Questions tagged [scales]
For questions about playing, understanding, or studying scales.
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Why is it the C Major scale that is played without accidentals, instead of A [duplicate]
Why is it C's Major scale that comes without accidentals instead of A?
The C Major scale is played C D E F G A B C
The C chromatic scale is played C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C
Why was it decided ...
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Why are all legato practices about 3 notes per string?
Is it normal if I practice legato on 5 positions major, minor scale?
The thing I notice practicing legato with 5 positions scale is harder to keep tracking on metronome, since some string only has two ...
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Two categories of scales
There are scales like C-Major or Eb harmonic Minor or A-octatonic or G# Mixo(#11) or E-acoustic. Heck, what not, a plenty of scales actually, more you could imagine to be listed here.
And there are ...
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How do I use moveable solfege to play songs by ear? [duplicate]
I've been told solfege will help me play a melody by ear and have been learning about it.
One thing that really confuses me, is do I approach it by using intervals to remake the song? For example when ...
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How to find the parent scale (prime form?) for a group of sibling modes?
Reminder: I know just enough theory to be really annoying. this is everything I know about it. so far.
I've calculated all the possible modes and recently learned they all have names but what eludes ...
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When was the term "scale degree" coined? Or where did it originate?
Today is the first time I've heard the term "scale degree". When was the term coined? Or where did it originate?
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When to use Blues scales in jazz
I looked it up and found that the key shows you what blues to use during solos. But I find songs with a key of C but using A blues. Does this mean the key doesn't show when to use specific blues ...
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How to know what scale to use for filler licks in a chord progression?
I learned about secondary dominants recently, and I found that this particular progression in the key of C major sounds quite nice:
C - E7 - Am
I - V/vi - vi
I am playing it in the following voicings:
...
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How do I make different sounds using modes when I'm using the same chords that I'm building the modes off? [duplicate]
People keep saying use modes to get a different sound. How can you get a different sound from modes when they use the same chords from whichever you built the modes off, doesn't really matter if it's ...
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What would using only one Solmization(Solfège) syllable to sing the lyrics to a song be called?
For example, if one were to sing la or al (or other 1 consonant and 1 syllable combinations) to replace every morpheme of the words in a song. Is there a name for that idea, or is the closest thing ...
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Is a minor key based on the natural minor scale or all 3 minor scales?
I am finding very different answers from various sources online regarding this topic.
Some say that the minor key is based on the natural minor scale, but harmonic and melodic minor can be used too.
...
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What is the name of this musical scale: E, F, G, G#, B, C#, D?
What is the name of this scale? As far as a root note goes, I think these three arrangements of it sound like they have a root.
E, F, G, G#, B, C#, D...
D, E, F, G, G#, B, C#...
B, C#, D, E, F, G, G#....
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Minor third interval in minor scales: From tonic to?
Major scales have a major third interval from the tonic of the scale to the 3rd scale degree.
I would expect the same to be true in minor with a minor third interval but, for example, in the ...
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How should I comprehend Modal Mixture?
I’m studying the concept of modal mixture and there’s one thing that I immediately got curious about.
Supposedly, the majority of POP music (rock, hip hop, r&b, country, etc) is a mixture of Major ...
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How to notate altered diatonic scales (in this case Mixolydian ♭6)? [duplicate]
If I am notating a piece that's in [mostly] a C Mixolydian ♭6 scale (B♭ and A♭), what approach to notation would be most easily read?
Notate everything in a non-standard key signature, B♭, E♮, and A♭...
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Different meanings of "third"?
Third can refer to:
an interval (major or minor third)
the pitch class that is one third away from the tonic
the third scale degree
In case of the meaning 2., the pitch class that is one third away ...
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Fumbling scales in spite of practice and experience
I am about a month and a half away from the grade 8 piano exam. I am 43 and have been playing since I was 16. I practice the scales every day in all of the ways recommended by my teacher and online ...
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Why does a guitar scale shape have more than 7 notes?
As the title suggests, I wonder the number of notes in a scale shape on guitar.
Let's take the G major scale in 2 octaves: G A B C D E F# G A B C D E F# G, there are 15 notes. I found that in many ...
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Does Major and Minor only apply to Diatonic Scales or any Scale?
We all know that when we say major or minor scale that we are referring to the diatonic major and minor scale.
But I recently found out that there's also a pentatonic major and minor scale.
I was ...
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How many notes does it take to state the key? To Have "Tonality"?
I'm referring to "tonal dominant function" as this gentleman is talking about in this video.
How many notes in a "melody" do you need to state the ...
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Purpose of ascending and descending scales?
I understand that ascending scales go from a lower pitch class up to the next pitch class with the same letter name. For example, C to C'. For descending scales it is the reverse.
What I don't get is ...
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Hexachordal solmization and the melodic minor scale
How does one sign an ascending melodic minor scale using hexachordal solmization?
Here is an example, it's the famous Bourreé by Bach, from the Suite in E minor, BWV 996:
We know that Bach used this ...
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How did tetrachords become whole and half steps?
How did the ancient Greek concept of tetrachords evolve into the whole- and half-step model familiar today?
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Why did the ancient Greeks choose tetrachords?
Why did the ancient Greeks choose tetrachords as the basis for their musical theory rather than some other structure?
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History of Tetrachords [duplicate]
I posted a similar question not too long ago and it was suggested that I look into tetrachords and I quickly understood why, but now I have questions about tetrachords.
For what reason are diatonic ...
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I’m looking for information/references on how we developed the Major Mode (Scale/Key) [closed]
As the title says, I’m looking for some information on the history of how the Major Mode (Scale,Key) was developed/designed. I already know a little bit, that is, I am not completely new to the topic, ...
