Simplifying Music Theory [PDF]

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Simplifying Music Theory

Ebook Contents Introduction

Module 1 – Page 8 What is music? Music note Timbre Tone and Semitone Guitar notes and piano notes Music scales

Module 2 – Page 18 C major scale guitar Degrees and music intervals Augmented, Diminished and Perfect Octave Definition of chord Music Intervals – another view

Bar lines

Module 3 – Page 31 Guitar fingers Arpeggios Chord names Chord symbols Tonality Music theory terms Chromatic scale

Module 4 – Page 54 Improvisation in music Relative minor and major Modes Pentatonic scale Blues definition Blues scale

Module 5 – Page 81 Harmonic Function Tritone

Deceptive resolution Chord inversions Modulation Target notes

Module 6 – Page 100 Octave Displacement Chromatic approach notes Chord progressions How to use chord progressions Kinds of cadences Circle of fifths

Module 7 – Page 113 Secondary dominants Extended chord Suspended Chords Disguised Chords Tone vs Tonality Parallel Key

Module 8 – Page 128 Closely related Keys Scales application Harmonic minor scale Melodic minor scale Altered scale

Module 9 – Page 142 Chromatic approach chord Diminished chord Diminished scale Dominant diminished scale Equivalent chords VII° = V7(b9) SubV7 chord

Module 10 – Page 159 Interpolated chord Borrowed chords How to modulate Bebop scale – bebop jazz Whole tone scale

Lydian dominant mode IVm6 chord

Module 11 – Page 180 The chord II7 #IVm7(b5) chord Improvising with outside notes Improvisation in blues Improvisation in jazz Reharmonization Chord substitution

Module 12 – Page 197 Greek Modes substitution Reharmonization borrowed chords Reharmonization with chord progressions Blues harmony Rhythm theory Rhythm exercises Mathematics and music ……………………………………………………………………………….

INTRODUCTION Just on ―Simplifying Theory – Ebook‖ you can find more than 100 exclusive classes about music theory. The biggest problem of music theory courses and workbooks is the lack of didactics. Unfortunately, authors forget to teach basics concepts before teaching more complex ones. They do not explain the reasons behind things and use flowery language in explanations. Furthermore, sometimes they bring few practical examples and use notations and music symbols without considering that the student may be unable to read them. There is no use in teaching a scale in a sheet music if the student is not able to read a sheet music; there is no use in explaining chords concepts talking about triads and tetrads if the student does not know what these are. For that reason it is necessary an organized course from which students may learn the prerequisites and thus advance according to the teaching plan. The fact is that unfortunately the music theory teaching still finds itself in the Baroque period, in other words, it has stopped in time. Besides, there are few books that discuss music theory in a comprehensive and connected way. Often you will find on the internet pdf files on specific music topics that do not necessarily connect to other concepts, which makes that knowledge impracticable. In those books you find a piece here, a topic there, and at the end you find that it is a real ―mental juggling‖ to understand something.

A new way of teaching In order to correct these common problems in the teaching of music theory, we created the website ―Simplifying Theory‖. Starting with the simplest concepts and advancing to the most complex ones and always trying to make connections with the music in practice here you will, in an organized and didactic way, find practical and simple explanations about the most diverse music themes. We also use an easy, modern and updated language, in order to avoid that your reading becomes tiring.

To whom is this music theory course in pdf format? Beginners find in Simplifying Theory a real guide to how studying and learning music theory. Here intermediate and advanced students find solutions to various questions that may arise from their learning. Our concern is, filling knowledge gaps that disrupt the development, to form a solid and efficient knowledge background and present features and exclusive tips for any musician that wants to upgrade his or her versatility. We don‘t care only about musical concepts themselves, but also about the application of these concepts into practice (how to put theory into practice), because knowledge is useless if it does not result in a musicianship improvement. This pdf file contains, in the menus, links for you to navigate more easily through it (by clicking in a link from a menu, you will be automatically directed to that subject‘s page). You can see that in this example: (soon!) The quality of the pdf ebook is the same as the articles present on the website. Those articles were organized and structured to make the learning easier. The didactics includes tables, diagrams and symbols: (soon!)

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Module 1 What is music

Definition and main elements Many authors define music as an organized combination of sound and silent moments. Let‘s look at an example. A car alarm transmits sound and silence in in organized way, but would anyone call this noise music? So, what is missing? Why isn‘t a car alarm music? In a more teachable and all-embracing definition, music is created by a flowing composition of melody, harmony and rhythm.

What is melody? Melody is the ―singable‖ flow of sound. It is the ―main voice‖ that stands out from everything else.

What is harmony? The overlapping notes that serve as a base to the melody are the harmony. For example, a person playing the guitar and singing is making harmony with the chords in the guitar and creating the melody with his/her voice. Chords are an overlap of many notes that complement the melody and are called the harmony. We will examine chords later. Observation: The melody is not necessarily composed by only one voice. It is possible to have two or more voices, although this situation is less frequent. To better understand the relationship between melody and harmony, think of a ship moving across the ocean. The ship (the harmony) serves as the base and support for the people, (the melody). Together, they both get safely and pleasurably across the water.

What is rhythm?

Rhythm is the beat of time through the music. Just as the watch marks hours, the rhythm leads us at a certain pace through the song. Each one of these subjects will be studied individually. A deeper knowledge of all the resources available to create music allows us the luxury of unlimited manipulation in creating the ―sound‖ and ―silent‖ flow of sound that is interesting to our ears. Here in Simplifying Theory you will learn how to understand the tools you need to create the music you feel inside you! Go to: Music note

………………………………………………………………………………… A music note is the minimum element of musical sound. When a string vibrates, it moves molecules in the surrounding air. This molecular agitation occurs at the same frequency as the string vibration. The human ear captures and processes this vibration in the brain, attributing a different sound (musical note) to each different vibration.

Identifying a music note Musical notes can be identified by letters to make them easier to write and quicker to read. Musical notation is universal, creating effortless communication between musicians from different countries. There are seven letters that represent the seven musical notes in the piano‘s white keys. In music theory within the English-speaking world, pitch classes typically represent the notes by the first seven letters of the Latin alphabet, (A, B,C,D,E,F,G). However, most other countries in the world identify the notes by the naming convention of Do-Re-Me-Fa-Sol-La-Ti (H in German for the last one). The letter definition and corresponding notes are: C –>do D –>re E –>mi F –>fa G –>sol A –>la B –> ti (H in German)

Another kind of representation for notes does not depend on words or letters. It is the written form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols. You will probably recognize sheet music which looks something like this:

As sheet music includes details involving rhythm, volume, and everything else, we have made a specific topic to explain and teach all that you will need to learn about sheet music. If this is your first contact with musical representations of any kind, don‘t worry too much about sheet music just yet. First, start with what is simpler, and try to memorize the letters for the musical notes. As you gain in knowledge, you will find that sheet music will help you a lot in creating music. So, be sure to use all that the ―Music Theory is‖ website has to offer. Go at a comfortable pace and be patient with yourself. We are here to make your learning experience easier and more fun. In other words, follow your own rhythm and enjoy it! Go to : Timbre Back to : Module 1

…………………………………………………………………………… Timbre (tone quality, color) is what differentiates two sounds in the same frequency (same note). For example, the Do (C) note played in a guitar has a really different sound of a Do (C) when played in keyboard or flute. This means that these instruments have different timbres. Although we learn in school that a sound is a wave, this wave is not as ―cute‖ (sinusoidal) as it appears in the books:

Each sound wave presents a characteristic shape that depends on the material which produced the sound. This is what defines the sound timbre.

Note the different timbres below

A tuning fork is an acoustic resonator in the form of a two-pronged fork of steel. It is frequently used as

a

standard

of

pitch

to

tune

musical

instruments. Notice

that

the waveform

of

the tuning fork is almost sinusoidal. Experienced musicians are able to distinguish between different instruments based on their varied timbres, even if those instruments are playing notes at the same pitch and loudness. Go to: Tone and Semitone Back

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Tone and semitone  

Início /

Tone and semitone

Definition of tone, semitone, sharp and flat

In western music, there are 12 notes: C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A# e B. The symbol ―#‖ means sharp. From these 12 notes, 7 of them receive a specific name (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si) and the other notes are identified for a sharp (#) or flat (b) of these notes, also called accident. A sharp, by definition is the smaller distance between two notes in western music, as well as the flat. The difference in nomenclature (flat and sharp) serves only to indicate if we are referring to a note above or below. For example: Re flat is the same as Do sharp. Read the next section ―tones and semitones‖ to complement this concept. Here below there are some representations and their equivalences, to make the understanding easier: Re # # = Mi Mi b b = Re Mi # = Fa Fa b = Mi In fact, we don‘t use the way of writing ## or bb because is easier to say, for example, C instead of D##. It doesn‘t make sense to use this second representation; we showed here only for understanding meanings. In the same way, it‘s not common to use the nomenclature E#, nor B#, for being F and C, respectively. If you are curious about the mathematics that exists among the 12 notes in western music and what makes a note different from another one in our brain perception, read the Mathematics in Music article. Observation: in piano, the white keys have the notes with specific names (C, D, E, F, G, A, B) and the black ones have the notes with the accidents (C#, D#, F#, G#, A#).

What are tones and semitones? A tone is a distance of two sharps (or two flats). A semitone is the distance of one sharp (or one flat). For example, the distance between C and D is a tone, because between C and D there is a distance of two flats (from C to C# and from C# to D). Simple, don‘t you think? To make it clearer, nothing better than some exercises:

What is the distance between the notes G and B? Let‘s see how many flats (semitones) there are between G and B:

So, there are 4 sharps of distance, which means 2 tones. Now that you know how to say the distance between notes, try to find the distance between D and F. And then check it below.

Then, the distance is a tone and a half. Observation: A tone and a half = one tone + one semitone. In the instruments: classic guitar, electric guitar, bass, ukulele, among others, each fret corresponds to a semitone. Go to: Guitar notes and piano notes Back to: Module 1

…………………………………………….. How to find the musical notes in your instrument? In this topic, we will show you how the 12 notes are located (C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B) in some instruments (guitar and piano). Let‘s start with the keyboard/piano.

Piano Notes In this instrument, the black keys have the notes with accidents (sharps) and the white ones have the other notes. You can see this below:

Guitar notes In guitar, each string corresponds to a determined note (E, B, G, D, A, E, respectively from the higher to the lower notes). The other notes are distributed as the picture below, where the numbers represent the frets in the guitar fretboard:

Unlike on the piano keyboard, there is no obvious repeating pattern to the notes on a guitar. See that in guitar is quite hard to memorize all the notes, but this will be easier progressively as you will be studying the subjects here in the website, because there are some shortcuts that help in immediate localization (to think in degrees, chords, scales, etc.). With time, certainly the guitar fretboard will be completely dominated by you. Don‘t worry about that. Anyone wanting to master the guitar fretboard will find all the help they need from this website. The learning of guitar notes and piano notes are just the beginning. Go to: Music scales Back to: Module 1

………………………………………………………………………….. Music scale is an organized sequence of notes. For example: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C… repeating this cycle. This scale started with the C note and goes following a defined sequence of intervals until the return to the C note again. This sequence of distance was, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone… repeating the cycle. This scale is called Major Scale. We could use this same sequence (major scale) starting with another note besides C, for example, G. The scale would be G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G… You can see how the same logic was followed (tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone). In the first case, we form a C major scale. In the second one, a G major scale. Following the same logic we can form the major scale with all the 12 notes that we know. Do this as an exercise and then check it below. We will show the major scale of the basic 7 notes:

To the other scales, we have other sequences to be followed (other intervals). ―Minor scale‖, as is called, for example, is formed by de following sequence: tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone… repeating the cycle. Let‘s create then the C minor scale. You are already able to create this scale. It is just to follow this given sequence starting for the C note. Just like this: C, D, D#, F, G, G#, A#, C… repeating the cycle. The notes D#, G# and A# are equivalent, respectively to Eb, Ab e Bb. We could rewrite then the previews sequence like this: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C.

We can see that the scale is completely the same; the only difference is that before it was written with the sharp accidents

(#)

and

now

it

was

written

with

the flat accidents

(b).

Generally C minor scale is written in the second way and not in the first one. Why? Simply because like that all the 7 notes appear (with or without their accidents). In the first case, B note does not appear. Does this change anything? Does this make any difference? NO. But in the books you will probably find the second description, because of the mentioned reason. Actually, the choice for the second option has a deeper meaning, because makes the observation of harmonic functions easier, but don‘t worry about this now. Check then the shapes of major scale and minor scale:

C major scale

C minor scale

Observation: In the guitar fretboard, to obtain the scale of another note (besides the ―C‖ note that we showed) it is just to move this same drawing to the note that you desire. Try testing this doing this same shape in C major scale starting in D note. After that, check the notes created comparing them with the table that we showed before. This is great. Isn‘t it? This means that we only have to memorize one drawing to each scale! In piano we don‘t have this privilege. Though, the piano presents facilitators advantages. Each instrument has its own pros and cons!

Natural Scales

Ok, returning to the subject, maybe you are asking yourself why a scale is called ―major‖ or ―minor‖. This is just a definition. The difference in theses scales is in the third degree, in sixth degree and in seventh degree. In a ―major‖ scale, theses degrees are major intervals. In the ―minor‖ scale, theses degrees are minor intervals. This is why we call the first scale ―major scale‖ and the second one ―minor scale‖. As exists other types or scales major and minor, theses basic scales that we just saw receive the name as ―natural scales‖, because they are the most basic and primitive in music study. In the next articles you will understand better this question about ―degrees‖. Don‘t worry if you thought they are strange. The ―natural major‖ and ―natural minor‖ scales are also called diatonic major scale and diatonic minor scale. The name ―diatonic‖ means ―to move in the tonic‖. Every time we use the term ―diatonic‖ or ―diatonic note‖, we are saying that this note is part of a natural major or minor scale.

Other music scales There are many other scales, as we will see in other topics. But the main idea is always the same. We have a defined sequence of tones and semitones, and from this we can create a scale starting with the note we want. Simply like that. Ok, everything is nice, everything is beautiful, but where do we use a music scale?! My friend, it is there where the secret lives! And this nobody tells you! You will find many texts in books or over the internet showing lots and lots of scales, but nobody will explain where to use each one of them. Fortunately you are in the right place! We planned all the topics of this website in a way that you could have the entire base needed to ―take off‖ in this subject. We will talk about each scale specially showing how to use them and everything. Here in Simplifying Theory you will learn all that you need without paying any cent for that. Moreover, even paying wherever it is, hardly you will find a quality material about this subject. Believe me, it is not for nothing that a few number of musicians really know music theory. Our website is trying to tear down this wall. Enjoy it and help us to improve even more doing your evaluation about the contents and sharing with your friends. To our site grow and be more useful, we need your help! ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Module 2

We already taught the basic concept about scales and we showed the typing of natural major and minor scales. In this topic we will just show (to open your mind) other shapes to C major scale in guitar. It is important to observe, how in this instrument, the same scale can have several shapes. See some examples of the most common shapes:

C major guitar scale starting with the 5th string

Other shape to C major guitar scale starting with the 5th string

C major guitar scale starting with the 6th string

Other shape to C major guitar scale starting with the 6th string

Go to: Degrees and music intervals Back to: Module 2 ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

What are degrees? Probably you already heard about ―first degree‖, ―second degree‖, etc. And maybe this has sounded strange in the beginning. But, as we will see, this terminology is simple and can be really useful. If we give numbers to C major scale in the following way: C (1st degree), D (2nd degree), E (3rd degree), F (4th degree), G (5th degree), A (6th degree), B (7th degree), we could say to a friend, for example: ―play the 5th degree of C scale‖, and he/she would know that we are talking about G note. For this, it is really useful to talk about notes of a song in terms of degrees. The logic is the same that was shown above, applied to each note of interest. For example, we can create the degrees starting from D note: D (1st degree), E (2nd degree), F (3rd degree), G (4th degree), A (5th degree), B (6th degree), C (7th degree). So, if someone asks, let‘s say, the 3rd degree of D, you would know that he/she is talking about F note. You can see that we are working in C scale in all these examples. This must be specified (in which scale we are working).

Applying Music Intervals

In a practical way, to know which note refers some degree it‘s only to count with your fingers the notes starting from the one that was chosen as 1st degree. Below we have some examples, yet in C scale (use like exercise): – Second degree of E: F – Fourth degree of G: C – Seventh degree of B: A *Observation: The first degree is also called ―tonic‖. These examples were used only for teaching purposes. In practice, you will see that degrees are really used in the context of harmonic fields. You will learn how to find yourself in a song using degrees in the article called ―harmonic fields‖. Before this we will learn (in the topics ―augmented, diminished and perfect intervals‖ and ―music intervals and degrees – complementary concepts‖) other important details about degrees and music intervals. Go to: Augmented, Diminished and Perfect Back to: Module 2 ……………………………………………………………….

What are augmented, diminished and perfect intervals? If you have read the article about degrees, you saw that we mentioned only 7 notes in western music (C, D, E, F, G, A, B). But if we wanted to use a reference for other notes too? (C#, D#, F#, G#, A#)? For this there is a more embracing definition, as we will see now: The first note is represented for the first degree, as we already saw. Let‘s use like example the first degree of the C note. In this case, the D note is the major 2nd. The note C# (or Db), in this case, is the minor 2nd. This nomenclature (―major‖ and ―minor‖) exists to indicate if the interval (distance between two notes) is short or long. Major intervals are long and minors are short. You can see that in the previous example, the ―major second‖ represented the interval of one tone (because D is a tone above C), and

the ―minor second‖ represented the interval of half tone (Db is half tone above C). Therefore, these names were given just for distance identification between notes. Expanding the concept to all notes, starting with C, we have this: C —> first degree major (perfect unison) C# —> minor 2nd D —> major 2nd D#—> minor 3rd E —> major 3rd F —> perfect 4th F#—> augmented 4th or diminished 5th G —> perfect fifth G#—> augmented fifth or minor sixth A —> major sixth A#—> minor seventh B —> major seventh Probably you have already asked yourself why do these names ―augmented‖, ―perfect‖ and ―diminished‖ exist. Well, you have to know that it is just a definition, and this is the ―language‖ that you will find in any book about music or song books. The logic is the same as we saw for the names ―major‖ and ―minor‖. The name ―augmented‖ indicates an interval longer and ―diminished‖ indicates an interval shorter. ―Perfect‖ is in the middle of these two. But we can not simply use the names ―major‖ and ―minor‖ to all the notes instead of using ―diminished‖, ―augmented‖ or ―perfect‖? Yes, we could. So, why do other names exist? In the advanced topics you will understand why this becomes really useful. For now, just memorize these nomenclatures and what they represent. As you saw, there is no mystery, it is just given names to specific degrees. Let‘s now exercise this nomenclature starting from other notes besides C:

From the seventh degree, notes start to repeat themselves, because the 8th degree is the same as the 1st. Following this logic: – 9th degree is the same as the 2nd degree. – 11th degree is the same as the 4th degree. – 13th degree is the same as the 6th degree. You can be asking yourself: if there is no need to talk about degrees after the seventh, because they repeat themselves, why don‘t they use the notation 9th, 11th and 13th?? Well, some musicians prefer to use these degrees to make clear which octave must be used. For example: If it is written the chord symbol Cm6, probably you will create the chord of Cm and take the closest 6th degree to create Cm6. Now, writing Cm13, you would know that you have to use the 6th degree one octave above and not the closest 6th degree. The only difference is between this two chords is the sonority lightly distinct due to the octave used to 6th degree (in the next topics we will talk about everything you need to know about chords and symbols. Don‘t worry if you didn‘t understand this example). And about the 9th extension, it is almost always one octave above, for this is used in the place of the 2nd. But this depends on the personal taste of each musician. It is important for you to know details like these to not be in doubt about these nomenclatures.

Very good, let‘s talk now about the practical use of all these notations that we saw!

Applying the concept of augmented, diminished and perfect intervals We can refer ourselves to any note if we want to take as base some reference note. In the same way as we did with the article about degrees. We will take here the same principle of the previous article because we are complementing the subject; however, before we worked in C scale, saying just 3rd degree, 6th degree, etc, we weren‘t specifying if the degree was major, minor, perfect, diminished or augmented. For this, it was important to say that degrees would be like the major scale format. Now it will be not necessary to link to a scale, because we will specify each degree separately. You have bellow some examples (exercises): – Minor third degree of C: D# – minor seventh degree of G: F – minor second degree of D: D# – augmented fifth of C: G# – perfect fourth (or fourth degree) of A: D – diminished fifth of B: F You can check these answers with the table we showed before. Observation: for example, we are only talking about notes, not chords! The names ―augmented‖ and ―diminished‖, as well as the names ―major‖ and ―minor‖ also appear in chords, bur this is another approach! Try to not mix the things, we are here talking about notes and their isolated nomenclature. When the subject is chords, nomenclature has another purpose, For this is important this distinction. Keep this in mind. Go to: Octave ………………………………………………………………….

