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Nov 1, 2019 at 20:33 comment added ibonyun What matters for the sake of answering the question is this: what is the generally accepted convention? And it appears to differ depending on whether you're talking about classical (my way) or jazz/pop (your way). So be it. Michael Curtis's answer covers both, so we've been scooped.
Nov 1, 2019 at 20:28 comment added ibonyun RE Picardy 3rd: The minor key tonic is i, not I. If you use a picardy, then it would be I. Where is the confusion?
Nov 1, 2019 at 20:28 comment added ibonyun (cont'd) If you see v or VII, natural minor is in effect. If you see V or vii*, then you know the 7 is raised which means harmonic minor. I don't know how often the raised 6 in melodic is analyzed as a chord tone, as opposed to being a passing tone. So I don't think IV automatically screams melodic minor. It might simply be modal mixture for the sake of colour. The context would need to be considered.
Nov 1, 2019 at 20:26 comment added ibonyun You're looking for problems where none exist. RE natural vs harmonic vs melodic: Harmonic and melodic are simply the names used to describe how certain notes are commonly altered in the minor mode (by borrowing from the major mode). Classical musicians don't use them separately. You don't write a piece in melodic minor. You write a piece in minor, and if you raise the 6 and 7 for an ascending melody or raise the 7 for a dominant chord, those would be described as making use of melodic and harmonic minor, respectively. But it's all just minor mode. You're never in just one or the other.
Nov 1, 2019 at 17:16 comment added Laurence But which of the three (main) minor modes - natural, harmonic, melodic? And if the minor key tonic is I, what do we call a tierce de Picardie? We have a naming scheme available that takes account of all these. Why not use it?
Nov 1, 2019 at 17:11 history edited Laurence CC BY-SA 4.0
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Nov 1, 2019 at 16:55 comment added ibonyun That's because (some of?) Bach chorales were based on old plain chant melodies. I'd consider that an edge case. 99.9% of classical music is either major or minor.
Nov 1, 2019 at 12:36 comment added Laurence In jazz, certainly. Or in a Bach chorale. Music has always been more diverse than some textbooks are happy with!
Nov 1, 2019 at 12:30 history edited Laurence CC BY-SA 4.0
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Nov 1, 2019 at 6:16 comment added ibonyun "It's bad enough having to establish where the tonic is at any time, without having to state whether youre numbering according to major harmonic minor, melodic minor, natura minor, Dorian.." How often are you doing RN analysis on modal pieces though? Maybe in jazz? In which case, maybe you're right that that's the preferred method. But in the classical world you're almost always dealing with either major or minor mode. And if you're doing RN analysis, you're obviously going to be indicating which key you're in. Marking VI as bVI in minor is simply redundant.
Oct 31, 2019 at 22:35 history answered Laurence CC BY-SA 4.0