After listening to the feedback on the “Identifying Prowess in an SCA Musician” post, we’ve made a few changes to the checklist. I want to provide some definitions, elaborate on what is meant by some of the items, and provide some context for why this document exists in the first place. I also want to [...]
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Modal Playlist
on July 25, 2016I made a few modal playlists so you can get the sound of the modes in your ear. The tunes are a mix of pre-1600 and traditional. There's a bias toward pieces with just a melody and accompaniment, since I think it's easier to get a feel for the mode that way. Enjoy!
A Short Explanation of Medieval Modes
on July 24, 2016The medieval modes are as close as we get to scales in pre-common-practice music (that is, music prior to 1600 or so). They aren’t really scales, though. To start, let’s look at the diatonic scale. It’s what modern scales are built on, and what the medieval modes are built on. The diatonic scale is this [...]
Renaissance ABC’s
on May 20, 2016At St. Cecilia this year, my friend, Master Christian, gave me some sheet music he believed I'd be interested in. It was a three part piece by Thomas Morley, from his book, A Plain and Easy Introduction to Practical Music. Basically, Morley used the ABC song of the time to demonstrate counterpoint. The top-line [...]
Temperament
on February 4, 2015An audio example of what temperament can do to sound. Tune in Csharp major in Equal Temperament Tune in Csharp major in 6th Comma Mean Tone centered around F.