What is one octave?

Probably you already hear terms like ―one octave above‖ or ―one octave below‖. But what does this mean? To say that some note is one octave above means that the note is the same but it is in a region more acute of the instrument. Imagine a piano. In it, the keys from the left are the bass notes lower than the ones in the right. If you go on playing the white keys, starting in C, from the left to the right, you will follow the sequence: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C… going on in this cycle until the end of the keys in the piano. As the notes start being more acute, it becomes easy to perceive that the next C will be more acute than the previous one. Always when you finish a cycle and the note returns to be a C, you have completed one octave.

The term octave Pay attention the B is the 7th degree of C (read the article about degrees), doing that C be the eighth degree. For this is called ―octave‖. We use here the example of C, but this is valid to any note, since that you start and finish with the same note. If we start with D, we will close one octave when we arrive in D again. The same logic can be used to one octave below, where the sound becomes lower than before. With occidental music we have 12 notes (12 semitones), we can conclude that on octave comprises the distance of six tones. Check below how in six tones we return to the base note:

Just for curiosity: Pianos has generally around 7 octaves. Go to: Definition of chord Back to: Module 2 ………………………………………………………………………………………….

A chord is the combination of two or more notes played simultaneously. This is the definition of chord, but there are innumerous possible combinations of making notes, resulting in many chords. So, to make musicians‘ lives easier, each chord receives a name. This is based in the fundamental notes we already know (C, D, E, F, G, A, B).

Definition of natural chords Before learning how do the chords names are given, it is important to know that some chords receive the same name as the notes (C, D, E, F, G, A, B). They are called natural chords. Each one of these chords is made from three notes. And there is a little rule to discover which ones are these three notes. The notes that make the natural chords are the first, the third and the fifth degree of its respective scales. Later we will explain this rule in practice, to make this visualization easy. Before that, it is worth to know that a chord can be major, minor or suspended. Theses nomenclatures are related to the third degree. To create major chords, you use the major third degree. To create minor chords, you use minor third degree. When the chord does not have a third degree, it cannot be classified as major nor as minor, receiving then the name of ―suspended‖. The used symbols are the following ones: ―m‖ to say that the chord is minor and ―sus‖ to say that the chord is suspended. When we don‘t have any of these symbols, it means that the chord is major. Let‘s see the examples below, using the Do (C) chord: C –> Do Cm –> Do minor Csus –> Do suspended About the fifth degree in both cases (major and minor chords) it is the perfect fifth.

Triad Chord

Very well, when we talk about the three notes that create the natural chords, we are talking about triad of each chord. This name exists to represent the formation notes of the chord. The definition of triad then is this: three notes that create the natural chords (1st, 3rd and 5th degrees). Well, now that we learned the rules, let‘s create chords using these concepts. Think about a chord that you want create. For example, a C chord. First degree: C Major third degree: E Fifth degree (perfect fifth): G Therefore, the C chord is made by the notes C, E and G. It is just to play (or let flow) these notes in your instrument and then you have the C chord. Let‘s create now the Fm chord: First degree: F Minor third degree: G# Perfect fifth: C Therefore, Fm chord is made by the notes F, G# e C.

Tetrad Until now we saw only natural chords. Enlarging just a little the concept, we can work with 4 notes instead of only 3, and we do this adding the seventh degree of our previous chords. This way we create chords with seventh. The set of degrees first, third, fifth and seventh consists in a tetrad. The seventh degree can be major or minor. Nice. So, from now on, when you hear ―play the tetrad in some chord‖ you will know that it means the first, the third, the fifth and the seventh degrees of that specific chord. These are the main notes of a chord, known as ―chord notes‖. In the following studies, you will understand that these are the notes that create a harmonic function. For now, it is enough to know that these notes are the ―chord‘s spine‖. They say of whom we are talking about and they guide us. Go to: Music Intervals – another view

Back to: Module 2 ……………………………………………………………………………. In the article ―augmented, diminished and perfect intervals‖, the nomenclatures augmented and diminished were only applied for the 4th and 5th degrees. However we will see now that these names can be used for other degrees too. In this case, for degrees that already have the ―major‖ and ―minor‖ denominations, the augmented nomenclature will mean a semitone above the ―major‖ nomenclature. For example: 

The major second degree has one tone of tonic distance. The augmented second degree has one and a half tone of tonic distance.



The major third degree has two tones of tonic distance. The augmented third degree has two and a half tones of tonic distance. In the same way, ―diminished‖ nomenclature means a semitone below the ―minor‖ nomenclature. Examples:



The minor third degree has one and a half tone of tonic distance. The diminished third degree has one tone of tonic distance.



The minor seventh degree has 5 tones of tonic distance. The diminished seventh degree has 4 and a half tones of tonic distance.

Summarizing the concept of degrees Well, let‘s summarize all that we saw until now about degrees, to make it really clear. In case of you still have any difficulty thinking in tones and semitones, follow this study with the diagram below (where ST means ―semitone‖ and T means ―Tone‖):

For all degrees we will have the following distances: Using the example of C as first degree:

Major 2nd – it is 1 tone front the tonic (D) Minor 2nd – it is a half tone from the tonic (Db) Augmented 2nd – it is 1 and a half tone from the tonic (D#) Diminished 2nd – It does not exist Observation: We chose to write the accidents related to D here because this is the note of the second degree in relation to C. We could have written, for example, Eb instead of D#, but this idea here is to think in D. Major 3rd – it is 2 tones from the tonic (E) Minor 3rd – it is 1 and a half tone from the tonic (Eb) Augmented 3rd – it is 2 and a half tones from the tonic (E#) Diminished 3rd – it is 1 tone from the tonic (Ebb) Observation: Only to emphasize, we put all the accidents here related to E, because it is the third degree of C. For this Ebb appeared instead of D. This way, the logic is clearer. We will go on following this induction.

Other musical intervals Perfect

–

4th

it

is

2

and

a

half

tones

from

the

tonic

(F)

Augmented

4th

–

it

is

3

tones

from

the

tonic

(F#)

Diminished

4th

–

it

is

2

tones

from

the

tonic

(Fb)

Perfect

–

5th

it

is

3

and

a

half

tones

from

the

tonic

(G)

Augmented

5th

–

it

is

4

tones

from

the

tonic

(G#)

Diminished

5th

–

it

is

3

tones

from

the

tonic

(Gb)

Major

–

and

a

6th

Minor

Major

6th

7th

Minor Augmented

– –

–

it

7th

is it

It it –

3 5

tones 5

and and

is it

half

4 is

is is

–

7th

4

it

6th

Diminished

is

–

6th

Augmented

it

a a

5 is

tones

from

from

from

the

tones

from

half

tones

from

tones

Diminished 7th – it is 4 and a half tones from the tonic (Bbb)

from from

the

the

half tones

6

tones

the the

the the

tonic

(A)

tonic

(Ab)

tonic

(A#)

tonic tonic

(Abb) (B)

tonic

(Bb)

tonic

(B#)

Perhaps it may seem unnecessary this definition that we showed now, this is why the augmented second degree is the same as the minor third degree, for example. This could look like a created thing only to confuse us. Well, actually, there is no need of using this ―augmented‖ and ―diminished‖ nomenclature for the degrees that already have ―major‖ and ―minor‖ definition. But, it can help us. Just a second: ―Help us! – Did you say it right?!‖ That is it. Imagine that we want create a chord that has a specific triad. Let‘s create this triad with the diminished fifth instead of the perfect fifth, ok? Let‘s say Do (C) minor with diminished fifth. As it is a minor chord, we already know that the third degree is minor: First Minor

degree: third

Diminished

C degree:

fifth:

Eb Gb

This is our Do (C) minor with diminished fifth. Let‘s say now that the vocalist of the band asks to add the A note to this chord. Everything is ok. We added the A note, but how will we call this chord? The A note is major sixth degree, so the chord will be called: ―minor C with diminished fifth and major sixth‖. Ok, until here we didn‘t use any new concept. This chord has only 4 notes (tetrad) and gained a huge and complicated name. The common tetrads that we know have simple names (like B minor seventh, F major seventh, etc.), but our Dm6(b5) it is hard to visualize because of this name. Let‘s apply, then, the concepts that we just saw. The major sixth degree can also be called as diminished seventh degree. This is interesting to visualize, because in our tetrad would have basic degrees 1, 3, 5 and 7 (what is more common and easy to visualize instead of 1, 3, 5 and 6). Nice. But… Did this make anything in our nomenclature? Yes! As we have a common tetrad (degrees 1, 3, 5 and 7) and two of these degrees are diminished (fifth and seventh), it was decided that this chord would be called ―diminished chord‖. In other words, instead of ―minor C with diminished fifth and major sixth‖ we have ―C diminished‖. That was just a example of application to this terminology. There are other situations where you will also see these concepts, so it is good that you know this nomenclature to not be scared when you see ―augmented third degree‖ written in some place, for example. It is just a reference question.

Go to: Bar lines Back to: Module 2 ……………………………………………………………………….. For those who don‘t know what a sheet music is, a bar (or measure) is a time segment that is defined by a given number of beats, each of that are assigned to a particular note value. When we separate music into bars it will give us regular points of reference to pinpoint locations within a piece of music. It also makes the written music easier to follow, since each symbol in the bar can be read and played as a batch.

Bar and measure The word measure is more common in American English while the word bar is more common in British

English.

Another term well used is the bar line (or barline), which is a single vertical line used to divide a musical staff into measures. It can be referred to simply as a ―bar‖ too. Example of barline: | C | Dm | G | C | Go to : Module 3 Back to: Simplifying Theory …………………………………………………………………………….

Module 3

Fingers notation to the guitar The notation used here in the website that will represent the chords for the guitar is the following one:

Where the numbers in the strings represent the fingers from the left hand, as shown below:

The number at the left (highlighted in red) informs which is the fret of the instrument where that space is:

In this example, that number represents the first fret in the guitar fretboard.

Bar chord If there is dash in any fret in the representation, like in the example below:

It represents a bar chord, in other words, the index finger must be strained in that fret. Below the strings we will tell you which note corresponds to each chord part. Check it below (in red):

When it does not appear any note in some string, it means that that string should not be played. In the previous drawing, the 6th string did not have any note written below, so, it could not be played:

Go to: Arpeggios Back to: Module 3 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Arpeggio is when the notes in a particular chord are played one after other. For example, the notes that create the C chord are C, E and G. When we play theses notes separately one after another, we form the arpeggio of C, and when we play these three notes in the same time we have the C chord.

Guitar Arpeggios

It is worth to highlight that the guitar players also are used to another definition to arpeggios, associated to a specific technique. Which is the ability of playing a note with a string, with movements of up and down in the fretboard of the instrument. For this, it is good to not mistake the things here. Always when we speak about arpeggios, we are talking about the notes in a specific chord. Otherwise, we will let this clear. Go to: Chord names Back to: Module 3 …………………………………………………………………………………….

How to give name to chords Have you ever been in a sad situation because of the chords names? There you are and you want to play some song. You download it from the internet. Great (you think). And then in a specific moment of that song appears some chord that you have never seen. Wow, which chord is this? You go to chords dictionary, look for the concerned chord, but the dictionary doesn‘t bring any chord with that name. This is the end; neither the chords dictionary knows this chord! Actually, maybe you could think that the only way to know how to create a chord is memorizing it. If you don‘t have a giant database inside your head, you will never know many chords. Well, you have to know that this is foolishness. Looking for chords dictionaries is something for the freshmen. Because now you will learn to not depend on it. Even more than this, you will be better than it! Like everything in music, there is a logic rule to define the names of each chord. If you know this rule, you know how to create the chord and give it a name in your instrument. Wonderful, let‘s learn then how to do this! You will see the symbology of a ―strange‖ chord and will know how to create it without external help. And more than this, a friend of yours will create any combination of notes in your instrument and you will say to him/her which chord he/she is playing. It doesn‘t matter what he/she does. He/she can spend all day long ―inventing‖ chords and you will always know the names of all of them.

We will use the guitar as example, but these concepts serve to any instrument. So, let‘s go: You have already learned how the major chords, minor chords and chords with seventh are done. But maybe is not really clear how to do these chords in your instrument. Well, it is really easy; it is just to play all the notes that form each chord we study. For example, Check below a possible drawing to the Dm chord in a guitar:

You can see as all the triad notes in Dm appear in this chord (D, A and F), and just them. Our first target now will be to create the Dm7 chord. For this, we will add one note to the Dm chord, which is the seventh minor degree (the C note, in this case). Ok, now we need to know where there is a C note so that we could take it to add in our Dm chord. Check below where the C notes are located in the fretboard:

You can see how it is really hard to add the C note to the Dm chord without changing its design. On the other hand, we can use that C that is really closer to the Dm chord:

For this, we need to remove the D (because it is ―in front‖ of it in the fretboard, occupying its place in that string). This way we would have with the chord:

Is there any problem in removing this D as we did? No, because there is already another D in this chord; we only removed a D that was ―in excess‖. In guitar this is really common, because practically all the natural chords that we create have some note that is ―a double note‖, in other words, it appears twice. In nomenclature point of view, nothing changes when you remove a note that is double. Even you could choose ―to double‖ a note to have chords that are distinct in sonority, but with the same name.

Another example of duplicate notes in chords You can see it bellow with the G chord:

Probably you have already seen or played this another version of G:

What is the difference between these two versions? The G note appears 3 times in each one, but in the first drawing, the D note is being doubled, while in the second drawing, it is the B note that is being doubled. As in both drawings there are only the notes G, B and D, nomenclature doesn‘t change, the chords name will be the ―G‖ for both formats. You will agree that, besides the name/nomenclature doesn‘t change, the sound is lightly different, depending on which note you are repeating, because it will be ―in evidence‖. With this in mind, we can go on in our studies. We can now create the Dm7 chord. Let‘s now create the Dm7(4). For this, we need to add the perfect fourth to the Dm7 chord. Observation: If it was the augmented fourth or diminished fourth, the chord would be Dm7(#4) and Dm7(b4) respectively, but the procedure would be the same.

Creating the Dm7(4) chord Well, who is the perfect fourth for D? We know that is G. So, let‘s try to add it to the chord Dm7. Check bellow where the G notes are located in the fretboard:

Compare it to our Dm7 chord:

Which G note can we use? Well, Maybe you are realizing that, to add any G note, it will be necessary ―to lose‖ any other note, because all the strings are busy with other notes. Maybe you could say: ―Look, the sixth string is not being used! We could use the G located in it!‖. So, go on and try to do this. Did you see that is impossible?! There are physical limitations for that (Our finger cannot reach there). Let‘s try another thing, so. There is a G note really close from the Dm7 chord that we created, can you see?

However, to use it, we should put it in place of F note, because we cannot play two notes in the same string. Can we do this? No! Because the F note is the third degree, in other words, it is it which is defining that the chord is minor (Dm). Without it, the Dm7 chord would be a Dsus7, because of it would not exist the third (the chord would not be major, nor minor, it would be suspended). But our target it was not to create D7sus4, but Dm7(4). For this we cannot use the G note as we thought. Let‘s try another one. What about this:

You can see that this would replace the A note. Can we do this?

Yes, first because the A note is already doubled. Besides that, even if there was only one A, this could be removed for being a fifth degree for D. To lose the fifth degree doesn‘t mischaracterize the chord, it doesn‘t get nor major or minor because of the fifth degree. Of course that without the fifth degree the Dm7 chord will not be really ―completed‖, because the triad note was lost. But this loss is tolerable in nomenclature point of view. Dm7 without the fifth degree is yet a Dm7. So we got it! The Dm7(4) will be:

Steps to create any chord This method that we used to create the Dm7(4) chord can be used to create any chord we wish. As a basic rule, follow the given steps when facing a symbol of some unknown chord: 1st) You should identify the natural chord present in the symbology and create it in some region of the fretboard of your instrument. For example, the natural of E9(13) is E. 2nd) You should identify which are the extension notes of the desired chord and find each one of them in your instrument, looking for the closest ones. In the previous example, you would look for the corresponding notes to the degrees 9 and 13 of E, that are the notes F# and C#. Look for one at a time to make your search easy. 3rd) You should see which notes you could change for the ones you want. In general, you can change the note that is doubled (repeated) or the fifth degree (that could disappear). 4th) You should repeat this procedure in another region of the instrument fretboard to check if the resultant chord it is not “easier” to do. It can happen in some case in which is impossible to create the desired chord in certain region, but in other ones this could be possible. To make some exercises about this method, let‘s create one more chord.

Observation: Many steps taught here don‘t need to be followed in the keyboard, because the keys organization makes this process easy. If you are a piano or keyboard player you can discard the items that are not related to your instrument.

Creating the Em7(9) chord Continuing our learning process about creating chords, this time we will create the Em7(9). The Em7 chord is a Dm7 in one tone above, for this we will save work of creating the seventh degree (it is the same that we did before). You can see the Em7 chord below and its respective notes:

Let‘s add then the 9th degree, which is F#. You can check below the F# notes in the fretboard:

Apparently, a good option it would be this F# (in yellow):

But, as you could have noticed, it would be in the place of E. We cannot do this because E is in first degree, the tonic. Another option to overcome this problem it would be using the E string that is not being used. This could be the first degree and the chord would be:

This chord would be a good option to Em7(9), because it has an interesting sonority. But maybe you wouldn‘t want to let this chord as bass as it is (the E string is really bass). There is a big difference of octaves in this chord, and this is why it can be unpleasant depending on the context. Let‘s try to find another universal option that we could apply in any context. Let‘s use this F#:

This F# would replace the G note. We already saw in the previous example that we couldn‘t do this; because this is the third degree (it is it that says the chord is an E minor). Using this F# in the place of a third degree, the chord would be suspended. So, are we without options? No. If the problem is G, we could try another G that replaces that one! Look below how there is another G close to the chord we are doing:

If we would use this G, it would be in the place of B. But B is already doubled (it appears twice), so this is not a problem! Our desire was granted, we could add an F# without damaging the Em7 chord. Look below how was our chord in the end:

Try to do this in your guitar. Did you have any difficulty? Probably yes, because doing a bar chord with the finger 3 and finger 4 it is not easy! Some jazz guitarists like doing this, but I believe that is a minority. So let‘s think about the hypothesis of not playing the last note, the B, because this would make our drawing really easy while creating the chord. Can we do this? Remember what we talked about fifth degree, that it can be omitted without damaging the chord‘s nomenclature. Then it is solved! The chord is as not complete and ―full‖ as the previous others that we tried to create, but is in a really easy version to do and its sonority is pleasant. Look below its final result:

This is a most common version that you will find in books and dictionaries to the Em7(9) chord.

Practical

tips

about

chord

names

The most important thing after this study is that you have assimilated the thought that we had. You can see that there are innumerous possibilities and different combinations to create the same chord. Here in the final part we showed an example of Em7(9), but we could have written dozens pages showing other drawing options for the same chords.

Bit by bit, the way you go practicing and doing exercises, you will see quickly more options, because you will know the fretboard of your instrument and you will have better theorical background in chords already memorized. And all this will allow you a faster and more accurate visualization. During all this study, we created the chords using as reference the notes, but this is not the fastest way. Actually the fastest way is to think automatically in degrees. For example, to create the Em7(9) chord, you can search directly the ninth degree, because you know the major scale drawing and you know how to count degrees! In this case, you wouldn‘t have to think that the ninth degree is the F#. You would only search the ninth degree (counting the numbers in the major scale) and you would find the ninth degree even without knowing which note is it. You can see that this way of thinking is faster, because you don‘t need to think that the ninth degree is the F# note to search the F# in the instrument. Obviously, if you master well the notes in the entire instrument, this process will be automatic, and you probably will prefer to think in notes instead of degrees. Our incentive is that you engage yourself in this! We showed here the process in a more teachable way. To think in notes or only in degrees will be your choice. Everything will depend on your practice and personal taste. A really good way to exercise these learned concepts is trying to create various chords and after that to check your answers in some chords‘ dictionary. That‘s a tip. Before finishing this study, we will show the most used nomenclatures in songbooks. We put this complement as a second part of this topic (chord symbols). Check that! Go to: Chord symbols Back to: Module 3 …………………………………………………………………………………….

Overview about chords symbols

Going on our studying about chords and keys of a chord, we will see now the most used nomenclatures in chords dictionaries and songbooks. Check below the chord symbols: 

Minor seventh chords: they receive only the number 7. Examples: G7, Bm7, etc.



Major seventh chords: There are many alternatives to represent theses chords. One of them is to put the number 7 followed by the capital letter M. Examples: C7M, A7M, Bm(7M), etc. Another possible notation is ―Maj‖: Cmaj7 or just Cmaj (abbreviation of Major Seventh). In popular music websites, people use the notation 7+ (C7+), however this is not the most suitable notation, since it is used for augmentedchords.



