waiting for you to use that pencil the whole video 🤣 why were you holding it?? Lmao
@prismaux51682 жыл бұрын
This video was absolutely great even to someone with very minimal music theory knowledge.
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Thank you - really glad you liked it!
@sebastianmoggia4800 Жыл бұрын
Awesome!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
@chicolofi2 жыл бұрын
Great lesson! Including the English lesson, since your pronunciation is absolutely clear to a non native like me. Thanks!
@sarsedacn2 жыл бұрын
very illustrative tutorial. Thanks a lot Bill
@Amateursdelight2 жыл бұрын
Brilliant. Very enlightening.
@lilycarone51162 жыл бұрын
Thank you for posting this video!!
@arxaaron2 жыл бұрын
Wonderfully rich and descriptive language for describing the chords and sounds. :-)
@cunjoz2 жыл бұрын
the reason you can find this chord in Brahms and not in the boring classical music is because Brahms isn't classical but romantic. i'm not saying that classical is boring ofc, but there's a valid reason why people in general consider it boring - it adheres to a strict set of rules. romanticism was a break from that and that's why music from that period is considered more interesting.
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
All good points, thank you! I would say that it’s pretty standard to refer to art music in the western tradition, especially that the predates the mid-twentieth century, as “classical”. Most writers then use a capital C to differentiate the Classical style and era (of Haydn, Mozart etc) within that tradition.
@andyfrankland-davies21642 жыл бұрын
Way above my knowledge level this... but so much made sense. Will try a few more of your clips. 30+ years of being a musician... only 2 years ago did I try and read a score ;)
@ronbanks3122 жыл бұрын
This has sparked a fire in me to sit behind my piano and explore new territory. I feel like Christopher Columbus looking,, searching for land undiscovered full of wonderful new treats treasures
@robertshaffer91662 жыл бұрын
Hmm it’s kind of like the bass notes are doing a ii-V-I in D while the rest of the notes are doing a vii of V and a V7 in A. Like the upper harmonies are doing a fake out like it’s going to the I, but the bass is telling you the truth. Neat!
@ruanof72 жыл бұрын
Great upload !, thanks.
@steellemonstudios2 жыл бұрын
There and Back Again: A chord progression’s journey
@maclayyc2 жыл бұрын
It feels much more like some sort of suspended B/E, since the C# has tension that would resolve first down to B, and then the whole thing like V-I to E major (although it's left hanging in the Brahms)
@Horzinicla2 жыл бұрын
It sounds a lot like the beginning of one of my favorite songs "Oh Lori"
@justinpeter57522 жыл бұрын
Wow that was a very well done video! I will subscribe.
@yansa19662 жыл бұрын
Awesome video!
@ronbanks3122 жыл бұрын
This was so cool! At first I was thinking who plays an E bass with an E flat or D sharp Min 7 flat 5???? Lol
@jorgemartinez420692 жыл бұрын
Wow, great video! You're very good at explaining these concepts.
@Somanybeats2 жыл бұрын
Great video!
@HybridMusicians2 жыл бұрын
Brilliantly formatted lesson!
@samuelbrown4342 жыл бұрын
I might call this a sus chord because it resolves like one. 4 falling down to 3. It has an additional element though that is nice and spicy: the Major 7th falling down to the Minor 7th. So there’s a parallel tritone that doesn’t sound as dissonant the first time because there are other clashing notes. The second time the tritone exposed and not obscured as being part of a triad and so sounds harsher. Overall it’s building in dissonance to get a super satisfying resolution to get back to the theme.
@vurbddum2 жыл бұрын
Great tutorial, i'll be sure to check out some more. Thanks.
@AtomizedSound2 жыл бұрын
It’s a nice flat 9 sounding chord with the flat 9th in the bass.
