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Topic: Should I teach forbidden parallel fifths/octaves?  (Read 2583 times)

Offline Daevren

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Should I teach forbidden parallel fifths/octaves?
on: July 26, 2004, 04:47:59 PM
Ok, I am teaching someone western harmony. My student isn't really interested in jazz or classical music(of course I hope this will change) but is interested in rock and blues. This is the first time I teach someone and I have a hard time balancing between jazz and between classical theory(because I am a perfectionist I guess, the teaching itself goes pretty wel).

Not using them sounds alot better in the harmonic exercises I am teaching him and thus help the student getting a feel for western tonal music. But this person is never going to become a classical composer, rather pop/jazz/rock style music. And in jazz, chords that move chromatic and entirely parallel sound really good and smooth. Obviously these rules have no place at all in jazz.

I am still not sure what to do...

Offline reinvent

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Re: Should I teach forbidden parallel fifths/octav
Reply #1 on: August 02, 2004, 01:58:11 AM
My suggestion would be not to elaborate on it much - since they are into pop music.  I would teach them about it a little bit, though.
The idea of being a perfectionist gets a little hard when different rules apply to different music.  
Once I learned how to do part writing - and took music lessons afterwards, most all of the music I was given to learn was loaded with parallel 5ths and 8s. (I was not into Bach obviously)  8) When I asked about it, thinking I was finding a mistake....I was told this was different kind of music.  And not all of it was jazz, a lot of it was good praise music - other kinds.
What does anyone else think?

Offline joeltr888

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Re: Should I teach forbidden parallel fifths/octav
Reply #2 on: August 02, 2004, 10:53:46 PM
Just explain to your student the reason for avoiding parallels in common practice music, and then tell them that the rules go out the window when it comes to blues/jazz.

Offline Daevren

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Re: Should I teach forbidden parallel fifths/octav
Reply #3 on: August 06, 2004, 12:57:33 AM
Ok, thanks for the advice.

I think I am going to forbid them in the 4-part writings. That seems the best thing to do. This way the student will get a good understanding of how simple tonal music works. In my opinion using no parallel 5s and 8s gives a better movement to the music and makes the individual chords more clear.
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