Added ninth chords: They receive the number 9 followed by the word ―add‖. Example: Cadd9. These are the chords created by the triad with an added ninth. When the chord also has the seventh. The American notation use to put only the number 9. As we will see.



Ninth and seventh minor chords: They can receive just the number 9, or the number 7 followed by the number 9. Example: C9 or C7(9). This happens because the ninth chords use to have seventh too; this is why it is understood that the symbol ―9‖ also informs that there is already a seventh together. When there is not a minor seventh in the chord, it will be clear by using the symbol ―add‖, as we saw. It would be like saying: ―this chord has a ninth added, in other words, it is the ninth added to a triad. There is not a seventh!‖. Therefore in practice, not everybody makes this distinction, so it is important to proceed with caution.



Suspended chords: They are the chords that do not have the third. They receive the acronym ―sus‖. Generally, these chords are followed by a perfect fourth. Example: Asus4. We will explain why this fourth when we talk about ―extension notes‖.



Augmented chords: They can receive the symbol ―#‖ or ―+‖ aside the altered degree in question. Example: G7(#5) or G7(+5). Observation: when the alternated note is a fifth, the chord can also receive only ―+‖, for example: C+.



Diminished chords: They receive the symbol ― ° ‖. Example: C°. The diminished chord is formed by 1, 3b, 5b and 7bb degrees. When only one note is diminished, we can use the symbol ―b‖ or ―-‖. Example: G7(b5) or G7(-5). The symbol ―-‖ is also used in the American notation to say that is a minor chord (besides the letter ―m‖), for example: A- (it is the same as Am). So, because of this do not make a mistake when you see something like C-7 (in this case, it is the Cm7 chord, and not a C chord with a diminished seventh). Observation: we will study the diminished chord in another topic. Here we are just seeing nomenclatures.



Half diminished chords: They are the chords with the extension m7(b5). Example: Dm7(b5). We say ―D half diminished 7th chord‖. This nickname is widely used, because the m7(b5) chord is

almost a diminished chord; the only difference is in the seventh (that in a diminished chord is the diminished seventh besides minor seventh). Moreover, it is easier to say ―D half diminished‖ than saying ―Minor D with seventh and flatted fifth‖. Don‘t you think?! 

Altered chords: They are the chords with the extension #9#5. Example: G#9#5. Generally, this kind of chord also contains the minor seventh (G7#9#5). We will give you more details about this subject in the topic ―altered scale‖. For now, you only have to know that this extension #9#5 is represented by the acronym ―alt‖. For example, the previous chord could be written like G7alt besides G7#9#5 (Major seventh G, augmented ninth and fifth). In an overview of all we saw, we could conclude that there are things that the symbology tells us and things that it does not tell us.

What does chords symbols establish? – If the chord is major, minor or suspended. – If the chord has a seventh or further added degrees (4th, 6th, 9th). – If the chord has alterations (5#, 9b, etc.) – If the chord is inverted (3rd, 5th or 7th in the bass). Observation: we will study this in another topic.

What does chords symbology does not establish? – The chord position in the instrument (it can be in different regions). – Duplications or exclusions of notes in a chord (we can duplicate, triplicate or exclude the perfect fifth, duplicate the third, etc.). Very well, now you are already an expert in this subject of chord symbols and chord names! It is just to exercise the concepts learned here and you will have total autonomy in chords creation, never more with a help of a chord dictionary. Now you are the dictionary! Go to: Tonality Back to: Module 3

…………………………………………………………………………………. Tonality (or harmonic field) is a group of chords created through a specific scale. Take like example C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B. For each note in the scale we will create a chord. We will have, then, seven chords, the will be the chords of the tonality of C.

How will we create this tonality? For each note in the scale, the respective chord will be created using the first, the third and the fifth degree(starting to be counted in this note, in this same scale). Let‘s start with the C note. The first degree is the C itself. The third starting in C is E. And the fifth starting in C is G. The first chord in the tonality of C is created then by the notes C, E and G (pay attention that this is the C chord, because E is the major third of C). Now let‘s create the chord of the next note, which is D. The first degree is the D itself. The third starting in D is F. And the fifth starting in D is A. Then, the second chord of our harmonic field is created by the notes D, F and A (pay attention that this is the Dm chord, because F is the minor third of D). You should be realizing that until here we are creating the chords in the harmonic field thinking in triadsand using only the notes that appear in the scale in question (C major). After creating the triad, we should see if the third of each chord was major or minor. You can also check the fifth of each chord, but you will see that will always be the perfect fifth, with exception to the last chord, that will have a flatted fifth. It is a good exercise to try to create the remaining chords in this tonality. After that, check the table below:

Song Tonality Very good, you learned how to create a harmonic field. But what does this serve for? Well, a harmonic field serves for many things, and in this moment we will focus in the most basic point: it serves to define thecentral note (tonic) of a song. This depends on the existent chords in this song. If a song has the major chords of the harmonic field of C, it means that the song is in C major. With this we know that the scale to be used to make a solo, to improvise or create riffs in this song will be the C major scale. Therefore, to know the harmonic fields it‘s really useful: this knowledge allows us to know the notes that we can use to do arrangements in such song. Knowing well the scale shapes, nothing will stop us to create solos and riffs automatically (ability known as improvisation). I hope that this has motivated you to go on in our study about tonality, seen the importance and use of this knowledge. We have already created a harmonic field using triads, and now we will enlarge this concept to tetrads. The rule used to create the chord, just to remember, it was to take the first, the third and the fifth degrees of the scale in question. We will do the same thing, but including the seventh degree, that characterizes the tetrad. We will have then a harmonic field equals the previous one, but created by tetrads instead of triads. Analyzing the same scale of C major, starting by the C note, we have the seventh degree of this scale, which is B. The other degrees (third and fifth) we already saw which ones they are. Therefore, the first chord of this harmonic field will be formed by C, E, G and B. This is the C7M chord, because B is the major seventh of C.

Applying this same rule to the next note (D), we will see that the seventh degree is C. Then, the chord will be formed by the notes D, F, A and C. This is the Dm7 chord. Pay attention that here we have the minor seventh of D, this is why we use the symbol ―7‖ instead of ―7M‖ (that characterizes the major seventh). Creating the complete table we will have:

Maybe you are asking yourself what is the difference, from the practice point of view, of these two harmonic fields that we created. Well, the only difference is that this second one has one more note in the chord, making them more ―complete‖. In a point of view of improvisation, relating to discover which the tonality of the song is, nothing will be changed. We will see some examples of this subject (discovering the song tonality) soon. Before, remember that we used the C major scale. Instead of specifying the tonality (C) now, let‘s take this more generic: ―harmonic field of a major scale‖, because if we use this rule to G major scale, A major scale or any major scale, we will always have something in common. The major tonality of any note will follow this formation (where the Roman numbers refer to degrees): I7M IIm7 IIIm7 IV7M V7 VIm7 VIIm(b5) You can check this creating the harmonic field of the remaining tonalities (besides C, that we have already done). Take as an example the E major scale and its harmonic field (tonality):

You can see that the major first degree was with seventh, the minor second degree with seventh, etc. Following the formation that has been shown before: I7M IIm7 IIIm7 IV7M V7 VIm7 VIIm(b5) This makes our life easier; because it means that memorizing just this sequence above you already know the major harmonic field of any note. It is just to put the notes of the major scale in question in place of degrees. For example: What is the major harmonic field of D? D7M Em7 F#m7 G7M A7 Bm7 C#m(b5) Observation: The major D scale is: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#. As exercise try to create the major harmonic field of all the notes. Check then the tonality table below:

Observation: To create the harmonic field using just 3 notes (triad), it is just remove the seventh of all the chords in this table. We will leave the seventh here only in the last chord, because the chords with diminished five rarely appear without the seventh in practice:

Now that we know the major harmonic field of all notes, we can apply this knowledge to discover the songs tonality. Exercises: The chords below compose some specific songs. You should identify in which tonality each song is: 1) A, C#m, D, Bm, E7 2) F#m, G#m, B, E 3) Bm7, GM7, Em7, F#m7, D, A7 4) G, D, C 5) Am7, Bm7(b5) 6) Bb, F, Dm7, C7 Answers: 1) A

2) E 3) D 4) G 5) C 6) F It is important to highlight that some songs have more than one tonality. In this case, part of the song is in one tonality and another part of the song is in another tonality. This is really common in rhythms like Jazz, MPB, Bossa Nova, Fusion, among others. To do improvisation adequately in songs that have a lot of variation of tonalities (modulations) is a big challenge, but don‘t worry. Step by step we will grow in the subjects in a way to explore more resources. With commitment and dedication, you will (in a few time) feel yourself comfortable even when you face more sophisticated sounds. We are working for that. Go to: Music theory terms Back to: Module 3 ……………………………………………………………………………………. Riff is a slang really used in the guitar world to describe a small piece executed in this instrument. For example, the introduction of the song Sweet Child O‘ Mine from Guns N‘ Roses is a riff. Generally, the riff is a repeated piece in the song. Riff can be anything, even a certain rhythmic in some chord. Riff is a really generic term. Musical phrase is certain piece of a solo. A phrase gives the idea of ―from the beginning to the end‖, having some sense or meaning. A written solo in sheet music can have many phrases divided by bar lines. It does not have a rule about size of a musical phrase. This term is employed in the same way of riff (without many criteria).

What is the difference between musical phrase and riff? The difference is that the musical phrase is a term more used in solo context, while the riff definition is more embracing and makes more sense for repetitive pieces. Accidental note is any note that does not belong to a certain scale or tonality. For example, see the C major C,

scale: D,

E,

F,

G,

A,

B

The notes C#, D#, F#, G#, A# are called accidentals, in this case, because they don‘t belong to this scale. Coincidentally, as the C major scale does not have any note with sharp (or flat), all the accidents appear with these alterations. But if the concerned scale was E major (E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#), the accidents would be the notes F, G, A#, C, D.

The difference between accidental note and sharp Pay attention that ―accidental note‖ doesn‘t mean ―sharp‖. In most of explanations here in the website we will be using C major scale, so you will hear these terms (accidental and sharp) as they were synonyms, but remember that they are just synonyms in this context of C major. The real definition of accidental note is that thing which does not belong to that concerned scale. In the music field, we use to say that every instrument players have musical feeling when they put feeling in what they are playing. This feeling can be a technical expression (perfect technical execution well placed that touch us) as it can be the adequate placement of notes (that feeling given by a pleasant melody). Summarizing, feeling is what differentiate a musician from a robot, because a robot can be programmed to play many notes per second, but it by itself does not have expression or creativity in music. The adequate choice of notes and their techniques depend on the context and the ―atmosphere‖ that the song is imposing.

Musical feeling and velocity Many people use to say that playing fast is a synonym of absence of feeling, but this is not true. Feeling is not tied to any velocity standard, scales or stiles. Above everything, feeling is something really personal and is connected to emotions.

For this, the own definition of feeling will depend of a personal taste of the listener and his/her emotional state in the moment of the song execution. Evidently, as more knowledge in music theory the instrument player has, more options and ideas he/she will have to surprise and touch people emotions. The Simplifying Theory website will help you to explore this potential. Go to: Chromatic scale Back to: Music Terms …………………………………………………………………………………………………… The chromatic scale is formed by the sequence: semitone-semitone-semitone-semitone, etc. That is it, all the notes have a semitone interval. Thus, we can conclude that this scale has 12 notes (all the 12 available notes of occidental music). Check below the chromatic scale of C: C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B

Shape of the C chromatic scale

Chromaticism Due to this peculiar characteristic, it has become common to use the term ―Chromaticism‖ to refer to notes with a distance of a semitone. For example, if some solo has the notes D, D# and E played in sequence, we say that this patch has chromaticism.

Chromatic scale application

In practice, in music context, the chromatic scale does not use to be applied in all its extension. Normally we use small patches of chromaticism. The chromatic effect is really interesting and explored by many musicians of various styles. The sonorous result that is produced creates a feeling of passing notes. Even if some notes are out of the tonality of the song, when played fast in chromaticism these notes are ―forgiven‖ to our ears, because we feel as they were passing notes, steps of a ladder that has the objective to arrive in a specific place. For now we will stay in this introductory concept about chromaticism, because to explain the applications with all the details it would be exhausting. Instead of it we chose to show you chromaticism utilization in each specific context. You will see chromaticism here in the website in studies of Diminished Chord, Target Notes, SubV7, Jazz Bebop, among others. From now on, chromaticism and chromatic scale will be part of your musical background. And its importance will be evidently in each application. Go to: Module 4 Back to: Simplifying Theory ……………………………………………………………………………………….

Module 4

What is musical improvisation? In the musical field, improvisation is the art of composing and recording in the same time; in other words, it is inventing in that time! Improvisation can be a harmony, a melody, a solo, a riff, a rhythm, etc. This art differentiates creator musicians from the ones who only reproduce. These second ones are those who only reproduce or play ready songs. They generally have the technique, but they are really limited musically (dependents on a repertoire) and they don‘t know what they are doing; they are just following a cake‘s recipe. Creator musicians don‘t limit themselves to only reproducing ready songs; they are capable of changing them, to enhance them, to create new melodies or harmonies automatically. These are musicians that know what they are doing; they understand what is beyond symbology and staff. They can ―speak‖ musically. Summarizing; those who know improvisation: –

Understand

immediate

ideas;

– Find easy to compose, because they have many tools and resources

in mind

–

accurate

Have

what

is the

happening

and

have

ear

really

– Can deal with unexpected situations (new songs, changing of repertoire in the last minute, lack of memory

(when

your

mind

goes

blank),

– Put their own identity in the songs. Motivating, isn‘t it?

The subject of the improvisation in music

etc.);

Well, to be capable of doing improvisation it is needed to know this subject. For example, in the lectures field, any person is capable of improvising in a speech about ―happiness‖, because everybody has a concept in mind about this subject. But maybe the improvisation can damage the quality of speech; many people would speak without using beautiful words and deep reflections. But now, how many people would improvise about the importance of Schrödinger equation in quantum electromagnetism? In music is the same thing, we need a good vocabulary (to know how to choose the write ―words‖) and we also need to know the context that we are so that the ―word‖ can make sense. This conversation is good, but let‘s talk about something more practical now: How do learn how to improvise indeed? Well, there are some secrets to become a good improviser. We will talk specifically about solos in this topic, but the concept is the same for all the other aspects of improvisation in music. Explaining this in an easy way, it is just to know the basic scales and to know how to identify the song tonality to do an improvisation. These things we already learned here in Simplifying Theory, don‘t worry. But in practice it is not just knowing scales and its tonalities, you have to create a solo with them. It looks obvious, but it is not. Someone who is initiating in improvisation can learn about major scale and understand where to use it, but if he/she doesn‘t have ready ―phrases‖ and links in his/her mind, the improvisation will be terrible. Nobody likes listening played scales that go up and down without dynamics. The beauty of music is in the fact of knowing how ―to write‖ musical phrases with notes. And how will a beginner in improvisation be able to do that? He/she has to take the ready phrases from other musicians, memorizing them and using them in various contexts. This way, he/she will develop the ability to know where to put the phrases in the songs. This is essential. The next step is taking these same phrases and making some little changes, trying to put your own ideas from the ideas in the phrases. After a certain time doing this, the person will start to create his/her own phrases from zero, without having base in any ready phrase.

Very well, for those who have never done an improvisation, to have this ability will take time. It is like everything in life: if the result is good, the effort needs to make this result be deserved. We advise that the beginner devote himself/herself to take theses ready phrases and applying them in major and minor tonalities. These phrases can be part of a major, minor, pentatonic or blues scale. This must be the starting world to the person who wants to improvise. He/she needs to feel himself/herself confident in this, because this is the base for future improvements. In this phase the beginner will acquire ―feeling‖, he/she will learn to put his/her expression in the songs. We will show along our study about scales, examples of application in each scale in various harmonies. You should take these riffs and phrases and also play them, understanding them and after that creating your own. Soon we will be updating the website and putting basic riffs that can be used in innumerous contexts, so that you can exercise what we said above about using ready sentences in various different songs. We intend enrich more and more this subject creating a handbook for beginners in improvisation, with a selection of riffs. Wait! For now, practice with the material that is already available in each topic. If Simplifying Theory has been useful for you, help to spread it. So you will be collaborating with the growth and improvement of the website. Our target is to be a reference to students of music, mainly for those who had already tried by their own strengths and found difficulties due to shortage of material about the subject. Make good use! Go to: Relative minor and major Back to: Module 4 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. Relative minor scale is really used in improvisation, because it gives more ideas to solo. All improviser that learned to use major and minor scales have to learn, after that, to use the relative minor scale. But what is the relative minor scale?

Example of relative minor scale Think in some major scale, for example, C major scale. The C relative minor scale will be A minor scale. As a rule, the relative minor scale of a major scale is the minor scale of the sixth degree of this tonality. Saying this way may look confuse, but is really simple in practice. As we were in C, the sixth degree is A, so is just play A minor scale. Observation: if you are still lost about degrees, read again the article ―degrees and music intervals‖. Well, as you can see, we are not learning any new scale here. This scale is nothing more than the natural minor scale that we already saw. Only creating a link of sixth degree in relation to the first, and then you will understand this.

Relationship between major scale and relative minor scale If you take C major scale and compare it to A minor scale, you will see that they have exactly the same notes. In other words, the major scale has a related minor that is identical to it. Incredible, isn‘t it? This is why the name ―relative‖. Compare below, for example, the scales C x Am and G x Em: 

C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B



A minor scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G



G major scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#



E minor scale: E, F#, G, A, B, C This is extremely useful! It means that we can use A minor scale to do a solo in a song which tonality is C major. In other words, when we have a major tonality, we can think in two scales: the major scale of this tonality and the relative minor scale of it. This increases our options when we are thinking in solo.

Relative major In the same way, we could think in the opposite: each minor tonality has a relative major. This major relative is located a tone and a half above the minor tonality. For example, one tone and a half above A is C. Therefore, the relative major of A minor is C major.

Relative minor chord It is worth to highlight that this concept also exists to the chords. The relative minor chord is the chord of sixth degree of major chord in question. For example, the relative minor of C is the chord of sixth degree in the harmonic field of C major, in other words, A minor. Other example: suppose that the tonality be G major. The relative minor of G will be E. As the relative chords have affinity among them, they can substitute one another. We will see this with more details in the study of harmonic functions. For now, think in scales; remember that you can always use a relative minor with a major scale. Try to test this taking a song in a major tonality and playing the relative minor on it. You will see as it fits perfectly. Now that you already learned what you needed about relative minor, try to find the relative minor of all the other chords or major scales. After that, check with the table below:

Go to: Modes Back to: Module 4 …………………………………………………………………………………….

What are greek modes? The Greek modes are 7 different models to the natural major scale. Maybe you have already heard names like ―Mixolydian‖, ―Dorian‖, or something similar. It looks like things from another world, doesn‘t it? So well, we will show you that this and other names are simple things in reality and they are easy to understand and practice. They appear in the context of Greek modes. We will give you details to make clear what these modes are:

Ionian mode Take the major natural scale. It corresponds to the first Greek mode, called Ionian mode. We will show you later where this nomenclature came from, don‘t worry about that now. Very well, you already know a Greek mode! Congratulations! To make it easier we will work with the C major scale as example. We already know which one is the Ionian mode: C, D, E, F, G, A, B Sequence seen: tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-semitone Shape:

Tip:

It

is

the

own

major

scale.

Observation: To all the modes, we will put the sequence seen, one tip and the shape of the scale.

Dorian mode

The next mode is called Dorian. It is nothing more than the same major scale we are working with, but starting in D. Here you have the Dorian mode: D, E, F, G, A, B, C Sequence seen: tone-semitone-tone-tone-semitone-tone Shape:

Tip: It is the minor scale with the major sixth. Well, maybe you have not regarded the utility of this. Generally here people start to confuse themselves and think that this study is boring. So, let‘s explain this well so that you don‘t give up without a reason! We just played D Dorian mode, right? This automatically means that its tonality is C major. Why? Just because we built the Dorian scale using the major notes of C. The format tone-semitone, etc. Deducted to a Dorian scale was different from major natural scale because we start with another note that it‘s not the first degree. We started by the second degree. This is why the difference in the shape exists. With this in mind, we can find a practical application. In the study of major harmony field, we showed the chords that are part of C major tonality. Imagine, for example, that a song starts in Dm and then goes on with the chords: Am, F and Em. We can conclude that the tonality of this song is C major, even if the C chord has not appeared once in the song (until here, it‘s not a new concept!). Then, if we want improvise a solo in this song, we will use C major scale. But how can we do this if the song starts in D minor? Our solo could start with D

instead of C to give a more characteristic ambience, couldn‘t it? It‘s here that this D Dorian enters! We could say that we are doing a solo in D, because we are ―emphasizing‖ D (starting and finishing with it), but using the C major scale. Moral of the story: we are using D Dorian scale to our solo, because the chord is D minor, but the tonality is C.

