trying to teach someone who is tone deaf about keys

seannash

have a bit of a problem.
i have a mate who is doing a remix.he shot it over to me and i instantly could tell that it wasnt working because of the key clashs

so i asked him could he hear it,which he couldnt.
i told him what the keys were of the two main elements that were clashing but this isnt gonna help him in the future.

he was basically using samples from the remix pack and then adding his own elements but the two werent in the same key.

i dont want to tell him to use a software programme as they tend not to be accurate.

i cant tell him to do the play along with the keyboard method(using his ears) as he wont be able to tell whats right and whats wrong

so how would i go about doing this

Neurojazz

Painfully, i'd ask the person to learn something like guitar/keyboard basics.

It's pretty much about training the ear to recognize intervals between notes... the guitar being slightly more helpful as you have to learn to tune the thing and helps the earns with harmonics also.

A long, long trip and no easy fixes really - keyboard the quicker option for learning about intervals and training the ear - then a strict diet of western based music (like classical) while learning - sounds odd, but helps.

PaulBrewer

Get him a 'Talent' Refill pack ....

Anima

Textbook reply Paul....

fabbydabby

Surely you can transpose the sample to something a bit tastier sounding and show him the the difference?

Loads of dance music producers don't understand chord progressions or harmonics. Where do you think minimal came from!?:D

electrogrimey

What about trying something like Mixed in Key and that little wheel thing it uses? I know you said you don't want to use software, but you can either do that, or spend 5 years training him in classical theory...

fabbydabby

In fairness, you don't need to go to Juliard to know that something is out of key.

Regardless of understanding the mechanics of what's actually going on there, if he can't tell that the fkn thing sounds all wrong and needs to be corrected in the first place then he probably shouldn't be producing music, no?

electrogrimey

fabbydabby wrote: »

In fairness, you don't need to go to Juliard to know that something is out of key.

Regardless of understanding the mechanics of what's actually going on there, if he can't tell that the fkn thing sounds all wrong and needs to be corrected in the first place then he probably shouldn't be producing music, no?

Unfortunately for your mate, this is probably true.

Four-Percent

electrogrimey wrote: »

Unfortunately for your mate, this is probably true.

Yeah i was thinking about this the other day, how can somebody who is tone deaf even get into music in the first place? Can they hear the pitch of the notes played or do they just like the lyrics?

PaulBrewer

Four-Percent wrote: »

Yeah i was thinking about this the other day, how can somebody who is tone deaf even get into music in the first place? Can they hear the pitch of the notes played or do they just like the lyrics?

Or the CD sleeve ...?

jtsuited

Four-Percent wrote: »

Yeah i was thinking about this the other day, how can somebody who is tone deaf even get into music in the first place? Can they hear the pitch of the notes played or do they just like the lyrics?

I genuinely think people don't realise how many people are genuinely tone-deaf out there. And there are many who are big 'music fans' too. The main clue is usually a genuine reverence for the following bands :

Manic Street Preachers
The Smiths (but more specifically Morrisey's solo stuff)
PJ Harvey
New Order

Not bad bands at all, but in my experience people who are genuinely tone deaf tend to be huge fans of the above.

Yeah and if someone is tone-deaf, just tell them there's no point.

legomonster

Tone deafness to my knowledge is a mode of punishment or if you will a way to atone ( forgive me lord for I know not what I pun ) for bad music written in previous incarnations. Though there is no earthly remidy the only path to absolution and hence to ensure that the full tonal range will be waiting in the next life is to soldier on and learn to play an instrument to virtuoso level. This must be done atop a mountain and no human contact is permitted during the 'concordance' or priod of atonement. Once you convince your friend of this, your problems are solved. Hail satan.

fabbydabby

I disagree, I think you can train your ear to it.

Some form of melodic musical instrument training is a must though, unless you are dubfire and can make an entire tune out of two notes a whole tone apart (roadkill).

Anyway, if musical talent isn't an option, there's always minimal...

(buzz, click, woodblock, woodblock, click click, clickbuzz, click, woodblock, woodblock, click click, etc......)