| LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Scales to chords? | |
| docz -- 09/01/2004, 13:50:43 -- #6857 | |
| Hello just wondering if there was a compendium of which scales work on which chords? Like a scales-to-chords dictionary.. tried searching here but didn't find anything, and google just gave med a bunch of stuff that I wasn't looking for so I thought I'd ask.. Cheers! Doc-Z | |
| Mike -- 09/01/2004, 17:07:30 -- #6864 | |
| Its in the terminology. We refer to this as Chord Scales, not scales-to-chords. This makes all the diference when doing a search. Go back to Google in type "Chord Scales" | |
| 7 -- 09/01/2004, 22:17:45 -- #6870 | |
| Consonant with the underlying chord are all of the tones in the chord. In the simple case of a major triad, the 2 and 6 can be added to the row of consonant tones. The creates a 5-note scale. In the simple case of a minor triad, the 4 and b7 can be added to the row of consonant tones. This also creates a 5-note scale. Tetrads (4-note chords) behave similarly. With the addition of the abovementioned "safe" notes, a six note scale is created. ------------------------------------- In tertian harmony, the choice of which notes to insert between chord tones is relatively straightforward: - Between chord tones a minor third apart, there are only two chromatic choices. Generally one of them is "safe" and the other is "avoid". - Between chord tones a major third apart, there are three chromatic choices. By using your ear, the correct choices in the above situations will become obvious. ---------------------------- The question "Which scale goes with which chord?" can only be answered in a relative way: 1. A scale can consist of four notes (or even fewer). 2. A mega-scale (a scale made of stacked thirds) can consist of any number of notes (often more than 12!). 3. The context of the surrounding chords and current tonal center will tend to narrow down the number of possible scales to use in any specific instance. 4. For the umpteenth time: IT'S NOT ABOUT SCALES - IT'S ABOUT MAKING MUSICAL STATEMENTS. -------------------------------------- Bottom Line: Listen to the big picture and play what you hear in your mind's ear. There'll be some chord tones in there and there'll be some non-chord tones in there. | |
| docz -- 09/03/2004, 01:31:54 -- #6888 | |
| I found it :) Thanks. 7 I know it's not all about scales, but I just wanted something to show me which pallette I could use for improve. I sometimes find myself lost, feeling what to play, but not knowing how to articulate it on the keyboard. So I thought that a dictionary would help :) Here is the link if anybody else is interested: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Marble/9607/ms-primer-4-7.html cheers! Doc-Z | |
| jzakr -- 09/06/2004, 22:57:48 -- #6977 | |
| A point I would make about music in general that makes it what it is. You could play a single note all day long and not make music. Music in its simplest form is the way tones relate to each other when placed in a time domain. To simplify that, record a couple of chords in a rythmic sequence with (audio tape, midi, whatever is available) Then play along with your chords in the form of a melody or solo. The first time you do this it will likely sound terrible. As your doing this more and more just memorize what sounds good and what doesn't. You can even start with a single chord or very slowly with 2 chords. After you get used to those chords try others or in different keys and keep adding to your mental and sound library. There are many good online places as well as books that will explain musical theory but, try to remember the first thing I wrote here. Develop your own sound ideas and you will find it more rewarding. Play around with melodies you hear and change them a little bit to suit YOUR style. Practice, practice, practice etc etc | |
| Mike -- 09/07/2004, 05:22:30 -- #6980 | |
| And if you do what jzakr has suggested you end up doing a thing called organizing your melodic principles. Time after time you start to notice cetain things souund good while others do not. You organize these things you have noticed. A million musicians have done this they ended up giveing the combinations of notes that reliably sounded good names... "scales". Then they organized the scales into a concept that could be studied for improvisation. Its called Chord Scales. You do not have to start from square one. But if you want to certainly that is not going to hurt anything. | |
| Peteboypete -- 09/07/2004, 06:38:56 -- #6983 | |
| This reminds me of a technique some horn players use to practice. They sit at a piano and play one chord with the sustain pedal depressed. Then, they work out ideas on their horn over that chord. Same principle, I think. | |
| jzakr -- 09/07/2004, 13:16:08 -- #6991 | |
| Thanks Peteboypete. I actually thought of the same thing after I posted the original message, but didn't think of the sustain thing. Another thing to do would be play like 3 chords in succession and then add a riff. That way endings and turnarounds could be developed. Not using the sustain later on would likely help musical memory of chord sounds. Not to mention it's really a lot of fun. After a while passages start running through you mind and you then use them as a pattern to shoot for. Outside of that I think I will be visiting this forum a lot. I was blown away by some of the fantastic midi clips and spent a couple of hours at the kyboard playing along. Fine crowd here too!! Thanks Scot great idea....... | |
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