Phrygian mode Ok, let‘s make some progress. Now we will use C major scale starting with E. The sequence will be like this: E, F, G, A, B, C, D Sequence seen: semitone-tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone Shape:

Tip: It is a minor scale with second minor degree. This is called Phrygian mode. The practical utilization is exactly the same of the previous example, but thinking in E minor instead of D minor. If we wanted make a solo in E minor in a song that is in C major tonality, we would use Phrygian E scale.

Lydian mode The next Greek mode is the Lydian. It starts with the forth degree of the major scale. Just to recap, we are using as example the C scale, and then the fourth degree is F (before the fourth degree was E, and so on). The Greek modes can be constructed by any major scale. We are showing here just the C scale. Later we will show with another major scale to help you and to make it clearer. Let‘s see then how was our F Lydian scale:

F, G, A, B, C, D, E Sequence seen: tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone Shape:

Tip: It is the major scale with augmented fourth

Mixolydian mode The fifth Greek mode is the Mixolydian. In C major scale, the fifth degree is G. Check it below the G mixolydian scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F Sequence seen: tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-semitone Shape:

Tip: It is the major scale with 7th minor We already explained the utilization of Greek modes in the point of view of improvisation, but it would be interesting now to make an observation. If we wanted to make a solo in a song that is in C major tonality starting with the note G, we would use G Mixolydian scale (nothing new here). Maybe

you are not convinced yet about the utility of this in practice. Because you are thinking: ―If I want to use C major scale starting with G, I can take the drawing of C major, in the region that I would do C major scale and then I do this drawing starting with G‖:

Everything OK, there is no problem in this. But let‘s say that a song is changing its tonality. Imagine that it was in G major and now has gone to C major. You were doing a solo in G major using the scale below, in that region of the instrument fretboard:

That that the song is in C major, you jumped to this region:

If you knew the drawing of G Mixolydian, you could go on in the same region that you were before, however changing the drawing that before was this one:

To this one:

This would let the solo infinitely more beautiful and fluid, because the changing of tonality in the solo would be slightly and pleasant. If, in this example, you change the region in the fretboard to think in the C major scale, you would make the changing become more abrupt and ―hard to swallow‖. Listen to musicians like Pat Mateny, Mike Stern, Frank Gambale and pay attention how they work modulation (changing of tonalities). This fluidity comes from the complete dominium of the Greek modes shapes. Besides that, knowing well the drawings of these modes will help you to not be a prisoner of a scale shape only. This would make your solo become ―square‖ and ―vicious‖. And into the bargain, this dominium provides a total control of the instrument fretboard.

Aeolian mode Ok, the next mode is the Aeolian mode and it corresponds to the sixth degree. In our example, the sixth degree of C is A, then check below how was our scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G Frequency seen: tone-semitone-tone-tone-semitone-tone Shape:

Tip: It is the natural minor scale! We found then a new name for the natural minor scale: Aeolian mode. The major natural scale had already received a name, do you remember? Ionian mode. Probably you have noticed that the minor sixth degree is the relative minor (we already studied that), so doing a solo using the Aeolian mode is nothing more than doing this using the relative minor.

Locrian mode The seventh and last one mode is the Locrian mode. Check the drawing below: B, C, D, E, F, G, A Sequence seen: semitone-tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone Shape:

Tip: It is the minor scale with the minor 2nd and diminished 5th. Training the Greek modes thinking in degrees really helps our mind and ear to identify quickly the tonality of a song, because we become used to with these patterns.

Summary of the 7 Greek modes

Cool, we already done everything with the C major scale, we will show you now (quickly) how would be the sequences using G major scale (instead of C major), for you to see the shapes of theses modes starting by the 6th string:

Notice that the sequence (tone-semitone, etc.) were exactly the same as in the study of C major scale. But the drawing (shapes) were different because we are starting by the 6th string instead of 5th. These shown drawings starting by 5th and 6th strings keep the same structure to other tonalities. This is really favorable, because learning the shapes to these tonalities, you know to all of them; it is just to transpose the same drawings to other tones.

Along our musical study, you will hear many times about these modes. Seeing their application in different contexts you will enlarge your vision and will be more convinced about their utility. The important now is to practice and spend time with these shapes, understanding where they came from. Before finishing this first study about Greek modes, we will satisfy your curiosity saying where theses strange names came from. The Greek modes appeared in ancient Greece. Some people from the region have peculiar manners to organize

the

sounds

of

the

equal

tempered

scale.

They

came

from

the

regions Ionia, Doria, Phrygia, Lydia and Aeolia. For this gave the names that you just saw. The Mixolydian mode

came

from

the

mixture

between Lydian and Dorian modes.

The Locrian mode came just to complete a cycle, because it is a mode slightly used in practice. The Ionian and Aeolian modes became the most used ones, being more widespread in Middle Age. Lately, they receive the names ―major scale‖ and ―minor scale‖ respectively. It is funny that all the students of music learn first the names ―major scale‖ and ―minor scale‖ even before of hearing about Ionian and Aeolian modes. Actually these Greek modes came before and are ―fathers‖ of these scales. If you liked the explanation of this topic about greek modes, help to promote Simplifying Theory so that we can go on growing and improving our contents, and making also interaction with the public! Go to: Pentatonic scale Back to: Module 4 ………………………………………………………………. The pentatonic scale is the guru of improvisers. And it is not hard to discover the reason why everybody uses and abuses of this scale: It is easy to create and to use. Some decades before, some musicians use to earn millions just playing this scale. Today is not too easy to become rich just playing the pentatonic scale; therefore any beginner musician learns how to play this scale (and generally spends the rest of the life doing only this).

What is pentatonic scale?

The concept is really simple: the major pentatonic scale is a bunch of notes from the major scale. We know that the major scale has 7 notes. The pentatonic scale chose 5 from these notes and created another scale, this is why it is called ―penta‖. Pentatonic scale has notes that when played generate a pleasant melody, even if it is just the execution of this scale from up and down. This makes the life of everybody easy! It is just to memorize the pentatonic scale and then, when you are going to improvise a song in a major tonality, instead of ―elaborating‖ a phrase with a major scale you play the pentatonic scale and it is guaranteed success! The pentatonic scale played backward is nice; played forward is nice; played from the middle to the end is nice, from the end to the beginning is nice, nice, nice, nice… Very well; if you have never listened a pentatonic scale in life, take a keyboard or a piano and play the black keys one after another. This is the sound of a pentatonic scale. There are many shapes to pentatonic scales; this example of the black keys was just one to make the observation easy because it is really practical. If you don‘t have a keyboard in home, don‘t be desperate, we will explain in details how to create this scale.

Major and Minor Pentatonic Scale The pentatonic scale can be major or minor. The major pentatonic scale has the 5 notes of the major scale; the minor pentatonic scale has the 5 notes of the minor scale. A drawing of the C major pentatonic scale can be:

Now see a drawing to A minor pentatonic scale:

Compare these scales (C major pentatonic and A minor pentatonic) with the C major and A minor scales, respectively. Notice that the major pentatonic took 5 notes from the major scale, as we said, and were 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 degrees. In other words, it took out 4 and 7 degrees! And the minor pentatonic took 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 degrees from the minor scale. In other words, it took out 2 and 6 degrees! Observation: the normal thing it would be starting and finishing with the same note in a drawing of a scale, but we prefer to finish the scale with other notes here in these designs just to you understand better the logic of this scale on guitar. We chose to show the C major pentatonic and the A minor pentatonic because they have the same notes. The minor is the relative of C. Do you remember?! If this is not in your veins yet, return and study the relative minor, use it, and then follow your journey, because just accumulating knowledge to

not

use

it

and

forget

it

is

a

real

waste

of

time!

It would be better spend your time watching soap operas or playing videogames…

How to use the pentatonic scale We already said that pentatonic scale (major and minor) can be used in the same place where you use the major and minor natural scales, respectively. But this scale, besides of the possibility of being used in these contexts, can also be used in other contexts that the major and minor natural scales cannot (this is the reason for you to like it!). One example is Blues. Soon you will see in the article ―Blues Definition‖ that the pentatonic scale is the ―queen‖ in this style. We will show examples of application of the pentatonic scale in major and minor contexts here in this article and in the article ―Blues Definition‖ we will show the utilization of this scale in Blues. We really advise you to practice well the pentatonic scale in blues, because it is really funny! Spend hours and hours, days and days doing this and you will become a born improviser.

How to practice pentatonic solos But how do you practice the pentatonic scale to progress and like what you are doing? Follow these steps: Step 1: Memorize well the minor pentatonic scale and use it in the tonal context. In other words, you can play with this scale inside a minor harmonic field or in a major harmonic field (playing the minor relative pentatonic, in this case). Do this for a long time. Step 2: Use the minor pentatonic in Blues context, after reading the article ―Blues Definition‖. Do this for a long time. Step 3: Now that you are familiarized with the minor pentatonic, you have to memorize the major pentatonic and use it in the tonal context, as you did in step 1. Step 4: Now that you are familiarized with the two pentatonic scales and know how to use them, play the pentatonic scale starting in all the degrees. Do the following training, which will expand your dominium about the instrument fretboard: We will play the pentatonic scale in C major tonality, but starting in other degrees (other regions of the instrument fretboard). We will go first in G, playing the other notes of the C pentatonic (this will create a peculiar drawing). After that, we will do the same pentatonic scale, but starting with A. There is nothing magical in this, we will play the same notes as before; we will only start in A instead of starting in G. After that we will do the same to all the other degrees. Check below the drawing and memorize each one:

This is the same idea that we had to create the Greek modes. In the case of Greek modes, there were 7 notes in the scale; therefore starting with each degree resulted in 7 scales. Here in the pentatonic we had 5 scales. Now the mission is to practice the same way that you did in the previous steps. Use these drawings in the tonal and Blues contexts. Very well, you already have material to study for months! Your performance in improvisation is being developed. If you master only the concepts that we talked about until here you will be able to improvise in the most of the songs that exist. Don‘t waste this knowledge. Put it into practice! We will show you bellow some examples of application of the complete pentatonic scale (drawing starting in all the degrees), in the tonal context (major and minor relative harmonic field). All this is to give you a boost in your ideas!

And the application of the pentatonic in the Blues context will be shown in the article ―Blues Definition‖. The solo of the article in the Guitar Pro below is in A minor tonality. The harmony has the following chords: | Am | F | C | G | You can download the file here: soon! ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The invention of the Blues The Blues was invented in the end of XIX century in the United States, when the slaves that worked in cotton plantation used to chant songs and laments that gave rise to what we know today as ―Blues‖. It was gospel music just sang, because by their precarious conditions they could not afford to buy instruments. After that, this style came to church and was used to livened the services. The Blues developed itself over the years, influencing and giving rise to other styles like Jazz, Rock, Soul, etc. But what is the definition of Blues? What the world knows about Blues is the musical sequence: First degree, fourth degree, first degree, fifth degree, fourth degree, first degree. Briefly, this is the simplest and easiest sequence that characterizes Blues. We will see now that with the bar lines, defining how long it rests in each degree: | First degree | First degree | First degree | First degree | | Fourth degree | Fourth degree | | First degree | First degree | | Fifth degree | Fourth degree | First degree | First degree, Fifth degree |

Observation: Generally we finish the sequence putting the fifth degree (in orange) in the middle of the last bar line, before returning to repeat everything again. You can see and listen this typical structure of Blues in the file from Guitar Pro below. Because just chit-chatting here would be a waste of time! In this example we are playing G as our first degree. File: blues1.gpro The base of this file was done this way: | G7 | G7 | G7 | G7 | | C7 | C7 | | G7 | G7 | | D7 | C7 | G7 |G7 D7|

Bar lines of the Blues You can notice that the chords of this example are all with seventh. This is a peculiarity of Blues. Another detail is that Blues has exactly 12 bar lines. It is just to count the bar lines we showed before and you will see. Very well, notice that we started with 4 bar lines of first degree. After that, we have two bar lines in the fourth degree and then we return to first degree doing two more bar lines in it. There it comes the climax, where in each bar line, we play a different degree: Fifth, fourth and first degrees. To finish, we divide the last bar line in two parts, playing the first and the fifth degrees in it, and then we start everything again. Summarizing, we can define Blues as a structure of 12 bar lines where we play with three chords (first, fourth and fifth degrees), all of them with seventh. This is a really simple definition and doesn‘t cover all the variations of Blues, since we are in an introductory topic, this definition is to help you to memorize the basic about this style.

Another way of creating Blues Well, another way of creating this Blues is, instead of playing 4 bar lines in the first degree is playing 1 bar line in the first degree, 1 bar line in the fourth and 2 bar lines again in the first degree. This way, instead of having 4 bar lines in the same chord, we have a little change playing also the fourth degree in a bar line. The structure will be like this: | First degree | Fourth degree | First degree | First degree | | Fourth degree | Fourth degree | | First degree | First degree | | Fifth degree | Fourth degree | First degree | First degree, Fifth degree | Notice that the only changing we did here was in the second bar line, that was before the First degree and now is the Fourth degree. Listen and follow this structure in the file of Guitar Pro below. File: Blues2.gpro

How to improvise in Blues? Nice. Now that we know the basics of how to create Blues, it is time to know how to improvise in it. There are many and many resources to use in Blues. In this topic we will be restricted to only one: the pentatonic scale. Further, when you have studied other topics and will be dominating well the subjects, we will return to Blues exploring other resources more advanced, which will enable you to become a master of Blues. For now, satisfy yourself in being in the pentatonic scale and learn how to use it. Actually, 99% of all the musicians do nothing besides the pentatonic while improvising Blues. Because they don‘t know nothing more than this. So let‘s go. What pentatonic scale can we use to improvise in Blues? The pentatonic scale of first degree, for example, in the previous base that we worked with, the first degree was G, so you will use the G minor pentatonic scale. That‘s all! Now take that previous base that we did and be happy using the G minor pentatonic in it!

Of course we will give a little push to help you to have ideas. Here you have an example of solo in bases that we did before. Pay attention in the ideas we created and then create your own ideas! File Guitar pro: pentatonicscale(blues).gpro Observation: Use the pentatonic scale in all the instrument fretboard! This will make you a great improviser; someone that explores all the possible spaces. Check the designs in the final part of the article ―Pentatonic Scale‖ to study this scale in all its extension. Maybe you are thinking: ―Why can we use the minor pentatonic of first degree?‖; ―Where does this rule come from?‖. Well, the explanation for this is quite complex. For now, just have it as rule and practice this way. Further, studying here in the website you will have your own conclusions due to the background in the earned concepts. Take it easy. Nice. You finished our starting study about Blues. Practice now your solos downloading this backing track: soon! Use the E minor pentatonic scale in this base. You can also interact with the website recording your solo, uploading it on Youtube and sending the video link to Contact us. The best videos will be posted here. Don‘t stop practicing what you learned. The fluency and dominium process about any subject in music is long and demands dedication; but is also really funny! Engage yourself and you will reap the fruits! If you didn‘t know Blues, this subject will be really important to your musicality. Now is your turn to spend time in your instrument practicing and enjoying this lesson! Go to: Blues scale ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The blue note in blues scale Blues scale is the pentatonic scale with one more note (added in the scale). This note is known as ―Blue note‖ and it is the flattened fifth in the case of the minor pentatonic, or the flattened third in the case of the major pentatonic. See that the note that was added is the same in both scales; it is just to memorize the Blues minor scale and transmit this note to all the other Greek modes while doing the solo. Check below the shape of A minor Blues scale (highlighting the Blue note in red):

A minor blues scale

Check now the C major Blues scale and notice as the added note is the same (D#):

C major blues scale

Nice, but now some basic questions appear: Where did this scale come from? What is the use of it? The Blues scale is one the first scales that students of improvisation learn and generally it ends as being the only scale that they use besides the major and pentatonic scales. It had its roots in Afro-American music with the slaves and became being really used in Blues, receiving the name of ―Blues scale‖. The term ―Blue note‖ is generally translated into Portuguese as ―out note‖, due to the fact of this note does not belong to natural scale.

How to use Blues scale? The utilization of Blues scale is the same as pentatonic scale. We can use it in any place that we would use the traditional pentatonic scale, just taking care to the fact that the Blue note is a passing note, in other words, it must appear just among other notes and not as a resting note. This is not hard to understand, because the Blue note is a dissonant note to the natural diatonic scale. We should not ―rest‖ in it because this would sound like untune.

Try to do the test. Listen to a song in C tonality and play the D# note. It is strange, isn‘t it? Now play the Blues scale in this song. Did you see that this same D# when played with other notes sounds really nice?! The chromaticism of the blue note is one of the most pleasant among all, this is why this is scale is really widespread. To know how to use it well demands practice, but the progress is fast.

Some tips and examples to practice the blues scale Let‘s give that push in your studies showing some riffs with the Blues scale, whether in the tonal context as in the Blues context. Train these riffs and also create your own riffs. Soon, the Blues scale will be dominated by you. It is worth to practice this scale, because the Blue note gives some special ―taste‖ to any song when well used! Just don‘t be tied to this scale as it was the only one in the world, because it is really common that musicians use it to exhaust their ideas and being tied to nothing more than this. You have to understand that this scale was and goes on being reproduced millions of times from musicians all over the world, in other words, we will not differentiate yourself playing the Blues scale. It is one of the most jaded artifices in music, so don‘t be surprised with the easy produced gratification. Of course this does not mean that you should despise it, not at all. You have to dominate it well, but keep studying other things later. Follow your learning process here in the website and make your mixtures of Blues scale with other scales and resources to create your own ―taste‖. Very well, below you have some examples/exercises from Guitar Pro: Blues scale in the tonal context: tonalbluescale.gpro Observation: The tonality of this solo is the minor (chords Am, F, C and G). Blues

scale

in

Blues

context: bluesscale

(

in

Blues).gpro

Observation: This Blues is in G Practice now your solos using the E Blues scale in this backing track (download the file): Traditional E blues.gpro

To finish, we will show the drawings of the Blues scale in the whole guitar fretboard. The idea is the same as we mentioned before to the pentatonic scale: to dominate the Blues scale in all the fretboard! As you are supposed to be dominating the complete pentatonic scale, this process will be really easy! So, have good studies!

Go to: Module 5 Back to: Simplifying Theory ………………………………………………………………………………….

Module 5

Harmonic Function is a title that represents the feeling (emotion) that certain chord transmits to the listener. This concept will be clearer when we give you examples. First of all, you have to know that the three main harmonic functions are:

Tonic Function Transmits a feeling of rest, stability and finalization. Promotes the idea of conclusion.

Dominant Function Transmits instability and tension feeling. Promotes the idea of preparation for the tonic.

Pre-dominant It is the middle ground between the two previous functions. We can say that it creates a preparation feeling, but with less intensity and may migrate either to the dominant function (intensifying the tension) as to the tonic (resting). To understand better what we are talking about, try to play repeatedly the following chords in the order that they are shown: | G7M | C7M | D7 | Playing slowly this sequence, you can see that the D7 chord transmits a ―preparation‖ feeling to return to G7M. This sound of instability is characterized by the dominant function. When you return to G7M chord there is a ―relief‖, ―solving‖ and stability feeling. This is a characteristic of tonic function. And the C7M chord, in this context, represented a middle ground (without all that ―anguish‖ from D7 chord, but also without that stability from G7M chord). This characterizes a predominant function.

The context that we used here was the harmonic field of G major, where G7M is the first degree, C7M is the fourth degree and D7 is the fifth degree. We can generalize this experiment saying that, in any major harmonic field: the first degree characterizes the tonic function, the fourth degree characterizes the pre-dominant function and the fifth the dominant function. As it was said above that each chord has a harmonic function in music, we will summarize below the functions of each degree in the major harmonic field:

Very well, so the idea that we showed about ―conclusion‖ and ―preparation‖ can not only exist with the degrees I, IV and V, but also with the other degrees, as shown in this table. This is really important! Let‘s start to use this harmonic functions concept from now on to the next topics and levels! Therefore, it is fundamental that you memorize well the function of each degree in major harmonic field, identifying quickly which one is dominant, pre-dominant or tonic. The chords have the same harmonic functions and can be interchanged among each other. This means that we can take the chords for a song and substitute them for others that have the same harmonic function without modifying the feeling of that song! You can see this below, for example, the harmonic field functions in C major:

You can play with a song that is in C major tone exchanging the place of the chords that are in the same row of this table. For example, in the place of the F chord that will appear in the song, you can use Dm. The same happens for the other functions. For testing this concepts, choose songs that you already know and analyzed them from the harmonic functions point of view. You should identify each chord in the song with its respective degree and function, as we listed here. Also try to identify the feeling of that song in this moment. This will be your ―homework‖. You can also try to substitute the chords of the same harmonic function among

them, but for now don‘t worry too much about that. We will work a lot about this harmonic functions subject; this topic is just an introduction. However, you will like to know that harmonic function is the biggest secret of musicians that have a good ear. Knowing well the feeling of each one of these three functions has (tonic, dominant and subdominant), it is easier to identify some chord by ear. The dominant function, for example, (in opinion of many people) is the easiest way to identify.

