Questions tagged [scales]
For questions about playing, understanding, or studying scales.
1,234
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Doubt on scale shape creation and plagiarism
First of all,
-Tone := T
-Semi-Tone:= ST.
Suppose you have the well know C major scale pattern:
T T ST T T T ST
Well, this is just one example of what we can do in music: ...
8
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7
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What is the relative major of a minor?
I've heard of the relative minor of a major, but what is the relative major of a minor and how do you find it? I've tried searching it up, but all I got were some pretty vague results and a few not ...
3
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1
answer
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What is "modal minor"?
What is "modal minor"?
Context: Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Six Studies in English Folk Song" has a part called "1.Adagio ('Lovely on the Water') in E modal minor" (emphasis ...
2
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2
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Brahms Concerto Piano 1 Rondo : Hungarian Gypsy scale?
Piano part, Measures 136-139 (in Breitkopf's) - Pollini playing
A/ Can I understand the right hand part as based on an Hungarian Gypsy scale ?
B/ Are there any functional ? harmonic ? logical ? ...
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2
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Is there a name for the guitar-based scale E-G-A-C-D-E?
If you use only the open chords on a guitar, you can walk a bass line using these notes:
E G A C D E
This line tends to be expressed with chords that mix modes. So for example the A chord may contain ...
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0
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Why are some musical pieces using tricky key signatures? [duplicate]
I have learned in solfege classes when I was a kid that each sheet music of a musical piece has a key signature made out of sharps or flats.
I understood that this key signature changes when the piece ...
2
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4
answers
183
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How do I identify chord scales? (Chord scale theory)
I'm confused with how to identify chord scales because there are a lot of modes and combinations I have to consider. For example, Cmaj is C Ionian, and C13 is C Mixolydian, etc., right? Basically ...
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Do you find it easier nowadays to practice and learn music that what it used to be years ago? [closed]
Judging from my own experience, I believe that nowadays is much easier to find good teachers and material to practice and become really good.
For example, I am middle aged and was a fan of Queensryche ...
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1
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Scale with major, minor, diminshed and augmented chords in it [closed]
I am looking for a well-known example of a scale, which has a minor, major, diminished and augmented chord in it. I mean the following: When I write down the scale and write down the triad on every ...
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What scale is this (A, Bb, C#, D, E#, F#, G# )
To what scale would this group of notes correspond?
A, Bb, C#, D, E#, F#, G#
I tried searching online but did not have much luck.
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Harmony Lines for Pentatonic Melodies
I found this great video on harmonizing pentatonic melodies. By harmonize in the case I mean creating second lines to go with a melody, rather than finding a suitable chord progression.
...
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What makes "Oh Hanukkah" sound Jewish?
Recently, I've been studying the effect of scale choice on the mood and feel of music. Songs using the major scale tend to sound happy. Songs using the minor scale tend to sound sad. Songs using less ...
2
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1
answer
105
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Unusual pentatonic scale
On this video the guy plays an instruments called Dvina. I'm currently making my version of it. My question is about its fret marks which looks and sounds like a minor pentatonic with a lowered 7th ...
1
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1
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Need to apply box notation on thick strings from book Improvising Rock guitar green note publ
I was reading and practicing with book Improvising Rock Guitar by Green note music publication.
In that book i understood the box notations which are all explained in top 3 or 4 strings the thin ...
3
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2
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312
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How do I Modulate a scale that doesn’t exist?
So I’m composing a song with “3” scales, G harmonic minor, A#/Bb Major and a set of notes that I can’t seem to find a scale for. C-D-D#-F#-G-A#-B I love how it sounds but don’t know much about music ...
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What is the scale of this song? It only uses I, II, III, IV and V of the minor scale [closed]
The key note is C#. It looks like a minor scale but lacks VI and VII (only contains 5 tones). What is its scale? Thank you!