@juliabrooke45442 жыл бұрын
Hey Bill, Your videos have been such an inspiration to me. I know this doesn't have anything to do with the video, but I've just recently gotten back to playing the piano. I've always wanted to improvise, and your videos have been a great help, but I'm stuck at the moment. I don't know if there might be some music theory that I'm missing that will help. I just really need to get out of this rut that I'm in. :)
@michaelcarlos20642 жыл бұрын
Check out Jonny May's channel: kzfaq.info. Like you I'm playing again after a very long break, and I'm loving his channel. Learn something fabulous every time I go there.
@rockstarjazzcat2 жыл бұрын
Great stuff!
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much!
@l.g.brandon42942 жыл бұрын
Subscribed. Thanks!
@mothra872 жыл бұрын
Excellent lesson... Thanks!
@RobWickline2 жыл бұрын
Hey Bill, what is the software you are using to show the digital piano highlighting the notes you are playing? I have been searching for something like this for my virtual students and have been struggling to find something.
@penndragon222 жыл бұрын
First play of the chord made me think Jamiroquai Virtual Insanity
@straightupanarg62262 жыл бұрын
I see you are a man of taste
@rickhbrown2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Bill, well done
@justburnin2 жыл бұрын
Thank you
@RenanteNate2 жыл бұрын
it is a simple F#m7/E or ii7/I. This is a part of ii-V-! chord progression
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
It’s certainly *close* to that, and arguably had a similar effect (someone else on the thread has pointed out it can be interpreted as a modified ii-V-I). But F#m7 is F#-A-C#-E - no D#, which is playing a very prominent role here.
@BurakBaduroglu2 жыл бұрын
thank you
@sorin.n2 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@DavidFeilyMusic2 жыл бұрын
Maybe A13(#11)/E resolving eventually to D? My ear initially heard it as E13 type chord. Emaj13(add4)? I guess I don’t know the piece well enough to say for sure. I would be reluctant to call it a D#m7b5/E. Rootless B9/E as others have mentioned as alternate?
@johnmcminn94552 жыл бұрын
I am wondering the names of classical cadences "vii half diminished" is used. if you wiki cadence you get a history of how cadences progressed though out the years with great composers , they try to do something different to get a distinct sound, the Baroque Era had one sound, Classical Era another , romantic used a lot of diminished principal " Beethovan" Modern Era got away from functional harmony" circle of fifths walk downs" and refused to resolve " Modal harmony" the other basic knowledge " tri tone sub" and Tonic sub Tonic, half cadence" could have easily been for another video linked in the description for those who don't know.
@gersten10082 жыл бұрын
Thought this was a hello foe video with Adam Neely text because of the thumbnail
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
I have to admit that Adam did *cough cough* inspire the thumbnail. I hope he takes it as an acknowledgment of how outstanding he is!
@TheGoodGoodMan2 жыл бұрын
Thanks
@brijmohannig94742 жыл бұрын
Sir, can you please recommend a video from your channel on how to make your own jazz chord progressions with jazz chord formulas? Am looking for free jazz piano tutorials and those which teach to make your own chord progressions and improvisation.
@andreipetrov48502 жыл бұрын
Hi Bill, I am for the first time here. I am not a musician, either (just trying to better understand music by playing…). However I am interested in the theoretical aspects, especially harmonic minor (sick and tired of western school starting everything from C :-)))). Sorry, while everything about tensions seems to be legit, E does not seem to formally belong to D#m7b5 (in order to be shown as /E like an inversion) -???:-) - sorry for being silly but something looks like I am not getting here… (however, don’t you think that it might be one of the reasons classic composers do not need to indicate chords (harmony) explicitly? Perhaps, they are just that good to create tensions by ear, without thinking how to properly make a stack of the triads?..)
@deancholakis20472 жыл бұрын
Beautiful music, and interesting harmony. I thank you for that. For me personally, there was too much time spent explaining basic cadences. 8 minutes? The video would have been better with a brief explanation of dominant and plagal cadences, and then the concept of a secondary dominant - B9/E to E13/A !!!
@evangoodrow2 жыл бұрын
Secondary dominants with sustained bass figures
@ThomasJLarsen2 жыл бұрын
That's exactly what I was thinking the first time I heard the chord. Thanks for writing my message. 🙂 This cord is screaming for a E7 of some kind. Nice it comes with an A in the bass.