How can you identify a chord by harmonic funcions? Let‘s say that you are playing with a band a song that you don‘t know, and somebody tells you that the tonality is C major. You are in the back part of the stage and you cannot see the chords that the vocalist is doing in his instrument. Summarizing, you are playing by ear this time. Suddenly you feel that some chord has dominant function (this is easy to recognize with experience and ear training). As you already know that the function is dominant and the tonality is C major, it means that this chord can be the V7 degree or VIIm7(b5). It is more common appears the V7 instead of VIIm7(b5), therefore you would try to play G7 and would have 90% of chances of being right. Even if you made a mistake, you would do that in the same harmonic function, what is tolerable; because the sensation passed through theses chords is the same (the sound wouldn‘t be dissonant). Without knowing the feeling of harmonic functions, this task would be harder, because you should know the sound of each chord individually and if you made a mistake, you would be at risk of playing some chord with another harmonic function, what would be a disaster.

Emotions in harmonic funcions Besides this application, harmonic functions also serve ―to manipulate‖ people‘s emotions. Who does not become distressed with that song typically of thriller movies? So well, they are nothing more than the abuse of these dominant chords, which are ―hammering‖ without solving the tonic. On the other hand, advertisements in television emphasize light and pleasant feelings (tonic function) so that the customer feels comfortable and connects this well being with this product.

Many musicians try to manipulate the harmonic functions according to the lyrics in a song. If the lyrics talks about something bad and worrying, the feeling of the chord is dominant. When the lyrics theme is solved and the song becomes ―happier‖, the harmony follows this evolution with the tonic function. This way, the message is experienced by the listener twice, because the sense of the lyric and the feeling of the song add up together. Good song writers, arrangers and producers use to be experts in this subject. Any study about harmony, improvisation or composition will address intrinsically harmonic functions topic, this is why it is important to dominate from now on this subject. In the improvisation field, it is easy to comprehend that the song is transmitting tension; the solo needs to highlight this tension. If the song is transmitting tranquility, the solo has to highlight this tranquility. A soloist that follows well what the song demands creates really pleasant melodies to our ears, because there is a perfect marriage between melody and harmony. We can compare this to a soccer match, where the right-back (harmony) cross the ball forward to the area and the striker (melody) comes running and head the ball into the net. If the right-back retained the ball, should the striker run to the area and head the wind? In the same way, if the right-back had crossed the ball forward, the striker couldn‘t return to the midfield! Besides obvious, this kind of mistake is really common in improvisation. But take it easy, we will work here so that you play really mingled in this team! Go to: Tritone Back to: Module 5 …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Tritone is the interval of three whole tones between two notes. In other words, when we play simultaneously two notes that have three tones of distance between them, we are playing a tritone. One example of tritone is in the notes F and B.

As said in the article ―Harmonic Function‖, the dominant chord has tension sonority. The responsible for this feeling is exactly the instability of the tritone. The tritone effect provides one of the most complex dissonances in western music. Its sonority gives the idea of movement, instability and when it is not followed by a resting chord, the listener becomes distressed, afflicted, because the tritone should be ―solved‖. This is why many thriller melodies in horror famous movies have just two notes and are successful. It just to put tritones playing intermittently and the viewer will be scared stiff. All the dominant chords has a tritone, because the tritone is the responsible for the ―tension feeling‖ in the dominant function. Let‘s see some V7 chords (fifth degree with dominant seventh) for you to check. See the notes that compose the G7 chord: G, B, D and F. Between B and F we have 3 tones of distance. Other example: See the notes that compose the E7 chord: E, G#, B and D. Between G# and D we have 3 tones of distance. Very well, it is enough to realize that in major chords with seventh there is a tritone between the 3rd and 7th degrees. One thing that is important to highlight is the chromatic effect produced by this tritone. In the case of G7, that solves in C major, the notes B and F are a semitone below and above, respectively, of the tonic and the third of C. In other words, there is a chromatic effect that makes the chord ―walk‖ to C, as it has the necessity of solving on it. Another kind of chord with dominant function is the minor with seventh and flatted fifth (do you remember it? This chord appears in the seventh degree of major harmonic field, known as half diminished chord).

Check the notes of Am7(b5): A, C, D#, G Between A and D# we have 3 tones of distance. Observation: not always the half diminished chord will act like dominant. Depending on the context, it can act like another function (we will see this in other studies).

Tritone – The sound of devil Well, maybe you are asking yourself: ―Why the hell of the title of this section is ‗the sound of devil‘?‖. For a long time, tritone was forbidden in the Western church due to fact of transmitting this tension effect. This dissonance was seen as malignant by the church, because they used to believe that the perfection of God would be translated into harmonic sounds, not in non-harmonics as the tritone. This concept made that in the Middle Age, the tritone received the name of ―diabolus in musica‖ (devil in music), and it was forbidden to be played (threatening composers to go to bonfire). Later, they realized that this definition didn‘t have biblical bases, and the tritone was then allowed. It is common to see some mistakes pseudo-religious trying to distort Bible even today. But let‘s return to the dominants…

Tritone in dominant chords The dominant chord can appear in two ways: as altered dominant or non-altered dominant. It is called altered dominant when the 5th, 9th, 11th or the 13rd are altered, in other words, out from the scale that forms the mixolydian mode. We know that the mixolydian mode is formed by the following degrees: 1st major, 2nd major, 3rd major, perfect 4th, perfect 5th and 7th minor. Therefore, a non-altered dominant chord is the V7 chord that has the notes of the chord (1, 3, 5, 7) and/or any one of the extensions above (major 2nd, perfect 4th or major 6th). If the chord is V7 shows any one of these altered extensions (minor 2nd, diminished 4th, augmented 4th or minor 6th)

or even the augmented 5th or diminished 5th note from the chord, it will be an altered dominant chord. For example, the G7(#5) is an altered dominant chord, because it has an augmented 5th. The G7(b9) chord is also altered because it has a flatted 9th (or the minor 2nd, for those who prefer). And the chord G7(6) is not altered, because it has a major 6th, which is part of natural mixolydian scale. This nomenclature is useful because the dominant chord gives us many resources in improvisation. Altered dominants have an approach quite different from non-altered dominants due to their different sonority structure. In the articles of scales application you will see these differences. A term that is also well used to altered chords it is what we call ―dissonance‖. The meaning of dissonant is what needs to be solved, or something that is also strange to the original tonality. The term ―consonant‖ means exactly the opposite: stability related to the tonic.

Songs with tritones Talking about ambience, songs with heavy tension have many tritones, like the 5th symphony, 1st movement from Beethoven, for example. The Heavy Metal is also a good example of a music style that incorporated the dominant function in its basic harmonies. But the dominants are not restricted to heavy and intense songs; they appear in several places, even in peaceful songs, followed by the tonic solving. Using dominants to do modulation (changing of tonalities) is another extremely common application, what makes this kind of chord one of the most explored in music nowadays, and maybe the most studied. If you want to be a good musician, the dominant (and the tritone) must be part of your vocabulary and repertoire. You are actually taking a big step reading this article. The team of Simplifying Theory is here to show you the way! Go on studying and learning here in our website and you will be a complete musician. Go to: Deceptive resolution Back to: Module 5 ………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Deceptive resolution is when a dominant chord does not solve itself in its tonic. For example, the G7 chord is the fifth degree (V7) of C (dominant of C), therefore our ear waits that it solves itself in C. If, after G7, another chord is played that not C, we would have a deceptive resolution, in other words, it would be a surprise to our ear! We call this resolution ―deceptive‖ because it it‘s like our ear is disappointed with an expectation that is not solved. But, this surprise effect can be interesting and pleasing depending on the context.

Example of deceptive resolution Look below an example of deceptive resolution: VAMOS FUGIR (Gilberto Gil e Liminha) A

E7

F#m

D

E7

F#m

Vamos fugir deste lugar baby vamos fugir, tou cansado de esperar que você me carregue A

E7

F#m

D

E7

F#m

Vamos fugir pro outro lugar baby vamos fugir pronde quer que você vá que você me carregue A

E7

D

A

E7

D

Pois diga que irá Irajá Irajá pra onde eu só veja você você veja mim só Marajó Marajó outro A

E7

D

Lugar comum outro lugar qualquer Guaporé Guaporé… See that the V7 dominant from A chord (E7 chord) has deceptive resolution all the times it appears in this song (we highlighted these resolutions in orange). It is solving in VIm (minor relative) and, in other moments, in the IV degree, wherein this waited resolution would be I degree. Go to: Chord inversions Back to: Module 5

………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Chord inversions technique corresponds to make the most bass note of the chord does not be the first degree. When a chord‘s bass note is its root, the chord is in its root position or in normal form. When the root is not the lowest pitch played in a chord, it is said to be inverted. We already learned how to create triads, tetrads and all the possible extensions about chords. Now we are going to work with a new concept, called inversion.

Kinds of chord inversions Well, you should have seen that the first note or the first degree of the chord (the bass note) is the one which gives the name to the chord. For example, C major is made by C, E and G, where C is the first degree. Inverting the chord is doing that the bass note does not be the first degree, but any other degree that makes the chord. Therefore, we have three possible inversions (related to the notes that make the tetrad): we can put the third, the fifth or the seventh in bass note.

1st inversion The first inversion is to do the third be the lower note from the chord (the bass). In C major, the third note is E. So the first inversion is the chord C with the bass in E. The most common notation to represent inversions is a slash. For Example: C/E (C with bass in E). See below some examples of this chord. The bass note is in red.

2nd inversion

In the second inversion, the lower note is the fifth. In the C chord, the fifth is G. Therefore, the chord C in inversion is C/G. Check below some drawings to this chord:

3rd inversion In the third inversion, the lower note is the seventh degree. This inversion needs a special care when the seventh is major (maj7), because it is located half tone below the tonic (1st degree). This can generates a sound discomfort due to this ―chromaticism‖, because the short distance can gives the idea that we are making a mistake in the bass note playing the tonic a semitone above of which it was supposed to be played. When the seventh is minor, this problem does not exist. See below an example of 3rd inversion to Cmaj7 and C7 (where major 7th is B and minor 7th is Bb):

Observation: There are innumerous different shapes to create inverted chords in the guitar; we showed just some of them to introduce this concept. Try to find other shapes to these chords that we showed and you can also try the inversions to the other chords! Soon we will upload more drawings here. For now, you have as homework to work with this.

Tips to memorize chord inversions

Nice. You should have seen that the inverted chord has a sound lightly different from the original chord, because the bass note is striking. This represents a great opportunity for you to vary the songs‘ sonority. Try to play a song that you know doing all the chords in the first inversion. Besides being a great exercise, this is the best way of memorizing the drawings of these chords. Practice this with lots of songs and quickly the inverted chords will be part of your musical vocabulary. To create (compose) songs, try the inverted chords too, instead of traditional ones only, because some sequences and progressions can be more beautiful and interesting. This acquired knowledge will increase your ideas! In keyboard/piano, working with inverted chords is really common (students learn in the first classes how to do this). In guitar, as it is harder ―to search‖ the inversions and as there are many options of shapes and structures, most of the teachers don‘t teach this, as it would not be an important subject. Since very few people explore this concept given here, musicians that do inverted chords in the guitar call attention. It seems that they are playing ―crazy chords‖, ―incremented‖ ones, because the shape of the inverted chords is different, less usual, and its sonority is enchanting. If you want, then, feel the eyes of you audience playing just triads and tetrads, here it is a simple resource. In the future topics, the advanced ones, we will use chord inversions to work with melodic lines with the bass. For now, try to be used to them, using them always when it is possible. Go to: Modulation Back to : Module 5 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Modulation means changing tonality. In other words, it is the process, or operation, of moving a collection of notes (pitches or pitch classes) up or down in pitch by a constant interval. Just to remember, we already know how to discover the tonality of a song. It is just to see its chords, because they show us which is the harmonic field in question and, therefore, they inform which scale we can use to improvise or do arrangements.

But many songs have more than one tonality, in other words, they change from one harmonic field to another. For example, let‘s say that a song has the chords C, Em, F, G and Am. We could say that the tonality is C major. Imagine now that in the chorus the chords Bb, Gm and Dm appear. These chords belong to F major harmonic field, and not C major. In the chorus, the tonality of this song changed, so we can say that a ―modulation‖ happened in this part. In the point of view of improvisation, we would use F major scale in the chorus, due to the fact that tonality there is F major.

Modulation and Transposition Modulation can be short, which means that they last for a short time and then return to their original tonality; or they can stand for a long time, changing definitely the song‘s tonality. When the song modulates and does not return to its initial tonality, we say that a transposition happened. This definition, though, it‘s not universal; many musicians call any modulation by transposition and viceversa. The main point is to understand that actually, modulation and transposition are the same thing: changing tonality. There are many ways of doing modulation, and we will study this in advanced topics. Our target here is just to give you an introduction about the concept, because we will mention this word many times from now on. As you saw, there is no mystery. Along our studies you will learn many resources and different ways of exploring this subject. To dominate styles that are more complicated like Jazz and Bossanova, this knowledge will be fundamental. Even if you want to play only basic songs (that normally doesn‘t have modulation) this study is interesting. Knowledge is never too much, and when it comes in an easy way, it is better! Einstein said: ―The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size‖. After a while studying here in the website, probably you will be able to listen and realize things that you couldn‘t see before. This will increase your perception and your musical pleasure, undoubtedly. Go to: Target notes Back to: Module 5 ……………………………………………………………………………………….

The importance of Target Notes in improvisation We call Target Notes those notes that are our main goal in a solo. To make it clearer, let‘s talk about ―good solos‖ and improvisation. You already know the basic to improvise in sequence of chords and you are able to know the tonality of a song, use the major, minor, relative and pentatonic scales. Very well, but it is not always that we have a good solo, do you agree?! Even phrasing and exploring many techniques, sometimes some notes do not sound good, even though belonging to the same harmonic field of the song. The explanation for this is simple; we cannot restrict ourselves in thinking only in harmonic field. We need to think in chords too! You should agree that a solo works in harmony, and a harmony is made by chords. Even if the harmonic field doesn‘t change during the song, each note of the scale will sound differently (it will have a different impact) when played in each chord of this harmonic field. So we need to know which notes are more beautiful for each chord! Follow this logic: a chord is a group of notes. So, doing a solo in a chord, we should play in our solo the notes that belong to this chord. For example, if the song had the chords C, Em, F and G, we could think in playing the following notes: 

C, E, G for C major



E, B, G for E minor



G, B, D for G major



F, C, E for F major These are the tetrads (chord‘s notes) of each chord of the song. Observation: If these chords also had the seventh (tetrads), we could add the seventh degree as a note to be played. It would be impossible to sound ―ugly‖ what we did now, do you agree? Because it would be the own arpeggio of each chord! So well, the secret is this: a solo will always be good if we focus our attention in the chord‘s notes during the whole song. And then you could say: ―Hey, so do you want to say that I have to do arpeggios all the time? Can I only play 3 or 4 notes by chord?‖.

No my friend, and it is here that this subject of Target Notes enters! As the notes of the chord are the notes that sound very well, they are the Target Notes. In other words, we will do our solo with our goal in these notes (this is why the name: target). How will we do this? There are many ways. Pay attention in the song‘s tonality and try to emphasize the chord‘s notes in some way, doing that they really appear in the solo. We will show some ideas for you to work with this; some exercises that can be put in practice. We will see some ways of exploring this concept of Target Notes.

Kinds of target notes Very well, we can arrive in these target notes by many ways, and the most common ones are for approximation: 1) Diatonic Ascending 2) Descending Diatonic 3) Mixed 4) Chromatic 5) Joint Degrees 6) Disjoint Degrees You don‘t need to memorize all the names; it is just to understand the idea in each one. We will show each technique in a song made by the chords C, Em, F and G (C major tonality). So let‘s go:

Diatonic Ascending Approximation The name ―diatonic‖ means that we will work with the notes of natural scale. It works like this: we will try to play the notes of the scale that is located just before the chord‘s note and then we play the chord‘s note. For example, in Em chord, the target notes are E, G and B. Which are the notes that

come before of each one of these notes? D comes before E, F comes before G and A comes before B. So, one option to our solo could be the following: F – G, D – E, A – B. The logic is exactly this: ―to finish‖ each stretch with a chord‘s note. We can play with the order of the notes as we want (D – E, A – B, F – G, etc.), it‘s not mandatory to follow the order 1st, 3rd and 5th degrees in sequence. See below this application for chords of our song (the chord‘s notes are highlighted in red): C

Em

F

G

Descending Diatonic approximation It works the same way that we did before with the difference that now we play the note that comes after the chord‘s note and then return (descending) and play the chord‘s note. Using the same example of Em, the sequence would be: F – E, A – G, C – B. Notice that F, A and C are the notes that come after E, G, and B, respectively. You can see below the application of the other chords: C

Em

F

G

Mixed Approximation It works by mixing the two previous approximations. Use your creativity! We can, for example, in the Em chord arrive in E by ascending, then arrive in G by descending, etc. Or even, we can play both notes that come after and before the chord‘s note before finishing in the chord‘s note. We will give examples below. About the C chord, we will show the mixed approximation ascending with the next note descending; and about the Em chord, we will show the mixed approximation descending with the next note ascending; and for the chords F and G, we will show the mixed approximation with everything in an aleatory way. C

Em

F

G

Chromatic Approximation The idea here is the same that we had for Diatonic Approximations; the only difference is that instead of playing the note that comes after or before in the major scale, we will play the notes that are a semitone before or after the chord‘s note, in other words, the notes of the chromatic scale. Although they are notes that don‘t belong to harmonic field of the song, they will serve as passing notes, because the chromatic effect makes our ear ―to accept‖ this reproduction. We will create a specific topic to give you more examples about this subject, because it can be well explored and used. Here we are just explaining and introducing the idea. In the case of Em, the sequence would be (in an ascending approximation): D# – E, F – G, A# – B. Below you have some applications to the other chords: C

Em

F

G

Joint Degrees Approximation To work with Joint Degrees is to use the same concept of ascending and descending approximation to do longer sequences before arriving in the target note. For example, we can arrive in G by ascending conjunct approximation. For this, instead of playing only F – G, we can come from C doing that: C – D, D – E, E – F, F – G. This work as for ascending approximation, as for descending, mixed and chromatic ones. Examples: C

F

Em

G

Disjoint Degrees Approximation Disjoint Degrees are notes that are not immediate one another, in other words, they have a bigger distance. For example, we can approach to E playing ―C – E‖ instead of ―D – E‖. In this case, we use not the immediate note to the chord‘s note, but the second previous note. Examples:

Nice, you can see that we have innumerous combinations and possibilities to explore the target notes! Your solo does not need to be a sequence exactly like these we showed; the ideal is that you pay attention in the chords and indentify which are the target notes, trying to emphasize them in your solo. These exercises are good for you to practice this idea and can be used as fragments in melodic phrases that you have created. It can seem boring to have to know/memorize all the chord‘s notes from all the possible chords. But it is not really hard. In the strings instruments, you need to focus your attention in the drawings and shapes. For example, the F in bar chord has the same shape of G in bar chord, etc. This means that if

you know how to find the notes from F chord, automatically you know how to find the ones from G, because the drawing is the same. Then, our work is absurdly reduced, it is just to find the target notes of 3 or 4 different shapes and you will be able to work target notes in any chord in any song. So, focus yourself in it! Furthermore, this study of target note is important because we start to exercise a concept of improvisation that will be well worked forward: improvisation thinking in chords! Until here, we have talked about improvisation thinking only in harmonic field. Advanced studies work with improvisation from the point of view of each chord, taking advantage in the opportunity of using many outside notes in each situation. It is this that will differentiate you from the 99.9% musicians of the planet who only know how to play pentatonic and major scales. It is incredible how you can find tutorials and classes just about technique, technique and technique. Everybody only cares about playing fast, and those who already understood that speed is not everything, try to create good and melodic solos using only technical resources, due the fact that they don‘t know nothing about theory. Everybody forgets that a good sonority depends on the notes that you are playing! The musician that knows about musical theory will always be a step forward. To achieve this level of thinking in chords and not being restricted in harmonic field, starts now, paying attention in each chord of the song. We are just starting our studies in this subject, starting with target notes, but it is a great start. This will add beauty to your solos. Get the hint! Go to: Module 6 Back to: Simplifying Theory ………………………………………………………………………………………

Module 6

We will show here a tool to increase even more your solo, it is the Octave Displacement (or octave dispersion). The idea is really simple: to have fun with octaves. The interesting is that even working only with tonalnotes (without outside notes), it is possible to have a differentiate sonority! This study will help you to make a solo in a way less linear and more ―easy-going‖. Before working one more technique, try to play all the examples below. Here we are only playing each note from the C7M chord with its respectively octave, what is already good:

Octave Displacement in music scales Now we will do this: we will play a note from C major scale and the next note from the scale will be played one octave above, and so on consecutively. After that, in the next bar line, we will do the opposite: we will start with an acute note and we will work with the next note one octave below. Check it:

Arpeggios with Octave Displacement In the next example, we will work this concept in arpeggio of Em7:

You can increase these ideas to the other scales too. Try it! Soon we will be adding more ideas and implementations in solos. You can also send us your own ideas. Have a nice training! Go to: Chromatic approach notes Back to: Module 6 …………………………………………………………………………………………………. Chromatic approach notes is a complement to the study we did about target notes. We would like to highlight that target notes by approximation bring many outside notes to your solo, in other words, you will be adding in your solo notes that don‘t belong to the tonality. This resource when dominated gives an impression that the musician knows a lot about music theory, because its sonority brings innumerous alternative notes in each chord. You already know this secret. If this concept is quite obscure yet, read again the article ―Target Notes‖. We will show below some examples of C chord that use this chromatic approach, where the chord‘s notes are highlighted in red. Choose those that please you and use them in your solos!