3
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Harmonic analysis: Bm7b5 E7 Fmaj7 [closed]
Bm7b5, E7, Fmaj7 are of course the 2nd, 5th and 6th degree of A harmonic minor, but if I'm in Fmaj what are they?
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3
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What's the best technique for C major scale?
I'm currently learning C major scale using acoustic guitar and I can play one note at a time on top of a Song. The challenge is,it doesn't sound like a music. How can I achieve good solo with it?
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4
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In guitar, do consecutive frets on the same string play notes from the same octave?
If I move to consecutive frets on the same string, are notes produced from the same octave?
For example, is it possible to play the first 5 notes of C major scale on the A string? (C, D, E, F, G)? Why ...
2
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3
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What chords/scales in guitar to play if I have a key of C harmonica?
I do not have musical theory knowledge but I enjoy playing instruments being self-taught but now I am facing some limitations being non-theory musician.
I have a harmonica which is in the key of C, ...
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1
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What mode or scale does Hans Zimmer dwell on in Dune? [closed]
I was listening to the Dune soundtrack just now as background music, and I noticed that it felt very modal. It keeps using the following series of intervals:
wholestep-halfstep-wholestep-halfstep-...
2
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2
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Historical origin of the raised sixth scale degree in minor
The way I understand the melodic minor scale — with its raised 6 and 7 ascending and lowered 6 and 7 descending — is that it's representative of how composers operated when composing in minor.
However,...
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0
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How to make A-scale Bansuri blend into A-scale Tampura
I have A scale Bass Bansuri 6 holes, total length is 23.5", length from embouchure (blowing hole) to Pa (6th and last hole) is 16"
I use online Tanpura, https://www.anubodh.com/tanpura.php ...
3
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4
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How to use pentatonic scale(s) for bass lines
In creating bass lines using pentatonic scale, do you use the pentatonic scale of the key you are in or of the chord you are playing?
3
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1
answer
67
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Automatic note splitting - missed stems
Why are some stems missing?
\version "2.22.1"
\include "changePitch.ly"
nl = \break
chord_a = \relative c''' {<e gis c>}
chord_b = \relative c'' {<fis b d>}
root = {...
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1
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Is this phrase ending a half cadence, imperfect authentic cadence, or neither?
I'm working on this for a music theory class. By my analysis:
Song is in key of A major
The chord for measure three uses the 4th scale degree, or IV
The chord for measure four is the tonic, or I
I'...
3
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2
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I would like more information about the chord progression ivm7, IV, VIIM7, II, I, III
I've written a song with a chord progression in E major (I think) using borrowed chords from the parallel minor key.
The progression is: C#m7, A, D#M7, F#, E, G#.
I translate this Roman numerically: ...
0
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2
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120
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How to notate scores when the keys don't admit a heptatonic scale?
I was playing with microtonality. Specifically, equal temperaments other than 12edo. Since the point of equal temperaments is versatility, I wanted them to admit a notion of key signatures similar to ...
0
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2
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how are scales of the same class (e.g. major scales) musically different? [duplicate]
I have recently learned the principles of the standard twelve-tone octave applied to major and minor scales. I understand each scale is defined by its main note, and the pattern of intervals, of half ...
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134
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Can you identify this scale? C Db Eb G Ab C [closed]
Can you identify this scale? C Db Eb G Ab C
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Trying to learn Ab Scale on Piano, and can't make sense of the fingers [duplicate]
I am trying to learn Ab Scale, and fingers are tripping me up. I only know C Major till now and a beginner, so please help.
For right hand : Its suppose to be 2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3 but I am starting Ab on 2 ...
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0
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Help identifying chords/scale [closed]
I'm new to music theory and I am trying to reproduce parts of a song for practice. I really like the chords/scale that kick in at 2:36 of this song:
Open Form - Lost Desert, Amand, Reigan:
https://...
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1
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Given a pair of pitches, does this chart correctly show the number of scales containing that pair?
