I used to think“C Major” was a default setting like Word documents defaulting to SimSun 12 point Who cares?
But I was wrong not a small mistake but one of those — fundamentally wrong like realizing after three months that the other person never considered you a partner
That day during rehearsal I looked at the score which started with “Key: C” I nodded, thinking “Alright, an old friend” but after playing a few notes, something felt off it wasn’t that the notes were wrong it was — a lack of grounding like swinging in the air, making you start to question life
I thought it was my strumming not being precise I thought it was the lead singer being off-key I thought it was the drummer not keeping up with the beat I thought it was my state of mind being poor I thought everything was wrong, except my understanding of C Major
I was really a bit too naive
Later, I sat down to review flipped through music theory books and harmony studies then I saw a few words:I、IV、V
I thought: here we go again? More numbers and Roman numerals? But I couldn’t help but read on and then I sat up straight
I is the tonic chordIV is the subdominantV is the dominant they don’t just come randomly they are roles assigned by the narrative
In C Major, C、F、G are not “common chords” they are the three main characters one waits at home one goes out to explore one wanders far and then brings you back home
Do you understand? It’s not that you chose C Major it’s that C Major chose you it’s that C chord, after you play a full cycle, says to you: “ Come on, it’s time to land.”
That day I played a complete cycle I–IV–V–I the most basic C–F–G–C as I played, my eyes got a bit red not because it was so moving but because for the first time I truly felt every note I played had direction
It wasn’t aimless it wasn’t random it wasn’t just memorized chord charts
They were like a family with a story taking turns to appear bringing backstory, twists, and resolutions fighting when needed yielding when necessary and ultimately returning to that starting point
Little Tan listened to me finish all this looked up and asked me: “ So can you now hear the feeling of ‘ wanting to go home’?” I didn’t say anything I just played a G and then a C
She nodded and said: “ Yes, you’re back.”
That’s a wrap don’t practice too much today just play through onceC–F–G–C then close your eyes and play through once then ask yourself:
Do you hear what it wants to say? Is it saying: “ I’m back” or: “ You should come back”?