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Do the notes in a scale project a specific feeling, or personality? [closed]
Has anyone tried to describe the "feel" that the various notes in a scale have? For instance, in any scale, the tonic, root, or 1st degree, could be described as something like calm, ...
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One tick lower than B flat minor on 48 Bass accordion
I like the B flat minor chord on my 48 Bass accordion.
I play F minor to go up one "tick" (don't know the proper word), but what could I play to go down a tick? There's no A flat minor.
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Barry Harris missing ninth tone in the (right) major scale
In this talk, starting from 55:35, Barry starts talking about his way of playing the major scale which makes the most sense to him (with the added #5)... He says "the major scale is actually 8th ...
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Parallel heptatonic modes ordered by changing one pitch at a time by half step in circle of fifths order [closed]
The major scale has a property, where we can arrange all of its modes in such a way where consecutive modes differ by only one note which itself only differs by one half step
Locrian
Phrygian
Aeolian
...
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What is between a Major Key and a Minor Key? (keys with a neutral third)
I know the 2 main types of keys are major and minor, but is there a 3rd type of key? (Diminished keys would be extra-minor keys; so, that is not what I am searching for.)
I’m looking for keys with a ...
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What is this scale: (Bb, C#, D, Eb, F#, G, A, Bb)
I merged Bb major and D major to see what comes up. The scale has the notes: Bb, C#, D, Eb, F#, G, A, Bb.
What scale is this?
Can I have chords in this scale?
Let me know!
Notation for the scale:
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Need help to understand this chord progression
This song should be in a-minor but I'm not sure about key changes in a following passage (starting from f#m7b5 chord). Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
am7 / em7 / am7 / em7 / f#m7b5 / B /
em / ...
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What is it called when a chord progression in a specific key uses root/tonic notes that are in-key, but other members of the chord are not?
What is it called when a chord progression in a specific key uses root/tonic notes that are in-key, but other members of the chord are not?
For example, say I am in the key of C major and I pay C Maj, ...
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What is the name of a scale starting on D and containing D, F, G and Ab
What is the name of a scale starting on D and containing D, F, G and Ab? Only these four notes are used in the melody.
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How to interpret this awkward runs and base chord? La La Land Mia & Sebastian's Theme runs
In the last section of Mia and Sebastian's Theme from La La Land, there were a lot of quick runs. Upon transcription I found the relationship of the scale and the base chord is rather unusual.
First ...
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Is there any generic motivation for building scales which are supersets of the desired key(s)?
In conventional music, the octave is divided into the twelve frequency Chromatic Scale, but then only subsets of those twelve frequencies form the key used at any given time. I understand why the ...
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When practicing scales, is it fine to learn by reading off a scale book instead of concentrating on my keyboard?
I'm a beginner, and I'm worried about practicing scales in an inefficient way. Is it recommended for the long term, for the sake of internalizing scale structure, that I memorize where the fingers ...
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What set of notes does a singer typically do compared to the set of notes instruments play in popular music?
Suppose a song is "in C" and a guitar and bass are playing the notes of C major.
If the singer sings only thirds above the instruments and we isolate the voice, we hear a melody in E ...
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I'm so confused about modes that I can't make a specific title
I started playing guitar almost 30 years ago as a little kid. I'm not great, but I can move my fingers and I know how the scales work and that a scale uses some specific chords.
Now I wanted a new ...
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How do scales actually help a person play in a different key?
I've recently started the piano, and I want to learn all my scales so I know them, but I just can't seem to grasp how these scales actually help when I have a different key signature, sure I know the ...
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How should I make "exotic" scale enharmonic decisions?
I'm creating a scale visualiser (JavaScript based website) for guitar. I recently updated so it will use "correct" enharmonics e.g. major scales it will default to "Bb" tonic ...
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Naming a chord based on key
Suppose a song/piece is in the key of B flat major. I have seen this chord below written as "Ebm6/Gb", or "D#m6/F#." However, clearly in the key of Bb we opt to use F# rather Gb. ...
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Confused about the natural symbol (♮) and the omnipresence of the C major scale in music theory
Something is confusing me in our use of accidentals in modern music theory, and more particularly about the use of the natural symbol ♮.
It is not always easy to formulate accurately a mess of ...
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Understanding "Guitar 3rd to F sharp Capo III"
I would appreciate your help in understating the the notation: "Guitar 3rd to F sharp Capo III". I attached a picture of the music sheets.
I understand the idea of a capo and the fact that I ...
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Help in Understanding Modes
Just wanted some clarification and guidance in my attempt to understand the use of modes. I am a bass player involved in playing pop, rock, alt and indie genres; I am not a Jazz/Bebop bassist. My ...
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Why is minor blues called "minor" when it has notes from the major scale?
I have actually been tuning a Bangla language song strictly on B Minor Blues notes so far both the melody and the chords are concerned. I'm done with the tune now. All the minor blues songs I listen ...
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Is the Dmaj chord made from D major scale or the C Dorian mode scale?
Is the Dmaj chord made from the first, third, and fifth notes of the D major Scale or the first, third, and fifth notes of the C-Dorian mode scale?
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A minor scale definition: am I missing something?
I've recently had a discussion with a woman, let's call her Jane, who maintained that the A minor scale features G# rather than a natural G. According to her, the scale goes A, B, C, D, E, F, G#, A. ...
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Are the intervals in the pentatonic scale all considered steps?
When studying non-chord tones all the definitions use steps in the diatonic sense, but what about non-chord tones in pentatonic melodies? Are melodies written in pentatonic scales considered "...
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