@jmarkinman2 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately, I think you mislabeled this chord and your analysis was quite off, even if your main point about tension and release is correct. That is NOT a d-sharp min 7 flat5/E in the Brahms. As you say, context is important. The E in the bass is actually a dominant pedal tone that resolves to a Tonic pedal. And the C# in the melody is not a harmonic tone, it is a non-harmonic tone known as an appoggiatura, this tone is actually resolved to the harmonic tone B, and in the right hand you have a simple B7 which is the V7/V. Honestly have an expert check your analysis first. This is a V7/V in first inversion over a dominant pedal resolving to V7 in third inversion over a tonic pedal.
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Very interesting points, djinnman, thank you. Re: getting my reasoning “checked with an expert”, I’m sure that’s good advice, but it begs the question “which one!?” This thread appears to be full of music theory experts - and they’re all analysing this chord differently 😂 This is my analysis, and it’s the one that I feel best makes my underlying point to an audience that mostly doesn’t have classical training. But I realise there are other possible analyses, and I’m grateful to you for offering yours!
@khe842 жыл бұрын
@@BillHilton sorry I admire Bill Hilton's idea in overall, but I also can't deny telling the chord as 'Ebm7b5/E' or 'D#m7b5/E" feels like very microscopic to me. As the right-hand voicing is extended shape and 'bass-omitted' form of B7, I'm more likely to agree with dijinnman's idea. Probably Brahms didn't intend that voicing as minor7b5 but bass-pedaled extended dominant or some sort. But looking that one bright moment and calling the chord as 'D#m7b5/E' feels very Jazzy to me. Nice stuff.
@jmarkinman2 жыл бұрын
@@BillHilton A lot of expert musicians are not expert theorists, and while there are a lot of ways those particular chord notes can be used, the context of the Brahms is clearly that of a V7 of V over a pedal tone, which means the root of the chord is not D-sharp, it is B, which is implied by the appoggiatura. If however, there was no appoggiatura and the C-sharp never went to B, then yes, that would be a D-sharp diminished minor 7 chord, aka half-diminished 7th. But that isn't what happened.
@ignacioalberdi30632 жыл бұрын
B7/ E = E sus4 ..7# and 9 . second part of this equation is ugly.. and non functional.. B7/ E IS functional .. tacking in count that c# is only appogiatura like djinnman said. and also E is pedal point waiting B7 become E7 simplest right ?
@jmarkinman2 жыл бұрын
@@ignacioalberdi3063 Yes, except I want to correct myself, I looked more closely at the sheet music and the appoggiatura is best understood as an escape tone as the C-sharp comes in from an A chord and is not step-wise.
@captainred4412 жыл бұрын
Thanks! It's great to at last find a channel on music theory with the presenter not sounding almost hysterical and with 'background music' at the same volume level as the presenter's voice. Subscribing.
@ewallt2 жыл бұрын
Speaking of a chord that has the tonic within itself as an unstable chord that resolves nicely is to combine the tonic with a subdominant minor. For example, F Ab D on the bottom, G C E on the top, an F minor major chord, resolves nicely to C major. These same notes will sound nice and resolve nicely in many different orders. For example, with the G in the bass, it’s a sus b9 chord, making a nice V/I resolution, especially with the beautiful Ab. The comment about the tension chord having the tonic within it made me think of this as another example. A IVmn -> I is such a pretty resolution, it’s pretty cool that you can combine the two into one chord, and get a nice resolution that way too.
@Yadeehoo2 жыл бұрын
A minor b5 is also called a diminished chord
@cyanhallows78092 жыл бұрын
Yes. But not appropriate in this context, half dim vs full dim vs m7b5 creates needless confusion
@Yadeehoo2 жыл бұрын
@@cyanhallows7809 I agree half dim creates confusion, just call the chord a dim7. Either minor b5 or dim is totally fine, dim is just more convenient to write with the º sign for example G#º
@hybridziro47652 жыл бұрын
i hear more poeple call Jazz just playing random notes than people saying classical is boring.
