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• Encouraging scholars of popular music to make effective use of musical analysis and theory

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Whole-tone and Octatonic in pop and rock

2 replies, 2 voices Last updated by Keith Salley 5 years, 5 months ago
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    • 14 August 2020 at 8:48 pm EDT #36581

      Keith Salley
      Participant
      @ksalley

      Hi everyone,

      Hope you’re all well and reasonably rested.

      Was wondering about rock or general pop tunes that feature symmetrical/synthetic scales like WT and OCT. I don’t mind fleeting surface occurrences where the scales are just run through, like those WT scales in the intro to Stevie Wonder’s ‘You Are the Sunshine . . .’ or the recurring OCT riff in Radiohead’s ‘Just.’ A growing list of those would be great. However, I’d also appreciate anything deeper, such as a tune where the harmonic organization might adhere OCT, HEX, or even WT collections.

      Could anyone refer me to anything in the pop world?

      Thanks in advance!

    • 16 August 2020 at 4:33 pm EDT #36598

      Walt Everett
      Participant
      @wte714

      Keith, my favorite rock octatonic passage is the guitars/bass trio in the transition of “You Never Give Me Your Money.”

      There are a number of equal divisions of the octave, such as in the Fifth Dimension’s “Up—Up and Away,” the Doors’ “Touch Me” and Lorraine Feather’s “The Girl with the Lazy Eye.” I may list others in Foundations of Rock. Have fun!

       

    • 17 August 2020 at 11:54 am EDT #36609

      Keith Salley
      Participant
      @ksalley

      Thanks, Walt!

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