Chords Quote by Jonny Greenwood

“As soon as you impose Western chords on an Indian scale, something great collapses.”

Jonny Greenwood

About This Quote

Source Interview: Music Production Podcast, 2020

Merging Western harmony with Indian scales can disrupt musical coherence.

In simple terms: Cross‑cultural fusion is tricky.

Key Takeaway

Respect each tradition’s rules.

Themes

cultural exchange music theory creativity

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

musical educational

When to use this quote

songwriting
film scoring
world music collaborations

Key Concepts

modal harmony tonal conflict

Questions to Reflect On

How can you honor both traditions?
What balance works for you?

A Different Perspective

Fusion may dilute original character.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3.2 out of 5 (5 ratings)

Chords Chords Indian Collapse Collapses Great Collapses Indian Indian Scale Scales Western Western Chords

More by Jonny Greenwood

I sometimes wish taste wasn't ever an issue, and the sounds of instruments or synths could be judged solely on their colour and timbre.…

Jonny Greenwood

Image

It's funny, but to me, when you go to a concert hall and hear electronic pieces from the '60s, I think they sound really…

Jonny Greenwood

Image

I'm always happiest trying new instruments - and honestly enjoy playing, say, the glockenspiel with Radiohead as much as I do the guitar. I…

Jonny Greenwood

Image

If I think about music in the future, I imagine it often as not involving electricity, in some dystopian, post-apocalyptic future. And that's what…

Jonny Greenwood

Image

Jamaican reggae is the style of music I always reach for when ranting to friends about how you could listen to one style of…

Jonny Greenwood

Image

Everything I know about pop culture I know from 'The Simpsons,' and they say the Grammys aren't very good.

Jonny Greenwood

Image

Maybe I'm used to religious music being gentler in the classical world.

Jonny Greenwood

Image

But over a period of time It's the melodic things that are in my head all day.

Jonny Greenwood

Image

It's like that scene from The Player when they talk about merging Star Wars and Kramer vs. Kramer, or whatever. You could do that…

Jonny Greenwood

Image

Every American college student goes to college with a hard drive. They take their laptop. There's not a CD player in sight.

Jonny Greenwood

Image

I can remember soundtracks that you just can't separate from the film - It's just so intertwined, so important. Like the Hitchcock ones where…

Jonny Greenwood

Image

I'm pampered like you wouldn't believe.

Jonny Greenwood

Image

It feels like Radiohead are famous, but that no one knows who we are. Which is brilliant, really.

Jonny Greenwood

Image

I was just very conscious that I could either bore people by having the music be similar for too long, or I could just…

Jonny Greenwood

Image

The strangest part of Indian music is its lack of chords: There's no such thing as major or minor, and it's unusual to hear…

Jonny Greenwood

Image

Explore all 60 Jonny Greenwood quotes

More Chords quotes

The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…

Colin Marston

Image

Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…

Conor Oberst

Image

So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…

Midge Ure

Image

Talk health. The dreary, never-changing tale Of mortal maladies is worn and stale. You cannot charm, or interest, or please By harping in that…

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Image

There's four chords in every song. That's the fun part - trying to make that your own.

Olivia Rodrigo

Image

Pete Townsend for me was a huge influence. Because essentially they were a three-piece band and the way he structured his chords and took…

Alex Lifeson

Image

“Wild Horses" started in a B-minor chord, and Stu didn't play minor chords, "fucking Chinese music.”

Keith Richards

Image

I learned to play by ear before I learned music theory. For me, that makes sense. After all, children learn to speak before they…

Jools Holland

Image

My course is about really working on a sheet of music. You work out the chords, which note complements the other, and how they…

Catriona Gray

Image

I don't write poetry and then strum some chords and then fit the words on top of the chords.

Andrew Bird

Image

I always think of each night as a song. Or each moment as a song. But now I'm seeing we don't live in a…

David Levithan

Image

It's a double-headed coin, because technology is a convenience but it's stifled our attention spans. At one time, albums had songs that were like…

Cee Lo Green

Image

I don't want to discredit people's opinions of me, but you talk about the violin or the cello or lead guitar where you have…

Bonnie Raitt

Image

There are no rules or certain methods. I usually start with the guitar or piano and sing melodies over the chords. The lyrics seem…

Jason Reeves

Image

I like really sparse electronics, lush arrangements, and interesting chord structures.

Josh Klinghoffer

Image

Browse all 544 Chords quotes

Chords Quote by Jonny Greenwood

About This Quote

Related quotes

More by Jonny Greenwood

More Chords quotes