I posted this chart on my page. I created it based on exercise 6 of chapter 1 of Harmony by Piston, to be a kind of help, but as I'm not sure if it's correct or not (if it's not I will take it down to ...
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3
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With modes, is 'tonic' still the appropriate term for naming the first note of the scale?
Or is it better to just call it 'first note' (eg: In D Dorian, is 'D' the tonic or just 'first note'). And I suppose same question for the the rest of the scale degrees too (super tonic, mediant etc.)....
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1
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3 octave A Major violin scale fingerings?
What are some common fingerings for a 3 octave A major scale on violin?
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Melodic minor: Does 6 get raised when descending and then ascending immediately?
I found this embellished suspension in C minor:
The notes between S and R embellish the dissonant S. You can see that the leading tone 7 is raised in both descending and ascending directions, as well ...
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6
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Is there a scale called the relative minor scale?
A book I'm reading Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory Minor Scales (pg 90-91) says
Every major key has a RELATIVE MINOR KEY that has the same key signature.
Each relative minor scale begins on the ...
5
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3
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168
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How are pentatonic scale degrees listed? [duplicate]
I'm aware that the origin of the pentatonic scales probably preceded the diatonic scales, so does that mean that the designation of scale degrees for a pentatonic scale would be 1,2,3,4, and 5, or is ...
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3
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Pat Martino's parental forms. Can you go deeper?
I have been studying Pat Martino lessons on the parental forms. It absolutely blew my mind that if you lower any note a halfstep in a augmented triad you get a major chord. And if you raise a note you ...
3
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2
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Does this chord fit D minor?
Is it ok to play a g flat chord in a D minor scale? Basically I wrote a song where one riff plays a G flat at the end of it then goes right back to a D minor chord. It’s a rock song. It sounds cool ...
2
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5
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Intervals in scale context
Does the intervals in a scale context sounds different from playing it without any notes in the middle?
example to clarify: if i played the major scale ascendingily (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C) does every ...
5
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1
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Correct Numbering for Scale Degrees
For ever, I've only called scale degrees by their (Arabic) numbers. As opposed to chords, where I use Roman Numerals. Now, I've found out they really ought to have carets, or circumflexes over them. ...
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3
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Could one make a piano with all notes placed on narrow white keys?
This piano would include every note normally on a piano, just without any visual distinction between the accidentals and naturals. The keys would be narrower than normal white keys, but, I think, not ...
3
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4
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Properly listing notes on a scale by following the 3 guidelines: Alphabetical, No Repeats/Omissions, Don't Mix Sharps or Flats [duplicate]
My question specifically addresses the G Harmonic Minor scale, which I always see listed as: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F#, (G). The scale is listed alphabetically but it contains a mixture of 2 flats and 1 ...
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If I'm playing the V in G can I use the D major scale to transition back with a fill
If I play a melody on the V that leads back to G is it incorrect to play the major scale from D since it contains a c#?
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Is the melodic minor a key as well as a scale?
The title, basically. I always understood that the natural, harmonic and melodic minor scales were 3 different scales deriving from the same "minor" key. I hear people talking about a ...
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3
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using scales as a tool to identify lick [duplicate]
I am learning how to play Children of the Sea by Black Sabbath. A tab that I found on the internet seems pretty accurate and straightforward, though I found the video of this guy playing and I found ...
3
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How to know in which scale i am from the notes of a melody? [duplicate]
Is there a way to know in which scale a melody is? I have no musical lessons and i learned the minimum that i know from the internet but i think i have some basis (or i want to think it at least). My ...
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Difference between the Persian and Double harmonic scales
By looking at Wikipedia, both Persian and Double harmonic scales seem pretty different.
However, I have a book about scales for guitar where I found this Persian scale which, to me, sounds exactly ...
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1
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580
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Help understanding frequency ratios and string length
This music book I'm reading taught me about frequency ratios as the basis for scales, but it doesn't explain it well enough for me, so I'm trying to learn more about it on my own. I want to know how ...