Along with the harmony, that F# will (most likely!) sound consonant, if not final the way the tune would normally go. In such an instance, an E in place of a C or C# (I am talking in D, at the end of a phrase, still) can be nice, because it preserves the stepwise motion and sounds more melodic than jumping up.Ī farther-out example to make the point: imagine ending a tune in D major but instead of playing D as the last note, you play F#, or maybe A. Whether or not this is familiar and digestible abstractly/theoretically, your ear can learn which notes sit well in which places. For example, if in D and there is a C (if mixo) or C sharp (if major), other tones that might work are E just above D or A above that. Either way, you can get familiar with the notes that may be used in place of the off-menu notes. One may or may not know, ok, we’re in D of some sort, and so, I may hear an A chord before the end (or … or …). The other thing I would add, Carol, and following up on Tom’s mention of arpeggios just above: There are some pretty common patterns, like, say, if you are in D, you will often have certain notes just before a cadence (end of section or tune), and these notes tend to be part of a certain harmony. In your future I see a tall, dark slip jig …). Gam puts it well (and I would not have thought of any obscurantist jokes had you not invited. Agreed that popping up the octave may be awkward and that moving a passage up may be preferable to that.

Happy birthday whistle tab notes