whatusernamedood 2015-09-19 02:44:53

"Correct music-theory way" lol
It's just plain textbook definition of scales and modes having "certain magical properties".
*This one* is "sad"; that one is "dramatic", "serious", "hymn-like", "exotic". I'm sure there's a list somewhere.

"Titanium" by David Guetta, maybe? It's kinda "sad" but is in major progression. Or Katy Perry with "Hot 'n' Cold", it's a "woohoo" song in minor all the way (even the bridge).

I, personally, don't think it's "exact". But, in order to get into higher degree music education, you have change the mood of a certain piece during an audition. Happy to sad to angry. Major to minor+down-tempo to up-tempo+staccato.

LucidShadowDreamer 2015-10-08 19:11:50

Oh wow, I seem to have missed this. My deduction is that I am more awesome than you both at feeling the true tone of a melody, because I am the very greatest ever to exist :D
I don't off the top of my head remember any examples either actually, but I can compose tracks of all mentioned kinds and more. Worth to mention is that if you want a major chord based track to sound sad, it'll probably feel sad in a more sentimental way (our emotions are quite complex), and you'd probably end up using some Major 7 chords (or rather, the normal chord in the base, but the melody would end up crossing notes which turned the chord around a bit) to achieve that effect, along with some other small tricks here and there.
What also helps, if you don't stick to a defined scale, but borrow chords from other scales; while still being major chords, they will add a contrast between notes and the previous scale, that if used correctly, can achieve a sad tone.

It's pretty easy to turn tracks with minor chords into happier sounding tracks though, simply by picking the right melody and rhythm. I'll probably upload some examples of both of these some day when I get time :p
That is, I will not use a single minor chord in the sad song, and not a single major chord in the happy one. I will only use the piano though, which makes it much more difficult :)

P.S. While I agree that Fox in the Snow Bell sounds sad (much bescause of the singing and intrument choice), I don't find Range Life to sound much happy at all. Catchy =/= happy D:<

Ehh... Anyway... I should go to sleep... :p

LucidShadowDreamer 2015-10-08 19:26:14

Whoops, I of course meant that it's pretty easy to write SAD songs with MAJOR chords. Not the other way around (Me tired) :p
As for the melody and rhythm though, that'd be the tools for turning a minor chord based track more positive (Like a polka or something, but they're not necessarily happy; just less sad).