Alfa Mist – Dreams [transcription]
This is my transcription of Dreams by Alfa Mist (ft. Carmody) from Nocturne (2015). I improvise my own notation, which I’ll explain as I go. The vocal melody is integrated in the right hand, rather than being a pure transcription of the piano part.
Time signature thruout is 7/4, decomposes into 4/4 + 3/4 = 4/4 + (2/4 + 2/8).
Scales
The song is based in G (natural) minor and adjacent modes, which I’ve written out alongside their relative brightness. Later, chords will be labelled with an implied scale, which is used for improvisation.
| name | symbol | brightness | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| G minor | Gm | 0 | G A B♭ C D E♭ F |
| G dorian | Gd | +1 | G A B♭ C D E F |
| G locrian | Gl | –2 | G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F |
The song is characterised by alternating G minor (the stable scale) with G dorian (the bright emphatic scale), and G locrian is used for one super-dark chord (D♭M7) in the chorus.
Verse
Expressed as a sequence of chords:
- scale: the scale to play over this chord;
- numeral: the triad underlying the chord, written as the degree (relative to the key’s parallel major scale, so always G major); upper/lowercase denotes major/minor triad rsp.;
- symbol: an absolute symbol for the chord;
- degrees: spelling out the voicing (all degrees are relative to the chord root’s parallel major scale)
- melody + notes: prominent notes in the melody + notes on how to play this part
First Half
| scale | numeral | symbol | degrees | melody + notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gm | i | Gm+9 | 1 ♭3 5 9 | D |
| Gd | IV | C+6+9 | 1 3 5 6 9 | D (pivot note), descend to A |
| Gd | ♭III | B♭ | 3 5 8 | B♭ (optional passing chord – use in 2nd verse only*) |
| Gm | iv | Cm7 | ♭3 5 8 | C, B♭ |
| Gm | ♭III | B♭M7 | 1 3 7 | A (resolving chord) |
| Gm | ♭III | B♭+6+9 | 1 3 6 9 | G, ascend to C |
* this chord is played for a more emphatic change; its degrees are all leading tones into the next chord
Second Half
| scale | numeral | symbol | degrees | melody + notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gm | i | Gm7 | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 | D, descend to G |
| Gd | IV | C+6+9 | 1 3 5 6 9 | D (pivot note), alternate with G |
| Gd | ♭III | B♭ | 3 5 8 | F, ascend towards A (optional passing chord – use in 2nd verse only*) |
| Gm | iv | Cm7 | ♭3 5 8 | A, F, descend towards D |
| Gm | ♭III | B♭M7 | 1 3 7 | D (resolving chord), C→E→D melody (E is an accidental presaging modulation) |
| Gd | ♭VII | C+6+9/F | 1 5 7 9 10 13 | D (chord hangs in the air; same as 2nd chord with added bass note) |
* this chord is played for a more emphatic change; its degrees are all leading tones into the next chord
Chorus
First Half
| scale | numeral | symbol | degrees | melody + notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gm | ♭VI | E♭M7 | 1 3 7 | D |
| Gm | ♭III | B♭M7 | 1 3 7 | D, A |
| Gm | ♭VII | F+6 | 1 5 6 10 13 | A, descend towards D |
| Gm | i | Gm | 1 3 5 | (add degrees 1,5 an octave below for bassline leading); D, A, B♭, ascend to E♭ |
| Gm | v | Dsus4♭9 | 1 4 5 ♭7 ♭9 | E♭-D-C-D, A, ascend towards C |
Second Half
| scale | numeral | symbol | degrees | melody + notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gm | ♭VI | E♭+6 | 1 3 6 | C |
| Gm | ♭III | B♭M7 | 1 3 7 | A |
| Gm | ♭VII | F+6 | 1 5 6 8 10 | F, D+G, C+F |
| Gl | ♭V | D♭M7#11 | 1 3 ♯4 7 ♯11 | G, D (an accidental presaging modulation) |
| Gm | iv | C5+9 | 1 5 8 9 | D, G |
| Gm | ♭VII | F+6+9 | 1 3 6 10 13 16 | (chord hangs in the air) |
End Loop
| scale | numeral | symbol | degrees | melody + notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gm | iv | Cm7 | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 | B♭, A |
| Gl | ♭V | D♭M7 | 1 3 5 7 | C |
| Gm | iv | C5+9 | 1 5 8 9 | D, G |
| Gm | ♭VII | F+6+9 | 1 3 6 10 13 16 | G |
On the last repetition, at F+6+9 chord, add 2 (=G), then release all keys except 2,6,10 (= residual Gm+9 chord). Then continue into 1st verse 1st half and end on the resolving B♭M7 chord.