Questions tagged [scales]
For questions about playing, understanding, or studying scales.
1,070
questions
0
votes
3answers
123 views
are you able to post a pentatonic minor scale pie chart like the C major one?
On the question Minor Pentatonic scale, @user37496's answer includes a circular pie chart for major pentatonic scales built on the circle of 5ths/4ths which demos the 'outside' notes of each position ...
1
vote
2answers
287 views
What key should I get my native-american style flute in?
I'm a hobby guitarist and I'm looking to switch things up by playing another instrument for a little bit. So I'm looking into buying a Native American style flute ('NASF') because of the timbre and ...
1
vote
6answers
225 views
can someone help me make sense of guitar inversions
so I've been practicing caged system and I can play arpeggios the the chord tone position,
scale and pentatonic in all 5 positions. but something that I've still having trouble. sure I can rip thru it ...
0
votes
4answers
186 views
Why do people play notes outside of the scale when playing the blues
I am watching a tutorial and he is playing C Blues and he is playing in the bass C and G and C and A. Now the C blues scale is C Eb F Gb G Bb. So how is he playing that A in the bass and it sounds ...
7
votes
2answers
233 views
Is there a reason why “Scale Inversions” don't get discussed?
It only dawned on me recently, but it's quite a fundamental and important feature of scales that they are not mirrored under their own inversion.
The intervalic formula for major is:
W W H W W W H
If ...
1
vote
1answer
469 views
What key flute (dizi) is recommended for starting flute player? [closed]
I'm planning on buying a Dizi (Chinese traverse bamboo flute). Dizi is a diatonic flute, so dizis come in different keys.
The options I'm considering from are:
F key dizi can play in: F major, C major,...
4
votes
4answers
168 views
Asymmetric scales with 7+ but less than 12 notes?
Is there any theoretical reason for not exploring n-note scales (7<n<12) which has similar interval relationships as diatonic scales?
Context: I always feel odd when learning about non-diatonic ...
8
votes
3answers
875 views
What is the name of this scale based on the harmonic series?
The following table lists the first 13 harmonics of the note C
Harmonic Note Unique note
-----------------------------
1 C C
2 C
3 G G
4 C
5 ...
0
votes
1answer
767 views
Piano recomended fingering for blues scale [duplicate]
Is there an 'official' or best practice fingering for blues scales for the piano?
Fingering for the C major scale as described by the exam boards (for at least the one I did) is:
RH 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 -...
3
votes
3answers
728 views
Which note to start the melody on?
I am trying to learn to play melodies by ear. I was trying to play Twinkle Twinkle by ear. Justin Guitar taught that a melody can be played anywhere on the fretboard and when I tried to do so, I found ...
6
votes
2answers
402 views
Why can't you use the same backing track for all modes of a scale?
I am seeing lots of statements online to guitarists that they should be careful to use the specific backing track for a mode. It seems to me that you should be able to use one backing track for all ...
5
votes
3answers
359 views
What to do after learned scales positions?
I’m playing 3.5 years and in last month I start to learn scales so first I learned all major scale positions. So now before I will learn more scales like minor,pentatonic, harmonic minor etc
What I ...
6
votes
6answers
847 views
What's the difference between a 13th chord and a full heptatonic scale?
Suppose I have a C major scale in front of me, and I label them by scale degree.
C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
If my understanding is correct, then
C Major is 1, ...
2
votes
4answers
228 views
When can we say a given scale has a tonal center?
I have started studying music theory recently and I stumbled upon the concept of scales.
The way I understand it (please correct me if I am wrong):
It can be difficult sometimes to create a good ...
3
votes
3answers
249 views
How to find the key of a diatonic flute by listening?
I was listening to a song played on the Dizi (Chinese diatonic bamboo flute). Dizi like other diatonic flutes comes in different keys. When listening to music played by someone else, how can I find ...
0
votes
2answers
115 views
What scale is the melody in the song? [closed]
I was wondering if this song was in major or minor key. I am new to analyzing music and so I am having a hard time trying to figure out the melody, or how to describe it rather.
This is the song link:
3
votes
3answers
530 views
Difference between Akebono and the diatonic scale?
