dr 🛠️🛰️📡🎧

#music and #musictheory geeks, a little help please

I'm transcribing a song in A. The last line repeats, but slightly altered so that the second time through it sounds resolved.

Now here's the thing

The best transcription of the chords that I can make comes up with

Bm A D
Bm F# D

All I can think is that even though Bm F# and D are all in A, my ear has somehow been tricked into thinking the last line is now in D major. Is that a thing?

Or am I even worse at transcription than I think? It's a distinct possibility.

Apr 5 at 12:28pmWeb
Show threadImran Nazar ~ عمران نزر3d ago

@davidr It's quite possible for a song to move from the scale of A to D, that's one step on the circle of fifths after all. I'd be more interested in that Bm chord, as the notes in Bm are all present in the scale of D, but aren't all in A...

Don't suppose you have the song to hand? I'm perhaps even worse at transcription, but four ears are better than two?

Show threaddr 🛠️🛰️📡🎧3d ago

@Two9A https://soundcloud.com/masondegraff/usidore-the-blue

I don't think I understand what you are saying about Bm, tho. B, D and F# are all in the key of A...?

Usidore The Blue

This is just a simple song I recorded because I love listening to the podcast Hello From the Magic Tavern.

SoundCloud
Show threadImran Nazar ~ عمران نزر3d ago
@davidr This is what I get for not practicing my scales for months... I got the fingering confused with B major.
Show threaddr 🛠️🛰️📡🎧3d ago
@Two9A No problem. You can see from the "...?" just how sure of myself I am.
Show threadImran Nazar ~ عمران نزر3d ago

@davidr Have just sat at the piano to work out the melody line, and the second half of the song is conspicuously absent of the one note that would tell us if the key's changed (G# moving to G).

But the song _does_ end on a D, and it does subconsciously feel like a key change at 0:27, so I'd lean towards it being so.

Sorry I couldn't be more useful.

Show threaddr 🛠️🛰️📡🎧3d ago

@Two9A This is extremely helpful at the very least because it confirms things I was starting to doubt.

It's also interesting that I went back and forth between A and D several times. I don't remember why I was so firm about the A, except that it starts with an A and the first repetition ends with a D that does NOT resolve.

I'd love your thoughts on the final chords as well.

Show threadImran Nazar ~ عمران نزر3d ago

@davidr Can't help with the chords I'm afraid; my ear keeps picking out the top note of whichever inversion's being played, and the bass note is lost.

Keep plugging at it; I'll put "git gud at chord transcription" on my list meanwhile.

Show threaddr 🛠️🛰️📡🎧3d ago
@Two9A Same. Although I did stumble on a technique that's gotten me somewhere. When listening, I count the beat to make sure I'm echoing the chords instead of the melody.