Ascending Chromatic Approximation

Descending Chromatic Approximation

Ideas of Chromatic Approach Notes in Em7 chord

Go to: Chord progressions Back to: Module 6 ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Chord progressions are sequences that are characteristically from chords that generate a harmonic feeling of preparation and conclusion. There are innumerous sequences from possible chords to create a song, but some sequences are really common to appear due to their sound effect and because of it, they are called progressions (or cadences). A really common progression, as we saw in the article ―Harmonic Function‖, it is the progression IV – V – I.

Chord progressions and harmonic functions Progressions serve like a standard (cliché), something that can be used in many contexts, with the aim of creating a harmonic feeling. This is why progressions work with harmonic functions. If you consider, for example, the degrees sequence II, V and I. We already saw that the 2nd degree has a subdominant function, the 5th degree has a dominant function and the 1st degree is the tonic. We can see that this sequence creates the exactly idea of suspending/preparing/concluding. When the tonic is a major chord, this cadence (using tetrads) normally has the following shape: IIm7 – V7 – I7M Example in the harmonic field of C: Dm7 – G7 – C7M If you still have troubles in making association with degrees (I, II, III, etc.) with their respective harmonic functions, it is better that you return and study again this topic (Harmonic Functions) calmly, making notes, playing in your instrument; till you memorize well this part. This is really important and has to be automatic in your mind. You should see the chords of a harmonic field as they would have a surname, which is the harmonic function. From now on we will talk a lot about functions and their degrees. So if you didn‘t understand the essence of this, you will have problems. It is better to take a step back and then after, a step forward. And you will have progress. Otherwise, you can think this topic is too heavy and give up. But don‘t make this mistake; we are going to the most interesting and powerful points of music! It is worth to invest in it and progress slowly!!

Minor chord progressions So, for those who didn‘t understand the previous example, we can also create the following idea suspending/preparing/concluding when the tonic is a minor chord. In this case, the cadence has the following shape: IIm7(b5) – V7(b9) – Im7 Example of the tonality in C minor: Dm7(b5) – G7(b9) – Cm7 These shapes didn‘t come by accident, therefore these chords (in both examples we showed) belong to major and minor harmonic fields of C, respectively. Check it (in red):

The only ―different‖ chord that we showed and didn‘t appear in the table was the dominant in progression II – V – I to minor chord, because in the minor harmonic field it has as shape Vm7 (Gm7) and in our example, it appeared as G7(b9). The explanation is that this shape (Vm7) doesn‘t have tritone (which characterizes the ―tension‖ of dominant function), this is why we changed it in a major chord with seventh (G7). Besides that, we added a flatted ninth (G7b9), because this b9 of G (Ab, in this case) it is the sixth minor of C, which is present in C minor scale (in major scale, the sixth is major!). This softened slightly the fact that G7 is major and does not belong to the field of C as we said. Nice, but there is another common cadence shape to minor chords: IIm7(b5) – V7(#5) – Im7(9) Example in C tonic: Dm7(b5) – G7(#5) – Cm7(9)

The difference here in relation to the previous shape was putting a 9th as tonic. This changing made the dominant changed too (it received an augmented 5th), because this enabled an interesting chromaticism between D# and D notes (augmented 5th of G and 9th major of C). This is why this shape is well used and accepted too. Ok. We finished the first part of this study showing all the typical chord progressions that appear in songs. In the second part of this topic (how to use chord progressions), we will talk about how they can be useful for many purposes. Go to: How to use chord progressions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

So far you already know about chord progressions and the typical cadence shapes II – V – I, we will continue our approach showing how to use chord progressions. Besides being pleasant to our ears in any context, progressions can be used to make changes in tonality (modulation). So that changing doesn‘t be abrupt and ―painful‖ to our ear, normally we use progression.

Example of how to use chord progressions Imagine that the song is in A major and, for some reason, you want to change the tonality to E major in the chorus. The automatic way of doing this would be by start playing E major harmonic field in the chorus, what would be shocking to the listener and probably negative. Another way it would be doing the cadence II – V – I to E major. We would use, therefore, the chord F#m7 to serve as IIm7 of E. To complete the cadence II, V, I; we would play, after F#m7, the fifth degree of E, which is B7, for then solve it in E7M. Notice that the sequence F#m7, B7, E7M is a cadence II – V – I.

The interesting about this is that F#m7 chord belongs to A major harmonic field (it is the VI degree). Besides also belonging to E major harmonic field (II degree) this made this changing of tonality became softer. We were in A major, and the first chord of the cadence II, V, I of E still belonging to A harmonic field (until here, the listener didn‘t know that tonality would change). The chord B7 is no longer part of A major harmonic field, therefore, here now the listener sees the change. But despite the fact that this chord doesn‘t belong to A field, appearing in the song is not really abrupt due the fact that F#m7 precedes it. Our ear accepts well the cadence II, V, I because of its feeling. This is why our brain adapts itself to the logic, projecting a progression II, V, I to E instead of rejecting B7 for not belonging to A field. When we play E7M, this chord is nothing more than a progression already waited, and it is not a chord out from the context anymore. Besides this explanation, a cadence can be useful to embody the harmony. Think about the song below, that has only for chords and repeats them continuously: | Dm7(9) | Gm7 | C7M | A7(#5) | The song returns to Dm7(9) after A7(#5). We have here a ―dominant – tonic‖ (V – I) function. We can use the last bar line to insert a chord that serves as IIm7 to complete the cadence II, V, I. The second degree of D is E, and we will use Em7(b5), because the sequence IIm7(b5), V7(#5) solves well in a minor chord, as we saw before. So, we have: | Dm7(9) | Gm7 | C7M | Em7(b5) A7(#5) | We can work more with this harmony. Notice that we have another cadence II, V, I happening: Dm7, Gm7, Cm7. But, the fifth degree here is minor instead of major (V7). We can, then, change it in a major chord with seventh (G7) to characterizes better this cadence II – V – I that is solving in a major chord (C7M) Now we have II, V, I typically of a resolution in a major chord, observes it: | Dm7(9) | G7 | C7M | Em7(b5) A7(#5) | This work that we did is known as Reharmonization, because we touched in the song‘s harmony. We will talk more about this in other topics, but is good for now that you have in mind that you will see many chord progressions inserted in this context.

In the next topic, we will continue this subject differentiating the existent kinds of cadence. You will see that not all of them have this key idea of suspending/preparing/concluding. Go to: Kinds of cadences Back to: Module 6 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Now that we introduced the concept of cadence, we will go on in our learning dividing cadences in 5 different kinds: Perfect, Imperfect, Plagal, Deceptive and Half Cadences. Each one of them has some peculiar characteristic and deserves to be analyzed apart. The most important here about this study is not memorize all the names involved in this theme, but observing the possible feelings that you can feel! We will do our study in D major harmonic field. The symbol:

will be used to represent the idea of harmonic conclusion (finalization). So, let‘s go:

Perfect Cadence The perfect cadence is created by the sequence ―V – I‖ (Dominant – Tonic), therefore it is the strongest one. When it is preceded by a subdominant (II or IV degree), it is also called by authentic cadence. Examples:

Imperfect Cadence The imperfect cadence is created by the sequence ―V – I‖ (Dominant – Tonic), but here one or both chords appear inverted, what weakens the feeling of progression. Examples:

1st tonic inversion

1st dominant inversion

1st tonic and dominant inversions

Cadence is also called imperfect when the dominant is the VII degree instead of V degree. Example:

Plagal Cadence Plagal cadence is when a subdominant chord solves directly in the tonic, without passing through the dominant. It can be a sequence II – I or IV – I. Examples:

This kind of cadence can also appear with one or all the chords inverted. Example:

Deceptive Cadence Deceptive cadence is when a deceptive resolution happens, in other words, the dominant is followed by any chord which not the tonic. This cadence has the ―surprise effect‖ and not the conclusive. Examples:

A deceptive cadence can also be solved in a chord that doesn‘t belong to the original harmonic field, what characterizes a changing of tonality (modulation). Some authors call this progression of Interrupted Cadence. Example:

Half Cadence

It is when the song (or part of it) rests in some dominant chord, in other words, the dominant doesn‘t solve in any chord, leaving the cadence ―empty‖. Examples:

Very well, we finished our study about cadences. From now on you will hear a lot about them, but don‘t worry about it, we will not be tied to associated nomenclatures to each cadence but to their effects, explaining each case in details; because music must be taught as music and not as a boring report about norms. Go to: Circle of fifths Back to: Module 6 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… The Circle of Fifths it is nothing more than a sequence with distance intervals of perfect fifths. For example, the sequence: C – G – D – A – E – B is made by intervals of perfect fifths, therefore, it is part of a circle of fifths. You can see as B is the fifth above E which is the fifth above A and so on. Nice, but what is the use of it?

How to use the circle of fifths Some students learn the circle of fifths to analyze the accidentals in major scales. Check it: 

The C major scale doesn‘t have any accident (any note has sharps or flats).



The G is one fifth above C, and the G scale has one accident, the note F#.



The D is one fifth above G, and the G scale has two accidents, F# and C# notes. The main point is: in each fifth we will have one more accident in the next scale. This is useful mainly for keyboard and piano players, because each major scale has a different drawing, and the number of accidents will say how many black keys the scale will have. You can see below a table with the accidents in each major scale:

Ok, but this is not the only use of circle of fifths. It is interesting to observe that the V7 dominant chordscan be ―stacked‖ one after other, creating a sequence of resolution grounded in fifths. When this happens, these dominants receive the name ―Extended Dominants‖.

Circle of fifths forming extended dominants Look at this example: | A7 | D7 | G7 | C | You can see that in this sequence, A7 was solved in its tonic (D), even though this D didn‘t have tonic function, but a dominant function (D7), solving in G. In the same way, G7 didn‘t work as tonic, bus as dominant solved in C. Therefore, we had a sequence of Extended Dominants; and looking from left to right, the fifth degree of C is G, the fifth degree of G is D and so on. In other words, we make a circle of fifths.

Pentatonic scale and the circle of fifths Not everyone knows, but the pentatonic scale comes from a circle of fifths! See the sequence C – G – D – A – E (circle of fifths starting in C). Now compare with the notes of the pentatonic scale of C major: C, D, E, G and A.

As we can see, when we take the first five notes of a circle of fifths, we are creating a pentatonic scale.

Circle of fourths Very well, till now we only talked about circle of fifths; but what about the Circle of Fourths? It is nothing more than a circle of fifths seen in the opposite way. See the previous sequence: C – G – D – A – E. This sequence if saw from the left to the right has the intervals of fourth. In other words, the circle of fifths is the inversion of the circle of fourths and vice-versa. Ok, let‘s finish than this topic drawing the complete circle of fifths. We will make a circle and will put in it all the 12 notes spaced by intervals of fifth:

Notice that, in clockwise sense, we have the circle of fifths, and in the counterclockwise sense, we have the circle of fourths. Go to: Module 7 Back to: Simplifying Theory …………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Module 7

Secondary Dominant is any chord that has dominant function in any other chord that not the tonic in the song. For example, in C major tonality, the dominant chord is G7. If, in this tonality, A7 appears, these chords would be a ―secondary dominant‖, because it is a dominant that solves in D, not in C (our tonic, in this case). Pay attention that secondary dominants are not part of the natural harmonic field. They are auxiliary chords, and they serve only to ―prepare‖ a cadence for another degree of harmonic field. Several times, secondary dominants are used to anticipate the natural dominant in the song. For example, in the previous case, the natural dominant was G7, so we can play before itself another dominant that prepares our way to G.

Example of secondary dominants The dominant of G is D7. Thus we would have the sequence | D7 | G7 | C |, where D7 is the secondary dominant. This dominant is also called ―Dominant of the dominant‖, since it serves as dominant to another dominant. In terms of nomenclature, normally we use the notation V7/V7 or V7/V to highlight that this is about a secondary dominant to another dominant (for fifth degree). If it was, for example, secondary dominant that would prepare to the fourth degree, we would write V7/IV.

How to use secondary dominants Very well, the concept of secondary dominants is clear. Now we will show the implications that this concept can have.

As V7 dominant is always a fifth above the chord that it will solve, we can ―play‖ with successive circle of fifths. In the previous case, we played D7 before G7, but we could also play A7 before D7 and E7 before A7, creating the following sequence: | E7 | A7 | D7 | G7 | C | This sequence is a preparation after another one, which was solved in the end in C. First, E7 prepared to A, but A was with seventh, preparing to D, and then successively till finishing in C. This kind of progression is really used in Jazz. As we saw, it is about ―extended dominants‖, because they form a cycle of fifths (or fourth, depending on which side you are looking). The concept is simple, they are just dominants. We can improvise in them using the mixolydian mode of each dominant, or all the other approaches that we will study (in future topics). Of course that this improvisation is not always easy, because these passages can be really fast, what make our solo hard. This is why is really important to train a lot in this theme, because secondary dominants appear a lot in styles that are rich harmonically (like Jazz, Fusion, Bossanova, MPB, etc.). When we will analyze complete songs here in the website, you can be sure that secondary dominants will appear a lot! Go to: Extended chord Back to: Module 7 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. Extended chords are chords that have extended or added notes beyond the seventh. These extended notes are all the other notes that form a chord, besides the ―chord notes‖. Remember that the chord notes are those which form the triad and tetrad of a chord. Let‘s take as example Cmaj7 chord. It is formed by C, E, G and B notes, which correspond to first degrees 1, 3, 5 and 7. This is the tetrad of this chord, in other words, the notes C, E, G and B are called ―chord notes‖ of Cmaj7. If we add any other note to this chord, for example, the ninth, the chord would be: C7M(9). In this case, the ninth would be called as ―extension note‖.

All the notes that are not 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th degrees will be called extension notes. Notice that there are only 3 degrees of possible extensions (fourth, sixth and ninth). Observation: ninth is equivalent to the second degree. Until now, we used the tetrad only to create a harmonic field (we talked about Cmaj7, Dm7, etc). So, to finish this subject, it is time to analyze the notes that are missing (4 th, 6th and 9th).

How to create extended chords Our study will be showing which of these notes can be used by each chord in major harmonic field. In other words, to a song that is in C major, for example, can we play Dm6 chord? And the FM7(9) chord? These questions will be answered. This will help you when composing or reharmonizing songs, because you will know which extensions can be used in each chord and which ones must be avoided. The reasons to avoid some extensions are: 

Undesirable chromatic effect



Harmonic function mischaracterization We will explain in details what each one of them is. Let‘s use as example C major harmonic field. Remember that this concept works for all other notes. The C major harmonic field is: I C7M

II

III

IV

V

VI

Dm7

Em7

FM7

G7

Am7

VII Bm7(b5)

When we talk about notes to be avoided, remember that we are talking about notes that belong to C major scale, because the harmonic field is C major. This is important to highlight, for example, the Fmaj7 scale (in this harmonic field of C) is F Lydian, not F major. So, for this chord, we will use the Lydian scale. Don‘t be scary when you see an augmented fourth, for example, analyzing if it must or not be used in this case. We are analyzing only the notes of C major scale, and these notes, when the chord is not C, receive a different reference in the point of view of degrees; this is why you will see diminished fourth, augmented fourth, etc. Think in the greek modes. The drawing of the

major scale will be used only to Cmaj7; the other chords will have their scales according to its respective Greek mode. I suggest that you have in hand the scales of Greek modes to make your study easier in this topic.

Cmaj7 Extensions We will begin analyzing the first chord (Cmaj7). See bellow the C major scale and all the possible extensions (fourth, sixth and ninth):

The notes are, respectively, F, A and D. Let‘s see how the chord Cmaj7 is for each one of these extensions: With fourth: Cmaj7(4)

With sixth: Cmaj7(13)

With ninth: Cmaj7(9)

The question is: Can we use all the extensions in C major harmonic field? Answer: All the extensions can be used, except the fourth degree. In other words, we cannot play C4 or C7M(4). Reason: the fourth degree to this chord is the note F. Ok until here, because this note belongs to C major scale (so, in theory it could be used). But, it is one semitone of distance from E, which is a chord note (the third) of C7M. What is the problem of that? Well, if we put F with the chord C7M, creating a C7M(4), we would be playing simultaneously two notes that are distant by a semitone (E and F), and this would sound really unpleasant. Take your instrument and play simultaneously two notes that are separated by one semitone only. Can you see how this is bad? This is happening because we have a chromatic approximation. You will learn, in our study of ―SubV7‖ that this approximation serves to prepare the way where we want to go. For example, let‘s say that a bass player is playing the G note, in a harmonic field of C, because the chord of the moment is G, and the next chord of the song is A minor. Before playing A, the bass player could play flatted A to then play A. This effect of chromatic approximation sounds very good, because it seems that we are rising one scale (G, G#, A), where the next degree is already indicated (when we play flatted A, immediately we wait that the next note be an A). For this, playing flatted A

with A (both notes in the same time) brings some confusion. The impression is that we are in conflict, because both notes are really close and they should be played in sequence, not in the same time. The confusion emerges from the doubt in our brain: ―Do we want rest flatted A in A?‖, because the chromatic sequence could be Ab – A or A – Ab. In the first case, Ab would be a passing note to rest in A (ascending cadence), and in the second case, A would be a passing note to rest in Ab (descending cadence). With this in mind, you should try to avoid playing any chord that has two notes with a distance of a semitone. Maybe you are thinking: ―But then I could never play any chord with forth, because the forth always is a semitone of distance from the third degree (which is a chord note)‖. This reasoning makes sense and it‘s true. But there is a solution: we can take away the third degree from the chord! This way there will be no conflict. As, in this case, it wouldn‘t exist third degree anymore, the chord becomes suspended. Moral of the story: the chords with 4th use to be suspended. This is why you will see Asus4, etc. The chords with fourth will have ―sus‖ indicating that the third degree was suppressed from the chord.

Dm7 Extensions Continuing our study about extended notes, let‘s analyze our next chord of major harmonic field of C (Dm7). This chord doesn‘t have any degree to be avoided, so you don‘t need to worry about its extensions. You can use anyone. You can see bellow the possibilities. The scale is D Dorian. With fourth: Dm7(4)

With sixth: Dm7(13)

With ninth: Dm7(9)

Em7 Extensions Our next chord is Em7. See the scale (E Phrygian) and the extended notes: With fourth: Em7(4)

With Sixth: Em7(b6) = Em7(#5)

With ninth: Em7(b9)

For this chord, we have to avoid the minor ninth degree (b9) and the minor sixth degree (b6 or #5). The degree b9 must be avoided because it is one semitone of distance from the first degree, giving that undesirable chromatic effect that we talked about before. And the sixth b6 must be avoided because it mischaracterizes Em7 chord. The chord Em7(b13) or Em7(b6) is identical to C7M(9) chord. Compare them: 

Em7(b13) notes: E, G, B, D, C



C7M(9) notes: C, E, G, B, D Conclusion: IIIm7(b6) in the major harmonic field is equivalent to Imaj7(9). What is the problem in it? The only problem is that we would lose our objective, which is playing the chord E, because it would be sounding like C! This can imply in many consequences, for example, if we wish to use E minor to do a modulation to D major, through a cadence II, V, I (Em7, A7, D7M), this idea would be impaired, because our E minor is sounding like C major, that doesn‘t belong to D harmonic field. The progression Cmaj7 – A7 – Dmaj7 is not a chord progression with the format II – V – I. This kind of mischaracterization suggests that we avoid b6, so, in the chord of third degree.