It is written in this Wikipedia page that
The Akebono scale is a musical scale commonly used in traditional Japanese music. Akebono and the Diatonic scale use the same intervals, but Akebono has no ...
5
votes
3answers
608 views
Beginner question - chords in the Japanese InSen scale
I'm a beginner but I've been learning music theory and practicing on a MIDI keyboard and FL Studio DAW. Just as I was learning basic chords and chord progressions in western music I was introduced ...
0
votes
0answers
26 views
Can “Prelude in E minor” be “Prelude in G major”? [duplicate]
I have just learned that every major key has its own "relative" minor key. And the corresponding minor key for G major is E minor. Does that mean that "Prelude in E minor" can be ...
0
votes
2answers
64 views
E minor to A minor transiton with F#
I'm learning guitar and have been practicing transitions between chords using notes in common for the key/scale.
One lesson starts with A minor for one measure and then transitions to D minor by ...
2
votes
3answers
309 views
Can I use two minor scales in the same song? [duplicate]
I've been composing a song, using the chord progression Am - G#° - Dm7/A - E (i - VII - iv - V), that is using the Harmonic minor scale.
The song has some melodies, that appear in different parts. The ...
1
vote
4answers
565 views
What scale is used with this descending bassline progression?
I am trying to find which scale this chord progression (Cmin - G\B - B♭ - Fmin\A♭ - A♭ - E♭\B♭ - Bdim) is borrowed from.
I think it doesn’t fit on any scale because this progression uses modal ...
0
votes
2answers
70 views
Why do many musical pieces transition between relative major and minor scales?
I understand that they have the same notes so they "sound related".
Another factor that might be at play: perhaps it makes the life of the performer easier, not having to adjust back and ...
2
votes
3answers
126 views
What is this pentatonic scale called?
I have been enjoying a wonderful scale recently, but I am unable to find its ‘proper name’ anywhere.
It’s essentially a minor pentatonic with a major 3rd in place of the 4th
1 - b3 - 3 - 5 - b7
e.g. C ...
2
votes
1answer
103 views
How are guitar scale shapes/patterns named?
This site has the scale pattern numbers similar between Pentatonic and Major scales
In the above images, Pattern 5 of the Pentatonic scale seems to be aligned to Pattern 5 of the Major scale.
But, ...
12
votes
4answers
2k views
Is it possible to have sharp/flat notes in a music piece composed in the key of “A minor”?
When I was reading sheet music of Niccolò Paganini's Caprice No. 24 in A minor, I saw some sharp and flat notes.
This raised some questions for me. Based on my researches, I also found out that the ...
1
vote
3answers
126 views
GUITAR - C major scale progression
I am having a rough time understanding the numbers on the chord.progression as an example on the C major scale.
Why is it that they are boxed in these numbers ? And why those numbers ? Why in that ...
2
votes
7answers
146 views
How do I get ideas for licks assuming I already have a chord progression
I have no idea what to play over a chord progression. I know my scales but I don't want to play scales up and down. How do I get licks ideas?
1
vote
3answers
256 views
Relationship between chord progression of backing track and scale of solo
I've started improvising guitar solos over some backing tracks like this one, and the videos always start by stating the chord progression and then saying which scale you can solo in for it to sound ...
2
votes
1answer
194 views
Help understanding tendency tones
What should I be listening for when trying to understand tendency tones? From what I understand, unstable tones ‘resolve’ into a specific stable tone, but I’m having trouble hearing these resolutions ...
5
votes
1answer
333 views
What are the Klezmer modes?
I stumbled across an article by Josh Horowitz about Klezmer modes. The article gives tantalizing hints about the Klezmer modes and sub-modes but fails to fully articulate them.
Ahava Rabboh (...
1
vote
4answers
429 views
Does a diatonic scale contain more than 7 pitches?
Let's assume we have an A-minor which begins at A1 (I mean 1st octave). According to the interval pattern of minor scale pitches which are in the scale are: A1, B1, C1, D1, E1, F1, G1. Okay, but can I ...
4
votes
3answers
282 views
Which Pentatonic scale to play over which chord in a major key chord progression?
How do I decide which scale to play on each different chord.
