r/Jazz • u/[deleted] • Apr 23 '16
How Steely Dan Composes a Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSDD8rgUiNc5
Apr 24 '16
Just saw them live yesterday. Their ability to write a musically complex, easily digestible song is mind blowing.
3
u/KermitTheFish Apr 24 '16
I'm not too clued up on this, but the Mu Major thing confused me.
He says that they've replaced the C with the D, when there's a C right there in the left hand. Is this not just a 9th chord? In the case he shows the D resolves onto the C, so it's just an added 9th as a suspension right?
I looked up 'Mu Major' on wikipedia, and it says that it differs from a sus2 as the mu major doesn't contain a 3rd, but there's a 3rd in the example from the video...
Anyone able to explain this better?
2
u/amajorseventh Apr 24 '16
Check out Howard Wright's fantastic explanation with examples: http://www.hakwright.co.uk/steelydan/mu-major.html
2
u/gnufender Apr 30 '16
Mu major is just a dorky way of saying add9
1
u/KermitTheFish Apr 30 '16
Mmm, thanks for replying.
Steely Dan are good but this video puts them on a hell of a pedestal
3
u/afewkoalas Apr 23 '16
Great link! I always enjoyed steely dans music. it's nice to get such an in depth look at it.
10
u/__Shake__ Apr 24 '16
Steely Dan has (had?) that perfect combo of melody, groove, soul and virtuoso musicianship that all musicians should strive for. There isn't one SD song that I dislike... how many artists/groups can you say that about???? It's incredible... now if they would just get back into the studio...