The next chords of our analysis (F7M and G7), that corresponds to IV and V degrees, don‘t have notes to be avoided. We will show bellow some examples of common chords that appear in C major context to these degrees: 

IV: F7M, F7M 9, F7M #11, F7M9 #11, F6, F6add9, F6 add9 #11



V: G7,G7 9,G7 13,G7 9 13, G7 11,Gsus4, Gsus13 Feel free to play with these options! The sixth degree of our harmonic field, Am7, has a note to be avoided (b13). Reason: It makes Am7 sound like Fmaj7(9). Compare them:



Am7(b13) notes: A, C, E, G, F



Fmaj7(9) notes: F, A, C, E, G The seventh and the last degree Bm7(b5) has two notes to be avoided: b9 an b13. The note b9 must be avoided because it is one semitone of distance from the first degree, as we already saw. The note b13 must be avoided because the chord Bm7(b5) is identical to G7(9), compare them:



Bm7(b5) notes: B, D, F, G, A



G7(9) notes: G, A, B, D, F Now that we finished this study, let‘s make a summary of the notes to be avoided in each degree:

Very well, all other extended notes are available for you to have fun! We advise you to take songs that are rich harmonically to observe the extended notes used in them. It is the best way of learning. Feel the effects of each extension and abuse of the possibilities! Observation: We worked all the time in major harmonic field, but the same logic works for the minor harmonic field. We chose to not showing them to not be boring. If you want to analyze a minor harmonic field, try taking the major relative field to check the notes and observe which extend chords you must avoid. For example, if you want to analyze the notes you must avoid in B minor harmonic field, think in D major harmonic field (its relative) to check if all the note/degrees that you found are correct. Go to: Suspended Chords Back to: Module 7 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. We already learned that a suspended chord is the one which doesn‘t have third, in other words, it cannot be classified as major or minor. Another thing is that a chord with fourth (extension note) use to appear as 4sus, because the fourth replaces the third. But we didn‘t talk about the application of this kind of chord yet, because a theory base for this was needed. Now that we are in advanced levels, we will see the most common cases where these chords appear.

How to use suspended chords in practice We will begin with a common shape of suspended chord: V7sus4. This kind of chord, known as dominant with a suspended fourth, generally appears replacing IIm7. Observe it in the example bellow: II

V

I

| Dm7 | G7 | C7M | In this progression, we could put the chord G7sus4 in place of Dm7, and then we would have: | G7sus4 | G7 | C7M | Let‘s understand the reason of it: 

G7sus4 notes: G, C, D, F



Dm7 notes: D, F, A, C You can see that these two chords have three notes in common: C, D and F. As they are really similar, one can do the function of the other. This happens mainly by the fact that the tritone of G7 has disappeared when we took away the third (it was made by the notes F and B, but now we took B away); therefore, G7 mischaracterized its function of dominant being suspended (G7sus). Besides that, it‘s interesting to observe that B doesn‘t belong to Dm7, so taking it away allowed a similarity even bigger among these chords. Very well, so it is explained: G7sus4 doesn‘t have any triton and has several notes in common with Dm7. We can think in using it as IIm7 when the intention is to keep the bass static in a cadence II – V. If the resolution chord was C minor instead of C major in the previous example, we would need to add one more extension. You can see the reason bellow, that is a common cadence (already studied) to be solved in minor chords: II

V

I

| Dm7(b5) | G7(b9) | Cm | As the tonality here is C minor, the second cadential has the flatted fifth (Ab, in this case). Therefore, the chord that will replace this Dm7(b5) also needs to have Ab (the G7sus4 used before doesn‘t have this note). In the case of G, this ―Ab‖ is the flatted ninth. Then, we need to add this extension, creating the chord G7sus4(9b). Look how this replacement became:

| G7sus4(9b) | G7(b9) | Cm | Nice, this was a possible application to this suspended chord (replacing the second degree in a cadence II – V – I).

Suspended chord replacing the relative minor Another really common application to suspended chord is in the harmonic field of sixth degree. In this context, the sixth degree is the relative minor. When we suspend the relative minor, we feel an interesting impact, because the feeling of ―minor chord‖ is really necessary in this chord, because this is the shape that it has a lot of affinity with the main tonic (I degree). This ―impact‖ of suspending it, is normally explored when we want to keep the song without rest, giving an idea of ―continuation‖. For example, see the sequence bellow, which is in E major tonality: IV V

VI

| A | B | C#m | In this case, B is the fifth degree (dominant) of this tonality. After it, it is being played a resolution chord (VI degree, relative minor, tonic function). Leaving C#m suspended, we wouldn‘t have this ―rest‖ anymore, check it: | A | B | C#sus4 | Generally, when we add the fourth in this case, we use to play, shortly thereafter, the chord C# (in other words, VI major chord), due to the chromatic effect created by the perfect fourth followed by a third major. This C# could enter in this harmony serving as fifth degree to F#m, for example: | A | B | C#sus4 C# | F#m | Listen to the file bellow and observe the feeling that it produces: File: suspendedchord.gpro

In this file from Guitar Pro, we put the sequence | A | B | C#m | first, for you to feel ―the taste‖ of natural cadence (with resolution in the relative minor). After that we replaced C#m for C#sus4, followed by C#. We go on with this sequence with F#m and we finished with E/G# (inverted tonic). We chose to put the bass in G# in this ending because the song could return to A, and then we would have the chromatic effect in the bass (G# | A). There are other possible applications to suspended chords, but basically they summarize themselves to these principles of changing the feeling of a major chord. When a major chord is suspended, the impact is not really strong, passing almost unnoticed in the point of view of ―harmonic feeling‖. This is why, when you feel this feeling of ―suspension‖ in a song, try to identify quickly which minor chord is having this change. Generally it will be IIm7 or the relative minor, as we saw now, but it could be another one. Be attentive! Go to: Disguised Chords Back to: Module 7 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Disguised chord is like a police officer in plain clothes (nobody expects that he is who he really is). This kind of chord normally is a chord inversion that, by its structure, doesn‘t let clear by the first sight its harmonic function in the song. See the following example: | F7M | Gm6 | A7(b9) | Dm7 | In this case, Gm6 is disguised as Em7(b5). Notice that these two chords have the same notes: 

Gm6 notes: G, Bb, D, E



Em7(b5) notes: E, G, Bb, D By the previous progression, Gm6 was appearing to be the 2nd degree of F, when actually it was the 2nd degree of D (IIm7). It is interesting to highlight that, in this case, we had an imperfect cadence.

Using disguised chords to do non usual cadences

Disguised chords are interesting when you wish to do a non usual cadence. You can try to play with chord inversions in many contexts creating cadences that don‘t indicate to the listener the real intention of the movement. Go to: Tone vs Tonality Back to: Module 7 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

What is the difference between tone and tonality? Actually, tone and tonality are different things. Here are their definitions:

Tonality Is a specific system of sounds (scales). There are the major, natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor tonalities. When we say the word ―tonality‖, we are relating to one of these systems, which are scales associated to harmonic fields.

Tone Is a note where we perform the tonality. As there are many different notes, we can have the same tonality in different tones; or we can have the same tone in different tonalities. See the examples bellow (notice that ―harmonic field‖ is a joint of tone with tonality):

In practice, though, these two definitions are mixed. Nobody says: ―C tone in minor tonality‖. Therefore, these terms have the same meaning in practice. There‘s no need for getting mad with these subtleties, at least if you want to do a mandatory pre-entering exams of music in a university or something like that.

Go to: Parallel Key Back to: Module 7 ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Parallel keys (or homonym keys) are those tones that have the same tonic (fundamental note – 1st degree) and different mode (major or minor). For example, the parallel key of C major is the C minor. The parallel minor or tonic minor of a particular major key is the minor key based on the same tonic. In the same way, the parallel major has the same tonic as the minor key.

The difference between parallel keys You should have noticed that the difference between two parallel chords it‘s only in one note: the third. This represents an interesting opportunity when the subject is modulation, because modulating to a parallel key would keep the same tone changing subtly just one note (and this note makes all the difference, because it changes the major mode into minor or vice-versa!). Don‘t worry. We will work more about this subject and we will show examples when we will study modulation techniques. Our intention here in this article it is just bringing a definition of the concept to be able to address it later without problems. Go to: Module 8 Back to: Simplifying Theory …………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Module 8

Closely related keys are tones that have some affinity among them for having many common notes. This affinity represents a possibility of modulation, and this is what makes the study interesting. We will show the existent closely related tones first and then we will talk about each one in detail:

Dominant and subdominant closely related keys They have just one (or no one) accident related to the main tone.

Parallel closely related keys They have the same tonal center among them. First of all, let‘s talk about Dominant and subdominant closely related keys. The degrees that have just one accidental note in relation to the main tone are IV and V degrees. The sixth degree doesn‘t have any accidental note. As we are used to, let‘s check these affirmations. Take as example C major harmonic field. The fourth degree is F major, the fifth is G major and the sixth is A minor. See below the scales of each one of these tones: F major scale: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E G major scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F# A minor scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G Notice as the scales of four and five degree (F and G) have just one accident (Bb and F#, respectively) related to the main tone (C). A minor scale doesn‘t have any accident, since it is a relative minor. Very well, these are some closely related keys that we can use to do modulation. Another option it would be taking relative tone of degrees IV and V (because they have the same notes of these). Let‘s see this in our example:

F relative minor: D minor. G relative minor: E minor. D minor scale: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C E minor scale: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D As it was to be expected, these scales have the same notes as in F and G scales. Therefore, they also have just one accident in relation to C scale. In the point of view of the tonic, they are the degrees II and III of the C harmonic field (D is the second degree and E the third degree). Parallel closely related keys, on the other hand, are parallel keys. Let‘s check C major and minor scales: C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B C minor scale: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb Notice as the parallel key has three accidents in relation to the main tone. But, besides having three accidents, the central tone is the same to parallel tone, and this makes that this tone has an affinity with the original tone. The solving, in both cases, goes to the same C tonic (tonal center = C), wherein this tonic, when we think in the chords (C and Cm), differs only one note: the third. This is why a parallel is also considered a closely related key. Nice, we already know which ones are the closely related keys. The practical use of them, as we mentioned in the beginning, is to know how to choose where we can modulate in a song. Choosing modulate to a closely related key, we are choosing a tonality that has some affinity with the main tone, this will result in a transition well accepted to our ear.

Distantly related keys The tones that are not closely related keys are considered distantly related keys. Nothing prevents that the song has modulation to distantly related keys, but this must be done with a lot of care and conscience.

Sometimes the composer‘s idea is precisely radicalize and turning the harmony upside down, but it is needed be aware of it. Please don‘t try to insert abrupt modulations if the idea is just diversifying the harmony. You should try first the closely related keys. We will work with modulation in the next studies, so you can use these concepts. For now, try to ―feel the taste‖ of the closely related keys in relation to the original tone. Get used to this idea, and then your ear will be sharp to recognize not only the fact that the tonality has changed, but also where it has gone. Go to: Scales application Back to: Module 8 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. All musicians have already asked how to use scales. And then, what do music scales serve for? In the article about target notes, we talked that a solo must be created by the chords of the song, not only from the harmonic field (tonality). The truth, though, is that the majority of the musicians and improvisers don‘t see anything besides harmonic field. They just want the answer for the famous question: ―In which tone is the song?‖ and that‘s enough, they do the solo using major, relative minor and pentatonic scales. To break this ―mental blockage‖ about scales application, we showed that we can explore each chord individually in the song, working with the notes of the chord. But we were still stuck in the natural scales. Now it is time of extrapolating this concept, going beyond the basic scales. It is time to learn how to use alternative scales!

Recalling the concept of basic scales application Very well, you should have in mind that certain scale can be used when the harmonic field of the song was created from it. In other words, you know that you can use the scale of the tonality in question. Nice, this is a fact. But this is not the only one resource we have!

How to use other music scales

The other scales, besides the natural ones, could almost never be used if we think only in harmonic fields, because the harmonic field of a song is 99% of the time natural. Therefore this approach will detach from ―tonality‖ and focus on characteristics of each chord, to discover what we can do and which scale we can play. Some chords, especially the tension chords, allow many outside notes in them, because their structure and harmonic feeling allow these variations without problems. In the next topics here in the website, you will see that the most explored chord to outside notes is the dominant chord. With it we can play many scales. And practically all the songs have a dominant chord. In other words, you will always have the option to play with alternative scales! What a good news, isn‘t it?! It means that your solo can be more ―tasty‖! Summarizing, we will not invalidate the concept of harmonic fields, quite the opposite, this will be always useful and essential. Let‘s just go to other resources, thinking on chords. Continue here in the Simplifying Theory and you will find out which scales you can use for each chord. You will see that there is no mystery: we have many resources easy to use with amazing results. Study each topic carefully and practice a lot. Remember that it doesn‘t matter housing lots of knowledge in your brain if you don‘t put them in your fingers. Above all, make music! Go to: Harmonic minor scale ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Harmonic minor scale is really similar to Natural Minor Scale.

Difference between harmonic and natural minor scales The only difference between both scales is what is in the seventh degree. In the natural minor scale, the seventh degree is minor, while in the harmonic minor scale, the seventh degree is major. For you to see the difference, we will use as example the natural minor scale of A and the harmonic minor scale of A. Compare them: 

Am Natural: A, B, C, D, E, F, G



Am Harmonic: A, B, C, D, E, F, G#

You can see that the only difference is in the seventh degree (in this case, G). This seventh major degree in the harmonic minor scale increased the distance between 6 and 7 degrees, shortening the distance between 7 and 8 degrees. This changing gave it a really interesting sound.

Harmonic minor scale drawing Check bellow the drawing of A harmonic minor scale (the seventh degree is highlighted in red):

Try to play this scale repeatedly to feel its melody. Notice how just the scale itself has already a pleasant sound.

Harmonic minor chords The harmonic field created by Am harmonic scale is the following:

Observation: the method to create this harmonic field is the same that we used to create the major harmonic field to a major scale. The only difference is that here we used the harmonic minor scale. We will not do all the procedure again to no become boring. In a generic way, harmonic minor chords can be seen in the following way: Im7M – IIm7(b5) – III7M(#5) – IVm7 – V7 – VI7M – VII#dim Nice, so in theory, always when we identify one of these chords/degrees in a song, we can use the harmonic minor scale in our solo, because the harmony allows it. The problem is that, in practice, the chords Im7M and III7M(#5) rarely appear, and the other chords with the extensions m7(b5), m7, 7, 7M, appear in innumerous contexts, what makes the approach hard, because they can belong to

another harmonic field that not the harmonic minor. In this case, to use this scale with these chords, you need to identify, for example, if the chord with extension m7, let‘s say Em7 is the fourth degree in the song, IVm7, as we say in the drawing of this field: Im7M – IIm7(b5) – III7M(#5) – IVm7 – V7 – VI7M – VII#dim For this, the song would need to be in B minor, so then you could play B harmonic minor scale in the moment that this chord Em7 would appear, because the corresponding harmonic field would be:

Though, if the song was in G major and the chord Em7 appears, it would be the sixth degree, VIm7, that belongs to a major harmonic field, in other words, it wouldn‘t allow the use of B minor harmonic scale with it (generally speaking). You can see the harmonic field of G major:

This makes our life harder, because we would need to pay attention all the time in corresponding degrees and tonalities to know when we can or cannot use the harmonic minor scale. Thankfully that, in practice, as we said in the article ―scales application‖, hardly you will use this scale thinking about harmonic fields this way. The easiest way to discover this context of when you can use this scale is paying attention to the fifth degree, as we will explain.

How to use the harmonic minor scale The context that harmonic minor scale mostly appears in solos, riffs or arrangements is when a chord V7 solves in a minor chord. This resolution is typical in the minor harmonic context, because it doesn‘t exist nor in the natural major harmonic field as in natural minor. In the major field, V7 solves itself in a major chord, as we already know. And in the minor field there is not V7, because the fifth degree is minor (Vm7):

Thus, the resolution ―V7 – Im7‖ is typical to Harmonic minor chords. This is really important to know because this is the sequence that mostly appears in songs when the subject is harmonic minor. Besides that, the dominant V7 is really easy to be identified by our ear, especially in the context of minor tonality. We will show some examples of use of this scale. Notice that in the resolution ―V7 – Im7‖ the harmonic minor scale is played over the chord V7, because it is it that characterizes the harmonic minor tonality. Observation: when we say ―played over the chord V7‖ it means that is the harmonic minor scale of first degree (Im7), but played in the moment that the chord V7 appears. Don‘t be confused, because we are not saying that is the harmonic minor of fifth degree. For example, if it appears the chord E7 solving the chord Am, we would use A harmonic minor scale in the moment that E7 was being played. We would not use E harmonic minor! Be careful to not mix the ideas! Practice a lot this scale in this context and try to identify songs that have this progression V7 – Im7. Your ear will be used to this resolution quickly and it will be acute to perceive it when it appears. Check bellow, in the file from Guitar Pro, an example of solo in this context. Certainly this will help you stimulating your ideas to understand better this application! File: minorharmonic.gpro In the solo of this file, the harmony is in A minor tonality. The dominant F#7 is which allowed the utilization of A harmonic minor. Practice now this context of harmonic minor scale downloading this backing track: Harmonic minor scale Train.gpro This base is in A minor. When the chord E7 appears (dominant), you can use the harmonic minor scale of A. Do you want to show your talent and ideas? Make a video of your improvisation about this base, put it in Youtube and send its link to ―Contact Us‖. The best solos using this scale will be shown here! Just a curiosity: one musical style that uses a lot the harmonic minor scale is the Spanish Music. Go to: Melodic minor scale

Back to: Module 8 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Melodic minor scale is really similar to the harmonic minor scale. We already studied the harmonic minor scale and we saw that it has a ―long‖ distance between 6 and 7 degrees (one and a half tone). With a goal of reducing this distance, it was added an intermediate note to approximate the sixth degree from the seventh. This would make the sound of harmonic scale more melodic, creating the Melodic Minor Scale. For this, the sixth degree that before was minor in the harmonic scale became major in the melodic scale.

Difference between melodic scale and harmonic minor scale For you to see the difference, we will show the harmonic minor scale of A and Melodic minor of A, one below the other. Compare them: 

Notes of Am Harmonic: A, B, C, D, E, F, G#



Notes of Am Melodic: A, B, C, D, E, F#, G# Notice as the difference is in the sixth degree (in this case, F).

Drawing of the Am melodic The 6th and 7th degrees are highlighted:

Try to play this scale repeatedly to feel the created melody. The ―flavor‖ of the melodic minor scale differs a little bit to the ―flavor‖ of the harmonic minor and is quite hard to analyze it, because it has

two changes in relation to the natural minor scale (6th and 7th degrees), while the harmonic minor scale has just one change (7th degree). Before going on, it is worth to mention that there are two melodic scales: real melodic and classic melodic. Real melodic is that one we already showed. The classic melodic is a scale that increases as the melodic minor scale and decreases as the natural minor scale. In other words, it has a shape when goes up and different one when goes down. See below:

Drawing of the classic melodic minor scale

This scale is used by musicians that don‘t like the ―flavor‖ of the minor melodic when it goes down and prefer using it only when it goes up. The name ―classic‖ comes from the origin of its creator (Sebastian Bach), great baroque composer. A lot of people prefer to call the classic scale of ―Bachian Scale‖. Here in the Simplifying Theory, however, in all the times that we mention melodic minor scale, we are talking about real melodic minor (goes up and down the same way).

Chords of the Melodic Minor Scale The harmonic field created by melodic minor scale of A is the following one:

In a generic way, the chords of the melodic minor scale are created by: Im7M – IIm7 – bIII7M(#5) – IV7 – V7 – VIm7(b5) – VIIm7(b5)

Very well, in the same way that we talked about the application of the harmonic minor scale, the melodic minor scale needs to be studied besides the context of harmonic field, because not many songs have the melodic minor tonality. It is time to lose our ―addiction‖ of thinking only in ―harmonic field‖. Let‘s be free. This scale is extremely used by musicians of various styles, especially guitar players of Jazz. And it‘s not by accident, because the melodic minor scale is a great option to have an alternative sonority, which mixes tonal feelings with atonal ones. Learn how to follow the contexts in which you will use this scale in practice!

How to use the melodic minor scale The context that the melodic minor scale uses to appear more is in a dominant chord. How is this? It is simple! When a dominant chord appears in some song, you can use the melodic minor scale in that exact moment. But which melodic minor scale? Which tone? We will show this with an example. If in some moment of the song was played the chord G7 (dominant that solves in C), we could play in this G7 the melodic minor scale of D. In other words, you play melodic minor scale of the fifth degree of the dominant chord. Another way of thinking in it is playing the melodic minor scale that is one tone above of the chord that will be solved. In this case, G7 is the dominant of C (it is solved in C). Therefore, we would play the melodic minor one tone above C, which is D. The justification that makes this application possible is quite complex and will be studied in advanced topics. For now content yourself with the fact that the dominant is unstable and tense chord, which opens space to many ―bold‖ melodic resources. This application we taught. Does it work always? Yes, since that is a non-altered dominant chord. Just to remember, non-altered dominant chord is that one which has only fundamental notes (tetrad). And the altered dominant has some accident (for example, the augmented fifth). In our example, G7 is a non-altered dominant. If it was an altered dominant, G7(#5), the melodic minor scale that we would use would be G#. In other words, to altered dominant chords, you can use the melodic minor scale that is one semitone above the dominant chord in question.

