Finding Common Tones

Finding Common Tones
By: Brad




In the music world, advanced theory teaches the musician how to find common tones for the purpose of constructing an instrumental solo to be accompanied by a chordal progression. Oddly enough, this technique for the serious student of music can be used on your next fragrance hunt!

When finding the common tones in music, the student must analyze the chord progression that accompanies the solo. Using a basic example as to not be complex, if a progression contains a specific sequence of chords such as:

E minor, A minor, C major, etcÂ.

one can determine the signature to solo in and never be out of key! To do this, letÂs list some of the notes is each key listed above without being thorough:

A minor: A, E, C, etcÂÂ.

E minor: E, B, G, etc.ÂÂ

C major: C, E, G, etcÂÂ

From our elementary analysis, we see that it is safe to be in the key of ÂEÂ since it appears is all the chords of the progression. Is it up to the artist to decide the flavor of the composition by using any number of modes or scales in the key of E.

Now, letÂs relate this to perfume hunting. As most of us know, fragrances are built upon a similar pyramid just as chords are arranged to infer a distinct characteristic. Fragrances have top notes, middle notes, and base notes. Some fragrant compositions may include all of these pyramids or exclude one to two depending on the artist.

When fragrance hunting, a detailed map of what you might be looking for can be helpful and easily constructed. A good place to start is by gathering your most beloved fragrances, samples, and decants in your wardrobe and work with each one at a time. Start with fragrance X. You may notice what really does it for you about fragrance X is the bergamot, lavender, etc. Â*in the top notes and cedarwood in the basenotes. When working and sampling fragrance Y, you may notice that you did not care for the top note but the carnation (as in Equipage) in the middle was to die for. Next, you sample fragrance Z and determine the sandalwood and leather combination (as in a number of fragrances), can melt the world with temptatioin.

Here is where you construct a rudimentary diagram to put things into perspective:

Â* Â*Top Notes Â* Middle Notes Base Notes Â*


Frag X: Â* Â*bergamot, lavender did not like Â* cedarwood

Frad Y: Â* Â*did not like Â*carnation did not like

Frag Z: Â* Â* did not like did not like Â* Â* sandalwood, leather


Now comes the exausting part. Search directories of your favorite fragrance websites that list the notes in each fragrance. This can be done on our beloved Basenotes Directory, a perfume web site, or you may even have to call a store to make inquiries. Dictate the notes in each pyramid on a plethora of fragrances you might be interested in using the model above. One of your entries might look like this:

Â* Â*Top Notes Â* Middle Notes Base Notes Â*

Frag Q: Â*Artemisia, lavender, Â* Â*nutmeg, geranium Â* Â*sandalwood, cedarwood
Â*bergamot Â*carnation, cinnamon Â* amber, moss, leather

From highlighting your likes and ignoring your dislikes, you can see that this is a fragrance you may want to try which happens to be Jazz by YSL!

I hope this has helped some of you and provided an interesting way to look at fragrance hunting with an intelligent plan of attack!

Brad

Your predilection for dramatic antics is not amusing. You are woefully out of your debt. It is silly to think I listed a chord within a chord as you put it. I listed notes within each chord. As I noted, my outline is geared for the reader who does not understand music. Otherwise, I would discuss double-flatted diminished scales, lydian chord or scales with a raised 4th (mode of a major scale built on 4), mixolydian however would be a diatonic scale that may be considered as having the same order of tones and semitones as the major scale except the fifth (dominant) note is taken as the tonic or starting pitch of the scale or may also be considered a major scale with the leading tone moved down by a semitone, etc etc. The C# I listed is actually in a Chord that is lies betwee maj/min, I thought it irrelevant as giving a complex name would confuse others. The C note is not important to my aim so instead of listing broken chords and fancing voicings, I will remove the # since it apparently confused you. If you research, you will find that constructing a chord that utilizes both maj and min nuances is very cool and done in both classical and jazz. Again, I noted that I did not list every possibility as it is not important to this thread. PM with every possibility you can dream up and I will show you more. Aren't 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, inversions and so on, very fun? Â*

So, we could turn this topic of my brief return to help others into a music thread in which I could school you, or you can not post a thread unless it contributes to the meaning and purpose herein insofar as finding an approach to deciding your next fragrance. My point is concise. I will not adress your ill-concieved notions of music theory as I don't enjoy correcting those not under my tutelage. Study some more please and PM me with any questions you might have as I would be happy to help. I explained myself because you are a newbie it seems but, good try and, think before you come on here next time.

Now, this thread will not only help some beginners perhaps but shows how other experiences can relate to fragrance. I would like others to post unique and personal approaches as well!

Thanks,
Brad

Thanks Dude!

You are right Sir! It could very well turn out to be a miss but it gives a place to start. Your favorite notes mixed with other essences might turn out to be a whole other beast or it might be the holy grail you were looking for if pronounced! Good point!

DustB,

I feel it is necessary to offer my humble insight. A member replied basically calling me an idiot and that is ok as everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, as progenitor of this thread, I offered my rebuttle and explanation so there would be no further confusion as to my intent to keep focus on the subject. You are not able to answer that for me. Next you post stating "Gents" ....etc. and go on to threaten the lock down of the thread. Until now, I respected that. I read where you tell my friend that it is ok to test my ideas. If one wants to make a spirited protest, don't you think I have the right to rebuttle without having the thread locked down? I know you just want to head any trouble off before it gets out of hand and I commend that but perhaps your intrusion was haste and premature. We don't need mods popping up announcing their threats as often as I have noticed you doing so.

So, to recap, the question is, how can you condone the testing of an idea without some sort of rebuttle or explanation. Your actions vs. your statements are clearly contradictory. From what I gather, it is ok to attack someones ideas but not ok to defend? When you earn a Ph.D, professors attack and the student defends their thesis, in this case, my work. As far as I can tell, no real harm has been done and confusion has been settled in PM as I instructed to do so.

All the best,

Brad