The Change Events/transpose Funtion In Reason, what is a semitone Options

[Presto]

Rickenbacker You could even say B## = Db for a bit of fun, but you were absolutely right not to complicate the issue for somebody who asks what a semitone is.

Mellotron, I thought I'd add a bit of basic theory concerning semitones, and please excuse me if you DO know what a semitone is but when you saw the word on your computer you didn't realise it was the same thing.

Let's presume you know what an octave is. You use 8 notes to make a scale starting at one C and finishing at the next C (like doh, re, mi, fa ...... up to doh). However, you have 13 white and black notes on a keyboard to choose from between C and C. The difference in pitch (highness) between each of these 13 successive notes is called a semitone.

For the C major scale, you'd play just the white keys. When you play an C minor scale (sad) going up (to the right), instead of playing the 3rd white key (E), you have to play the black key just to its left. Here its called E flat. Flat means a semitone lower. Sharp means a semitone higher. Etc.

Alot of people learn to play an instrument instinctively, and although they don't necessarily know the word "semitone", they most certainly do know how to use semitones. So, if you compose instinctively on a keyboard for instance, you don't have to know the words to explain what you do. However, if you are going to write music on your computer, you need a bit of theory. Hope this gets you started.

In Hungary, before the rusty iron curtain fell, the zigane bands were given a label depending on their level in theoretical music. They were not allowed to play for "high level" concerts if they hadn't passed an advanced level theory exam. Some excellent intuitive bands were restricted to playing for only small wedding festivities.

Rickenbacker, I help French researchers correct their articles before submission, and I find it quite exciting - a bit like playing chess. But it's the logic, concision and clarity we work on. Hell, it must have been boring doing just the spelling and grammar. I also "teach" English as a foreign language to French people who have previously done between 5 and 10 years of spelling and grammar at school. They often don't understand even simple spoken phrases and say they never liked English. Imagine 10 years of highway code before grabbing a steering wheel.

In France the music schools subsidized by the town councils, often use obligatory music theory classes for a year before kids are allowed to also go to the practical music classes. This is to dissuade the many kids who want to learn to play an instrument. That way the schools can afford to provide lessons for the few kids who tolerate the theory.

I wish I'd done more theory. It really is useful, but at first its boring, specially if its not introduced in small doses and linked to practice with an instrument.

I'm rambling and going to get told off for OT

[rickenbacker]

Presto and Ghess: it's good to have your technical input around these parts. It's one of the strengths of these forums that there's always someone who knows a topic inside out, so people can get all the answers they need - as much or as little info as they want to absorb.

Don't take any of what I said as meant with aggression. I just know that you can get by in computer music without knowing any theory whatsoever, in the same way that you don't need to understand the internal combustion engine to drive a car. I'm not sure how much Mellotron wanted to know - but he got a whole lot out of us!

And, hey, my subbing job wasn't just spelling and grammar - sometimes I was allowed to re-work the content, too!