For example in a C major key I have I ii iii IV V vi viidim chords.
I can play C major pentatonic on I chord but on other chords ii iii IV ...
2
votes
5answers
771 views
Name for minor scale with flat fifth
I'm looking for a name for the minor scale with a flattened fifth note.
WHWWHWW -> WHWHWWW
C min: C D Eb F G Ab Bb; C ???: C D Eb F Gb Ab Bb
The closest my searching has come to an answer was ...
2
votes
6answers
173 views
how do you choose which pentatonic scale to use over a progression?
Since there are three pentatonic scales that work with any diatonic chord progression, how do you decide which one to use? If I have a chord progression in Bm, I could use Bmin, Emin or F#min ...
1
vote
2answers
70 views
Within acoustic blues guitar, why triads and inversions?
Within acoustic blues guitar how important are triads and their inversions?
I have read and studied, they are mostly used on the E1st. B2nd. and
G3rd. strings, I do not quite understand them, I don’t ...
4
votes
2answers
340 views
Aeolian mode harmony
I have been having trouble writing progressions in other modes, and I think this question might get me one step closer to understanding the modes (in this case just Aeolian) from a different ...
0
votes
2answers
81 views
Can someone identify what mode/scale this is?
Sorry if this is a simple question, I tried googling it but couldn't get any good answers.
I am playing an open (low) E string on a guitar and then at the same time playing an A major scale on the ...
1
vote
3answers
79 views
Moving from min pent to aeolian? How does tension resolve work
I want to apologize if my question itself is an error.
Thats due to everything you can find about music theory being very abstract, with little info about practical application
If my question itself ...
0
votes
1answer
113 views
How can I be fluent in all 12 keys at the keyboard and the music theory behind it [closed]
I want to be able to memorize all major and minor keys (including melodic, harmonic and natural minors), so that I can improve my sight reading and transposition skills. I am trying to become a more ...
3
votes
1answer
77 views
Is there a name that specifically refers to the Western pentatonic scale?
By Western pentatonic scale (which shows up in other musical traditions as well), I mean all the modes of the major pentatonic scale, which is anhemitonic (scales that do not contain semitones) and ...
23
votes
4answers
5k views
How can horns, most of which have only three buttons, play all their notes?
I’m a big fan of the “horn” family but have trouble understanding how horns are able to play the same scales and modes that a piano is able to play, being that horns only have a few buttons. In some ...
0
votes
1answer
66 views
Why this fingering suggestion for E locrian scale?
I'm reading this book called "The Source" and it suggests the following fingering.
My question pertains to the right hand fingering suggestion,
the most common fingering that I've seen in ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Does the root note fall on the same place using CAGED system on guitar?
I'm just using the CAGED system as a reference to talk about shapes here.
I will take the shape formed with A and G to explain myself here. I understand that the shape will fall in different places ...
0
votes
3answers
160 views
How can I tell the difference between C major and G mixolydian? [duplicate]
Both C major and G mixolydian have the same constituent notes, so how can I tell whether a piece is in one or the other?
7
votes
1answer
253 views
What does it mean when a piece is written on a specific scale?
All the music pieces and songs are written on some scale, say if we consider D major scale the Cs and Fs must be sharp and others natural. But the Cs and Fs in that piece might be flat or natural at ...
8
votes
6answers
824 views
How come modern modes are based on the same set of intervals?
I couldn't find any answer regarding this specifically, so I assume there's some basic concept behind this that I missed.
So, as far as I know:
Modern modes are based on the same set of intervals, ...
0
votes
1answer
218 views
What are the capitalized roman numerals in a minor key [duplicate]
I've heard that for major scales, the capital letters are always I, IV, and V. What are they for minor scales?
4
votes
4answers
387 views
Why does A minor scale sound the “best” over Dm and C chord progression?
I created a little loop with the following two intervals:
D A and C G
Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/ybsukagd
In looking at what scale to use to solo over that simple progression, I thought D ...
2
votes
3answers
142 views
How do you decide which key signature a certain music is in by ear, from hearing it?
When I hear a song or a melodious tune, I can often figure out the relative pitches and play the tune on the piano. But I usually only play it on C major (the simplest scale for me--occasionally G ...
