Ye olde devils chord!

[Max]

Hehehe, we learnt about modes in music today (well I knew them anyway) but I didnt know that the B-B scale was considered to be evil. (similar to the dimuinished 4th that can be played from the Lydian).

I got a very amusing image...imagine playing modes, and accidentally hitting the B-B..

"very good...yes...thats it...you've clearly practised...perfect...this is brilliant work...ok that about sums up our lesso......AHHH REPPENT! THE DEVIL IS AMONGST US!!! RUN FOR THE HILLS!!"

[super_ardua]

loool

I heard about modes once.  I can never remember which mode is which ....

[Daevren]

B-B? you mean locrian? Double diminished? Double diminished is a symmetrical scale, so it doesn't have any modes. Lydian has an augmented 4th, and that makes it the most brightest, least 'evi' sound.

[Max]

Is that the name for the B(cdefga)B 'mode'? I've never been taught it. Probably because it wasnt used  

[DarkWind]

I don't know much about theory in this subject, but is it supposed to be augmented 4th or diminished 5th? Or which is the more precise?

[Philip Daniel]

I don't know much about theory in this subject, but is it supposed to be augmented 4th or diminished 5th? Or which is the more precise?

The interval between an f-natural and a b-natural is called a tritone or an augmented fourth; the diminished fifth is the interval between a b-natural and an f-natural. Although they are both supposed to be avoided in western musical theory, it is the augmented fourth which should be avoided at all costs, whereas there is license to use the diminished fifth occasionally. The locrian mode (b-natural to b-natural) was invented long after all the Greek (Gregorian) modes, and is not truly one of them, since it contains a tritone.

[Rob47]

listen to danse macabre by saint saens...the fiddle, yes, represents some sort of devlish call in the opening tritone usage....calling somebody or something....calling the devil maybe? or was it some skeleton dude? or was the guy playing the fiddle a skeleton calling the devil?

anyway it uses the diminished fifth very effectively in this way.  Oh no wait isn't it the devil tuning his fiddle? I think that's it.

your friend

Rob

[Daevren]

B C D E F G A B is B lorcian.

The sound kind of resembles that of a half diminished seventh chord. The intervals are 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7

The b5 makes it the only mode without a perfect 5th. Its not very suitable for for music in practice. Its a diminished 5th. But also the b2 makes it very exotic.

But accedently hitting this mode... Its very weak. Thats why it isn't used. Not so much because it is evil. Still, a diminished chord all the way trough the piece, only diminished fifths, no perfect fifth, no resolved dissonance ever, will still not be very pleasent.  

[DarkWind]

Why should augmented fourths be avoided?

[Daevren]

IMO tritones(b5 or #4) are essential for strong and colourful harmonic movement.

This is not 1604, tritones are useful tools of dissonance.

[Max]

The interval between an f-natural and a b-natural is called a tritone or an augmented fourth; the diminished fifth is the interval between a b-natural and an f-natural. Although they are both supposed to be avoided in western musical theory, it is the augmented fourth which should be avoided at all costs, whereas there is license to use the diminished fifth occasionally. The locrian mode (b-natural to b-natural) was invented long after all the Greek (Gregorian) modes, and is not truly one of them, since it contains a tritone.

Hey Philip..