@shriram54942 жыл бұрын
Really? you can get a copyright infringement strike from playing a classical piece from the 1890s? Isnt that in the public domain by now??
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Yes, the piece is public domain, but recent professional recordings of it are copyrighted. The algorithm often mistakes classical stuff I play for other recordings, which causes copyright problems. It’s a pretty well-known problem that affects quite a few people who make piano tutorials on KZfaq.
@claudiakramer45162 жыл бұрын
This is a Lydian6 chord and your voicing it like a Phrygian minor 7, which it is also
@ButthurtNinja2 жыл бұрын
This chord is on Jerry Was A Racecar Driver... I think.
@lawrencetaylor41012 жыл бұрын
Merci beaucoup for this. I'm too much of a beginner to understand most of this, but I like your explanations. I'll check in again when I have earned my chops. (Do I get points for almost sounding like a musician?)
@darklightmotion55342 жыл бұрын
>Do I get points for... No. >:( you get hella points for striving to educate yourself
@raaron43152 жыл бұрын
You could also call it a lydian chord, or A#11/E, and it's a lot less confusing lol. But you explained it fantastically. I learned a lot!
@nomore20012 жыл бұрын
Are you using a piano or a keyboard Bill?
@adlfm2 жыл бұрын
I'm kind of scared that this Brahms piece is the first thing I thought of (before he mentioned it).
@jakeb38492 жыл бұрын
Awesome video, but I think the volume of your piano is quite low compared to your voiceover.
@realraven20002 жыл бұрын
I am missing an explanation on how it resolves. obviously going straight back to the tonic would be highly unsatisfactory. I guess there is some detour over a five?
@Mizzdr1112 жыл бұрын
Thats Locrian or Phrygian at best. The bass an inversion is a minor 2nd so you can play those scales. quite dim
@skylergoodman38892 жыл бұрын
Hey man. So Thats actually just a B7/E then an E7 over E to A. it's a 2 5 1 dude. That C# is just a suspension, he resolves it right after...
@andrewphillips-hird37612 жыл бұрын
I clicked on this video wondering how long Tristan and Isolde would take to appear lol
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
I cam *this* close to mentioning the Tristan chord, Andrew, since one reading of it is Fm7b5 (though obvs the voicing completely changes how it actually functions, and I don't have a PhD in Wagnerian harmony etc etc). Anyway, given the controversy and multiple valid analyses this bit of Brahms has generated (see below...) it's probably a good job I left Wagner out of it 😂
@andrewphillips-hird37612 жыл бұрын
@@BillHilton I'm by no means an expert either but my impression is that the Tristan chord almost does away with harmony by shifting the focus drastically over to voice leading rather than what notes are being played simultaneously. That was at least the impression I got playing the cor anglais and noticing that I was often going up 1 voice at a time with each repetition
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
@@andrewphillips-hird3761 Yes, my understanding too. I'd like to understand more about his harmony, but I've never really much enjoyed the music - I can see its brilliance, but it's never been something I listen to for the fun of it, which, as you'll no doubt know yourself, can be a big barrier to making sense of something.
@Pingoping2 жыл бұрын
Why isn't it called D# half dim/E? Edit: nvm you mentioned it in the video
@marcushoyt5272 жыл бұрын
If you give it a b it’s just a B9
@Blake220222 жыл бұрын
Why is g7 played with an F and not and F sharp???
@matteolibutti2 жыл бұрын
also called Emaj13..
@BillHilton2 жыл бұрын
Yes indeed - it’s the notes of Emaj13, but, given the voicing, esp in the upper structure, I decided that I wasn’t quite satisfied with it as a label. The perils of trying to name complex chords… 😂
@Andreas_Straub2 жыл бұрын
Thanks a lot for this eye- (or ear-?) opening video! Creates a lot of new ideas and approaches to finding chords :-)