I am analysing the musical style of playing saxophone on dance beats, or dubstep, like in this song.
Would you characterise this as funk? And what is the key they use. My closest guess is a minor or major blues scale, but I could be totally wrong.
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I wouldn't call this funk - it's too upbeat, not relaxed and soulful enough. I think you're right on the key - the basis is minor pentatonic scale ("blues scale"), I think I heard a few embellishments that use aeolian or dorian, and I notied a diminished fifth here and there. But basis is def. minor pentatonic. – Roland Bouman Apr 16 '14 at 10:04
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This song is not funk, and it's in a regular minor key (no fancy modes here) – Anthony Apr 16 '14 at 13:58
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1@RolandBouman - the minor pentatonic with a diminshed(flattened) fifth is the blues. – Tim Apr 16 '14 at 19:56
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1@Tim I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing it out - I didn't realize "blues scale" was in fact defined like that. – Roland Bouman Apr 16 '14 at 20:07
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1@dorien, dorian is the minor pentatonic + major 2nd + major 6th. The blues scale is the minor pentatonic + the sharp fourth. Yes they have the hole pentatonic scale in common but almost all minor modes do (with the exception of locrian) ; phrygian, aolian, and dorian all include the five notes of the pentatonic scale but they sound very different. Learn to use the major 6th in a minor context, and the flat 7 in a major context (mixolydian mode). This link explains funk harmony and gives some examples : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funk#Harmony – Anthony Apr 22 '14 at 9:02
- No. 2. C blues. Really, that's all I wanted to say.
Minor pentationic and Dorian are fairly popular in funk. Experiment with Dorian, it's one scale you must learn if you're into funk.
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Thanks I will surely look into it. I am guessing it would fit my style as my name is Dorien :) – dorien Apr 16 '14 at 19:51
