Pirate Music

I want to write some stereotypical pirate music but I'm not sure where to start. Are there specific scales or chord progressions that I should/could use? I haven't been able to find anything about pirate music theory and I'm curious where the style originates from.

I would recommend Dorian mode.

(don't ask me why)

6/8 time, minor key. i - VI - III - V of III - iv - i - V - i.

If you want more "folksy" pirate music, use only I/i and V/v chords, except when modulating. Dorian mode works nicely.

Thank you both. I will try those suggestions now. Though I am curious how you guys know that. By intuition?

I agree. 6/8 time. Minor Key, or Dorian Mode (Minor with raised 6th).If you're writing for band/orchestra...the stereotype instrument would be a flute/piccolo. Any high woodwind will give the sound you want. Also, you may want lots of 16th notes in your 6/8 rhythm. One good example of very stereotype pirate melodies would be Peter Pan. Find the Mary Martin musical version on youtube, and there are some great examples. One song is "We're Bloody Buccaneers". The disney version works too, they are 2 completely different musicals. Also, you can try the musical "Scarlet Pimpernel". One song in particular is "Into the Fire" which will give a good sound for harmonic progressions and rhythmic motifs.

I'd also look into hymns... I know a lot of early drinking songs were bastardized hymn melodies

I will have to look into hymns. Though I'm not sure which ones to focus on because allot don't seem to fit the mold. Unfortunately I couldn't find "we're bloody buccaneers." I did however find "into the fire," which I will examine, but I'm not sure it's what I'm looking for. I'm after the sort of folksy, real piraty melodies. Like the intro to Sails of Charon by Uli John Roth or certain parts of Over the Seas by Alestorm (Both metal but the best examples I can come up with.)

Over the Seas

YouTube - Peter Pan-Part 5

Peter Pan Clip.start around 2:05. It's a very pirate theme...complete with YO-HOs!!

YouTube - World of Warcraft Soundtrack - Tavern (Pirate)

This one is from the computer game, World of Warcraft. It's the music used in the taverns of certain coastal towns. It's very pirate-esque.

those WoW themes are pretty much exactly the kind of thing I had in mind. I want to be able to write music like that.

BTW, Thanx for the links

Well good. I knew my playing that game was for a greater a purpose than I could see...

Hahaha. Yeah, I'm sure its only a matter of time before society at large begins to acknowledge the virtual achievements of us gamers.

NO! Take my advice:

Pour the Pirate Sherry (from Pirates of Penzance by Sullivan).

AND...

The Pirates of the Carribean Soundtrack. Especially the 2nd and 3rd film have WONDEFUL pirate music. (Jack Sparrow, Wheel of Fortune).

AND...

The Soundtrack of Escape from Monkey Island (The Monkey Island SCUMM Bar - Wander the plank of love with us - downloads - mp3). Download them all (especially Escape form Monkey Island). The greatest music ever!

You definitely need a penny whistle, and an accordion would help, too. I don't think pirate music was much different from other sea shanties. Maybe Google "traditional sea shanties" and see what comes up. If you can listen to some of these you'll get a pretty good idea of the style.

I don't think you have to use dorian mode--I think that's just our modern interpretation--"AARRGG! Shiver me timbers!"--but you do want a pretty simple chord structure.