Margaret P. Fay
Bassoonist. Composer. Music Theorist.
MUSIC THEORY JOKES
Created in collaboration with my Spring 2022 Music Theory II students at Stephen F. Austin State University. Thank you for being such a supertonic bunch. We may not have stopped the pundemic, but at least we came up with some as-tonic-shing and dominant-ertaining jokes together!
What is a horse's favourite kind of 6/4 chord?
- A NEIGH-bor 6/4!
- Arpeggi-neigh-ted 6/4 (Cassidy Burleson)
- Carrot-dential (Brianna Escamilla)
- None, because they say "neigh" to theory (Katelyn Bawden)
What did the jalapeno pepper ask to have played at its wedding?
- "Taco Bell's" Canon
- Salsa music (Michael Rodriguez, Alexis Olmos, Kathryn Barnes, Reid Wiland, Ashlynn Phelps, Shelby Rotramel, Lucas McKearin, Tiara Cooks)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers, his cousin's band (David Henriquez)
- Pachelbel Pepper's Canon (Israel Delgado, Alyssa Garcia)
- Enchilouda music (Nelson Schulze)
- The Spice Girls (Micah York)
What did the teacher say to the sentence?
- You really get the basic idea! (Dr. Fay)
- You’re (too) basic! (Cassidy Burleson, Michael Rodriguez, Cooper Straubmueller)
- Stop repeating your ideas. (Tiara Cooks)
- Period (Izzy Delgado, Brianna Escamilla, Ashlynn Phelps)
- Do you understand the basic idea of this topic? (Micah York)
- The bell doesn’t release the period, I do. (Caleb Kruebbe)
- Don’t get any funny “ideas!” (Grey Billingsley)
- Presentations are due next class. (Makenzie Paul)
- Don’t forget the period! (Brooke Griffith)
- Great presentation! (Americuss Hirsch)
- Are you ready for your presentation fo continue, Mr. Cadence? (Brianna Alvarado)
Why do suspensions love New Year's Day?
- They're used to being hung over and they excel at making resolutions.
- Because they don't have to hold onto their past anymore. (Americuss Hirsch)
- They love to let go of the tension they've built up in the past year. (Micah York)
What is a pickle's favourite interval?
How did the school principal punish the tonic chord?
- By giving it a suspension.
- They took away his do ($). (Tiara Cooks)
- He sent him back to PREdominant SCHOOL. (Nelson Schulze)
- The tonic chord got in treble with the principal, so he made it jump off a clef. (Miranda Cash)
- By taking away its BFF (Best Friend Fifth). (Brooke Griffith)
- Sending it to the bass-ment. (Matt Purcell)
What did the leading tone say to the chordal 7th?
- I’ll take the high road and you’ll take the low road! (Most effective if sung)
- If we can’t be together in the end, we’ll have to go our separate ways. (Makenzie Paul)
- Watch your step! (Natalie Riechers)
- How am I leading if I’m in 7th place? (Caleb Kruebbe)
- How do we resolve this situation? (Nelson Schulze)
How many pickles can a V7 eat?
- I don't know, but the chordal 7th-8-9!
- It depends on the "brine" signature.