Understanding harmonic progressions (plaisir d'amour)

[popcornn]

Hi, As a music student I learned to play my instrument (physical technique) and learnt how read music I managed to get music theory grade 5. BUT I still don't feel I understand music more than the rudaments. Take for example plaisir d'amour, It was being played on a movie series, Band of Brothers and afterwards i sat at the piano and started to play it. Well everything went swimmingly, that is until I hit the second part where the harmony was no longer Tonic, Sub-dominant and Dominant. This happens to me all the time, harmony in music starts modulate and my ears can hear it (And I can often fumble my way around until I my fingers find what my mind is hearing, but I feel it's time to expand my understanding to be able to grasp these modulations when I hear them. The major and minor chords with modulations to dominant & sub-dominant has covered quite a few years of enjoyable playing by ear but I'd love to take things further. So my question is? Does anyone know of a tutoring course, perhaps online or on DVD which will explain some of the more complex movements in chord progression, so that when I hear pieces like plaisir d'amour, I can figure out what is going on.
Thanks for you help.
Best wishes, Peter (Popcornn)

[popcornn]

45 views an 0 replies, did I say something wrong? was my question too difficult?
It's very strange not one person knows has any ideas. Maybe pianists are happy just to read the notes without knowing too much about harmonic progression, You know, a bit like how a parrot knows how to speak 'English' they think they can play 'music'

[j_menz]

I don't know of suitable online or DVD courses, but you might start with the following books:

https://www.amazon.com/Theory-Harmony-Arnold-Schoenberg/dp/0571109330/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/Twentieth-Century-Harmony-Creative-Aspects-Practice/dp/0393095398/ref=pd_sim_sbs_14_13?ie=UTF8&refRID=12FZ369C1YKD4Y1WWRXS

https://www.amazon.com/Modulation-Dover-Books-Music-Reger/dp/048645732X/ref=pd_sim_sbs_14_14?ie=UTF8&refRID=12FZ369C1YKD4Y1WWRXS

[dcstudio]

Understanding the modulation is one thing--recognizing it when you hear it is another...  ear training is what you are looking for.   Learning to hear was much harder than learning to play--for me anyway.   

The first step is to learn solfege..   

https://moveabledo.com/

[pianoplayer002]

When reading through plaisir d'amour I have no problem telling what's going on harmonically, and since I've heard many similar harmonic progressions before I can sort of guess what's going on when simply listening too, but I do not have perfect pitch so I can never be 100% sure unless I look in the score (and certainly not in more complex pieces). Therefore I can not help you with your question on how to hear what is going on.

To understand what's going on harmonically when reading the score you just have to practise your music theory. Look into https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatonic_function (function analysis is much more useful than roman numerals IMO)

You might get more answers if you structure your original question into something more readable than one giant, messy paragraph.

[michael_sayers]

You might get more answers if you structure your original question into something more readable than one giant, messy paragraph.

It is most likely that no one knew of any helpful information.  I didn't know of any until I read j_menz's post.


Mvh,
Michael

[visitor]

Our music school theory sequence was 5 semesters long and consisted of intense theory and ear training courses.  We really did not have much if a base until at least the end if theoryIII or mid theory IV.  

You have to be able to understand structure context and style as well.  

Ie is it aodulation to a closely related key or distant key. Is Ilit a true modulation or a transient one ?  Sometimes you don't truely go there and instead are hearing borrowed chords ir secondary dominant a and secondary diminished etc

I would reccoend you seek out formal class room training if you cannot get this at a misc school or conservatory like I describe we had , then at least at your local junior or community college.

You could also just buy the texts and hire a personal tutor ie speak w a peofesso of theory or composition and see If you could hire them but a couple 1+ hour sessions per week for a few years so you can go through theory in proper progression but also develop your ear ie sight singing. Chord id. Transcription skills,  etc

We used this as one of our text  both the book and workbook but also supplemented w sight singing and ear train manuals,  music examples, scores recordings and relates

https://www.amazon.com/Tonal-Harmony-Stefan-Kostka/dp/0078025141