Due to this purpose, this scale became known as altered scale, because it has many accidents in relation to the tonic. We will talk about altered scale in another topic, but is important that you know that altered scale of a certain tone is the melodic minor scale played one semitone above it. For example, the altered scale of G is the melodic minor scale of G#.

Summarizing how to use the melodic minor scale Summarizing everything, we can use the melodic minor scale: – One fifth above the non-altered dominant – One semitone above the altered dominant Observation: In the case of the non-altered dominant, if the resolution chord is minor, it is more desirable to play the melodic minor scale a fourth above instead of a fifth above. For example, if the chord G7 solves in Cm, the C melodic minor scale would be more advisable than the D melodic minor scale. There is nothing to stop you from playing the D melodic minor scale in this case (the dominant chord enables many different choices, even ―bold‖ ones) however, the C minor melodic scale would be advised simply because the chord G7 belongs to the C melodic minor‘s harmonic field. We will show now this application with two examples: one for each kind of dominant. Download the files from Guitar Pro below and start to practice and stimulate your ideas! Invest time in this study, take songs, identify the dominants and abuse of melodic minor scales in them. This way you will develop a rich vocabulary and cause a new feeling in your improvisation. About non-altered dominant: minormelodic1.gpro About altered dominant: minormelodic2.gpro Download the Backing track: Train of melodic minor scale.gpro In this base, the tonality is G minor. You can apply the melodic minor scale of A when the chord D7 is played.

To finish, we will show a part of the song ―Yesterday‖ from The Beatles. In this song, the initial melody makes a passage by the melodic minor scale. Observe it: F

Em

A7

Dm Dm/C

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away We highlighted the word ―troubles‖ because is in it that the passage happens. So, take as exercise to listen and verify the other moments of the song where this application repeats. The tonality is F major. The chord A7 is the dominant V7 that is allowing the utilization of the melodic minor scale of D. Go to: Altered scale Back to: Module 8 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Altered scale is made by the sequence: semitone – tone – semitone – tone – tone – tone – tone. We already said, in the article ―Melodic Minor Scale‖ that altered scale of a chord can be made through a melodic minor scale one tone above this chord. For example, the altered scale of G is the melodic minor scale of G#. This makes our life easier, because we already know the melodic minor scale. The notes that make the melodic minor scale of G# are: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, F, G

Drawing of Altered Scale of G#

Notice that this scale has the notes G, B and F (fundamental, third and seventh of G7). The other notes: G#, A#, C#, D# are respectively, flatted ninth, sharp ninth, flatted fifth and sharp fifth. In other words, all the possible changes in a chord of dominant seventh are included in this scale.

Altered chord (alt) The chord that is made by this scale we showed can be G7#9#5, also known as G7alt. You can notice that the symbol ―alt‖ is the abbreviation of ―altered‖ for having its origins in altered scale. When you face this notation ―alt‖, you already know what this is about (sharp fifth and ninth). Observation: though the notes b5 and b9 also be in this scale, the named chord ―alt‖ doesn‘t refer to them, because these notes are also mentioned in diminished scale, as we will see in other topics.

Altered Scale application We already showed the altered scale application in the topic ―Melodic Minor Scale‖: It can be played in an altered dominant chord. In terms of given sound, the altered scale produces one of the most complex sounds in a dominant. It is important to highlight that playing an altered scale in a dominant that is not altered can result in an unpleasant dissonance depending on the context. For this, it is fundamental to be aware of the given effect. In altered dominants, this awareness is not needed. The altered scale is one the most used in Jazz. If you want improve in this style, it is fundamental to practice a lot the altered scale in many dominant contexts to be used with its ―flavor‖. But not only Jazz has altered dominants. Several other styles use and ―abuse‖ of these chords. One example of really common occurrence is appearing the dominant with #5 before a minor chord with seventh and ninth, and an altered scale well placed, with no doubt, makes all the difference in these contexts. We can risk saying that we arrive in a watershed. We are already addressing professional themes of the area. Prepare yourself to be a musician that masters it! Study these patterns, improvise them in songs, use them, and apply them, again and again.

Here bellow there is an example of Guitar Pro of Altered Scale (from the article ―Melodic Minor Scale‖): File: Altered.gpro These scales that we worked until here need ―to be in your blood‖. But don‘t take this training without motivation. It is fundamental that you have fun in this process. It is fundamental that you like the produced sounds, and that you play with the ideas. Your musical personality needs to flourish. This is the moment! Go to: Module 9 Back to: Simplifying Theory ………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Module 9

Chromatic approach chords are chords that are located one semitone above or below the chord you want to solve, and they have the same structure of this chord. For example, in the sequence | Dbm7 | Dm7 |, the chord Dbm7 has chromatic approach function. This kind of chord uses to have a short length in the bar line, serving just as a ―passage‖ to the next chord. See the following chords progression: | Dm7 G7 | Em7 A7 | Dm7 Db7 | C7M | Adding chromatic approach chords, this progression could be: | Dm7 Ab7 G7 Fm7 | Em7 G#7 A7 Ebm7 | Dm7 D7 Db7 B7M | C7M |

SubV7 as chromatic approach chord Notice that, in some cases, the chord subV7 can be seen as a chromatic approach chord (when that chord that comes after it has the same shape, for example: G#7 | A7). Though, the chord subV7 cannot be taken as only chromatic approach chord in these situations, because it is a dominant chord that serves as substitute of fifth degree (V7), for reasons that we will show in another topic. Saying that it has only chromatic approach function would limit it too much. Go to: Diminished chord Back to: Module 9 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Diminished chord is a chord made by the musical degrees: 1, 3b, 5b, 7bb. Observation: 7bb is the same as diminished seventh. As 5b is the diminished fifth, in this chord we have two diminished notes. Then, it is not without reason that this chord is called “diminished chord”, is it?!

Let‘s make a chord then to see how it works.

Making a diminished chord Example of diminished C: 

First degree: C



Third minor degree: Eb



Fifth diminished degree: Gb



Seventh diminished degree: A Resulting chord: Cº The used symbol to a diminished chord is the degree symbol above the chord‘s letter: C°. But some authors also use the notation “dim”: Cdim

The diminished interval One easy way of thinking in diminished chord is remember the interval ―one and a half tone‖, because all the degrees in a diminished chord have one and a half tone of distance among them. Check it: Distance from the 1st degree to 3rd minor degree: one and a half tone. Distance from the 3rd minor degree to 5th diminished degree: one and a half tone. Distance from the 5th degree to 7th diminished degree: one and a half tone. This gives a really particular characteristic: This chord repeats itself in each one and a half tone. In other words, if you make the diminished chord in the guitar fretboard, in keyboard or in any other instrument and move to this same chord one and a half tone above or below, the chord will continue being the same! The only thing that will change will be the localization of the notes in relation to your fingers, but the whole chord will have the same notes, in other words, it will be exactly the same. Check below in the guitar fretboard the Diminished C chord and its respective notes:

Now this chord moved one and a half tone above:

Another one and a half tone:

Another one and a half tone:

Moral of the story: C° = Eb° = Gb° = A° This is really convenient, because if we want to play, for example, A°, we can play C° (which is the same chord!). This is useful if we are playing in a region in the fretboard where C° is closer than A°.

In another situation, the closer and more convenient chord to be played can be D#°, so we can play it instead of A°. Nice, isn‘t it?!

How many diminished chords exist? You can see that, as there are 12 notes and that a diminished chord corresponds to other 4 identical chords like them, we can conclude that there are only 3 different diminished chords. They are: C°, C#° e D°. The other chords will be consequence of these three: C° C#°

= =

D#°

=

F#°

E°

=

G°

= =

A° A#°

D° = F° = G#° = B° Very well, we already know as a diminished chord is made, so now it‘s time to analyze it in the point of view of harmonic functions and general applications. Are you ready? So, let‘s go:

Harmonic Function of a diminished chord The diminished chord has two tritones. They are between: 1. The first degree and the diminished fifth; 2. The third minor and the diminished seventh. Well, in case of not being explicit, the diminished chord has dominant function! Having two tritones it is not a small thing, is it?! So, we can use it to replace dominant chords (like V7, for example). In this case, we can exchange the V7 chord by the diminished chord located one semitone above it. For example, the V7 chord could be replaced by G#° (or its equivalents B°, D° e F°). We will give as exercise to you to check the notes of G#° and compare then with the notes of G7. You will see that the tritone of G7 is present in G#°, what allows this substitution. This is one of the applications of diminished chord, to serve as option of dominant chord. Check below one example of substitution from the G7 chord to a diminished chord:

Download the file from Guitar Pro and check it: Diminishedchord(V7).gpro

Auxiliary diminished When a diminished chord has the same bass note (the lower note) of the chord that it solves, it is called auxiliary diminished. Examples: 

| G7M | G° | G7M |



| C7M | G° | G7 | The auxiliary diminished chord solves the resolution and gives a minimum harmonic movement, as it keeps the bass note.

Ascending and descending diminished chords Another application, and maybe the most used, is playing the diminished to explore the effect of chromatic approximation. In this case, the diminished chord uses to be played one semitone above or

below

the

chords

we

want

to

solve,

being

called,

respectively

as ascending

diminished and descending diminished. Nice, but can we use ascending and descending diminished chords to solve in any major or minor chord? Well, in theory yes, but in practice this will not always sound good. The descending diminished doesn‘t act like dominant, because it doesn‘t have the same tritone from the chord V7, in the opposite of ascending diminished. Maybe you are confused now, because we already said that the diminished chord has two tritones, so why does not descending diminished act like dominant function? Well, just to remember, the concept of tritone refers itself to a necessity of resolution. When we play a tritone, there is a need of this ―tense‖ interval being solved, and the resolution you wait is doing that each note of this tritone be replaced one semitone. For example, the tritone of the chord G7 is between the notes F and A. When

F goes one semitone below, it becomes a G and when A goes one semitone above, it becomes a C. This is why the waited chord to solve this ―tension‖ is C, which has these two notes (C and G, first and fifth degrees, respectively). If the chord G7 was solved in another chord than C, we would have a deceptive resolution. Until here there is nothing new. Now, imagine that the song is in A major tonality and that the sequence G7 – F#7 – B appears. In this case, the chord F#7 is the dominant that was solved in A major, while G7 served as a chromatic approach chord. It wouldn‘t be wrong saying that G7 was a dominant that had a deceptive resolution, but this main function in this song would be the chromatic approach effect, because the waited resolution for G7 is C major, which doesn‘t belong to A major tonality. In other words, it doesn‘t make sense to think in G7 as a dominant that was starting a modulation and suffered a deceptive resolution if it provided another effect to the song. The same happens with de descending diminished. The tritones of a diminished chord don‘t solve themselves the same way that the chord V7, therefore, the descending diminished has only a chromatic function, and this makes that its use is not always pleasant. Let‘s see now two approaches (ascending and descending diminished) and find out which are the most used ones when the chord that you want to solve is major or minor.

Resolution to minor chords When the chord that you want to solve is a minor chord, the ascending diminished is, without any doubt, the most used and it always work! It is hard to not be beautiful. But there are a lot o people who like to use the descending diminished in this resolution. So, don‘t be tied to ascending diminished only! Explore both concepts.

Resolution to major chords And for major chords, the ascending diminished can also be used due the fact of being similar to VIIm7(b5) (chord from seventh degree in the major harmonic field). Because of it, the ascending diminished sounds like it was tonal. And the descending diminished is replaced by SubV7 (we will talk about this chord in the next level) when the desire is to explore this chromatic effect to major chords. It‘s up to you to define your tastes.

When can we use the ascending or descending diminished chord? Summarizing, the ascending diminished, for both major and minor chords, can be used without fear. But the descending diminished needs some caution. Speaking in a generic way, the ascending diminished is the most common function of the diminished chord in songs, especially for resolution in minor chords.

Diminished as passing chord In both cases of ascending and descending, diminished chord appears like a passing chord. Check below some applications of the diminished chord in different harmonic contexts. In these examples of Guitar Pro, we will work with cadences II, V, I. To minor chords, the sequence will be: | Em7(b5) | A7(#5) | Dm7(9) |. To major chords, the sequence will be: | Dm7 | G7 | C7M |. So let‘s go! We have 4 cadences to show (ascending and descending diminished to resolution in major and minor chords). 

Ascending diminished being solved in a minor chord: Download the file: minorascending.gpro Here in this file we showed how is the perfect substitution of A7(#5) to ascending diminished C#°. In the next verse we chose to use the dominant compass to play A7(#5) and after this to make the chromatic cadence C7M, C#°, Dm7(9). So, we showed that is possible to use the ascending diminished as well as alone or in a chromatic cadence.



Ascending diminished being solved in a major chord: download the file: majorascending.gpro First, we showed in this file how the simple substitution of G7 to B° is. After that, we used the bar line of the dominant to play with alternations between G7 and B°. This ―game‖ makes seem that we are playing many chords; it gives the idea that we know a lot about harmony, when actually we are only alternating chords with the same harmonic function, with no mysteries. To give even a better

impression that you are playing many chords and varying in your harmony, try to use the equivalent diminished B° = D° = F° = G#° to enrich your base. 

Descending diminished being solved in a minor chord: Download the file: minordescending.gpro As usual, first we showed the perfect substitution of A7(#5) to D#°. The detail here chose the Dm7 chord instead of Dm7(9) after D#°, because this way we could keep a chromaticism in the second string (passing through the frets 8, 7 and 6 of the guitar). If we play Dm7(9), the sequence would be more abrupt and less pleasant to our ear due the direct passage from the fret 7 to 5 in the second string. But don‘t worry with this detail now; we will study more this concept when we study reharmonization. Pay attention now only in the given cadence. In the same way that we did before, here we also worked with the idea of chromaticism playing the sequence Em7(b5), D#° and Dm7. See how this sonority became.



Descending diminished being solved in a major chord: Download the file: majordescending.gpro To finish, in the descending diminished to a major chord, we explored the same previous ideas, and is appropriate to highlight that we chose to play C7M(9) instead of C7M, because de chord C#° has many notes in common with C7M, so the cadence would lose its ―strength‖ (we almost wouldn‘t notice that is a cadence!). Playing C7M(9) we changed one more note between these two chords (C7M and C#°), in a attempt of differentiating them to our ear. After all these examples, maybe you have agreed with the fact that, in practice, descending diminished chords need more attention and work of our part, because they don‘t always fit together. These exercises serve as base to this concept. And the ascending diminished are just joy and fun, without great brain efforts connected. Which one of them did you like the most? Share it now with your friends and add diminished chords in the arrangement of your songs! Go to: Diminished scale Back to: Module 9 ………………………………………………………………………………………………… Diminished scale is a symmetric scale created by the sequence: Tone – Semitone – Tone – Semitone – Tone – Semitone – Tone.

In the same way that we studied in the diminished chord, diminished scale repeats itself each one and a half tone. This is really advantageous, because it opens a whole range of possibilities.

Drawing of Diminished Scale See bellow an example of shape to the diminished scale of C:

Notes: C, D, D#, F, F#, G#, A, B Due the fact that this scale repeats itself each one and a half tone, we will check the diminished scale of D#: Notes: D#, F, F#, G#, A, B, C You can see that, even though these two scales start in different notes (one starts in C and another in D#), both have the same notes. Ok, but what is the advantage of it? Well, let‘s say that you are improvising a solo in E minor till the moment in the song when the chord B7 appears. As we will see forward, you can use diminished scale of C in B7. But as this scale is identical to D# and this D# is closer to E than C, we can take advantage of this little distance and use diminished scale of D# (instead of diminished C) to let our improvisation with fluid movements. This is one of the advantages. Another advantage is the repetition of patterns. You can create a phrase in the diminished scale and repeat it each one and a half tone, creating a really interesting effect. The guitar player Yngwe Malmsteen explores a lot this resource. Let‘s see this concept used in examples. Now is time to show the application of this scale, because it is not important just chit-chatting about that, because the main thing is to know where you can use these concepts! So, let‘s go:

How to use the Diminished Scale Now you can imagine, diminished scale can be played in a diminished chord. This cannot be strange, because it is the diminished scale that creates the diminished chord. It is in this point that many students give up, because it doesn‘t appear with much frequency in many music styles; and when it appears, it is usually for a short time, and it doesn‘t give time to the diminished ―phrase‖ being developed. So the student thinks: ―why will I waste my time memorizing this scale which I’ll never use?‖ And he/she has all the reason! It is useless to memorize things that you don‘t use in practice. Nice that you are in the right place. The website Simplifying Theory will show you the value of the diminished scale to you. The most common application for the diminished scale is in the dominant chord. It can be played one semitone above of the dominant chord in question. In this case, we play the tonic (fundamental) of the dominant chord (in other words, we start the scale with this note) and then we play the diminished one semitone above this tonic. Let‘s explain this concept. Pay attention in the following thinking: As this scale repeats itself in each one and a half tone, we could think of playing it starting by other degrees. For example, G7 chord is a dominant that is solved in C major. The used diminished scale in G7 is the diminished G# scale (half tone above the dominant). As this scale repeats itself in each one and a half tone, we also could play diminished B scale (one and a half tone above G#). As B is a semitone below C, we can think that the diminished scale to be used is located one semitone below the chord that the dominant will solve. In other words, it is like we are ―creating‖ a diminished of ascending passage. This is just one way of thinking, and can be really useful in practice. Imagine that you are improvising a solo in a song that is in C major, in other words, you are using the C major scale. If G7 appears in any moment, it would be really practical thinking in use the diminished scale one semitone below C, because it is really close to the region where you are doing your solo. To think in a scale one semitone above G7 can slow our answer in the time of improvisation. But each person has his/her preferences. Use a point of reference that makes you feel comfortable and practice the use of this scale in a musical context.

We will show (as usual) some examples of application of diminished scale. You can also create your own phrases and obtain fluency in the theme. It is worth spending time in this study. The diminished scale in a fantastic resource; it has a single sonority and enchants any listener.

Diminished Scale in a Virtual Diminished Chord Another application to this scale, besides being able to be played in the diminished and dominant chords as we saw, is in a virtual diminished chord. That is it, don‘t be afraid! We are calling virtual diminished chord a diminished chord that doesn‘t exist in the song, but could exist. It looks like things from crazy people, but actually is simple. Imagine that your band is playing a song that has the following chords | C | D | Em |, repeatedly in this sequence. After the chord D comes E minor, but we already talked in another article that the diminished chords fits well as diminished of passage between a major and a minor chord (in this case, we would have a Major – Diminished – Minor sequence, becoming: D, D#°, Em). Obviously, we are not creating another bar line; the diminished chord is only sharing the same bar line as D. Very well, this song doesn‘t have this diminished chord, but we could play the following sequence without problems: | C | D D#° | Em | instead of playing only | C | D | Em |, or even | C | D#° | Em | (deleting completely the chord D). The interesting thing is that this diminished of passage is well accepted in this context that we do a solo as the chord was there, even if it isn‘t. In this case, we are ―kidding‖ the listener, making him/her believe that there is a diminished chord in that point. And the listener accepts, because this progression is really pleasant! We strongly recommend that you play diminished arpeggio in this case, to strength this impression that there is a diminished chord there. We will show this resource in the examples of Guitar Pro below. 

Example

of

application

of

a

diminished

scale

in

a

diminished

chord: diminishedscaleinadiminishedchord.gpro In this file, the harmony is in A major. The diminished chord A#° is serving as passing chord between the first and the second degrees.



Diminished scale in a dominant chord: Diminishedscaledominantchord.gpro This file consists in a cadence II – V – I created by | Am7 | D7 | G7M |. The diminished D# scale will be done in the dominant D7.



Diminished scale in a virtual diminished chord: Diminishedscalevirtualdiminishedchord.gpro The base of this example is in D minor tonality, being created by: | Dm7 | Bb | C | We will consider that is an ascending diminished chord (C#°) between the chords C and Dm7, because this passage is really accepted. Actually, this chord C#° doesn‘t exist in music, but we will create a solo as it was there. See the effect.



Examples of repeated diminished patterns each one and a half tone: patternsdiminishedscale.gpro The exercises of this last file are in diminished scale of A. Practice now the diminished scale in this base (download the file): Diminished Scale training The tonality of this baking track is in D minor. When the chord A7 is played, use the diminished scale of D#. You can abuse the ideas. Show your creativity recording a video of your solo with this base, put it on Youtube and send the link of your video to Contact Us. The best ones that use this diminished scale will be put here in our site! Make sure to take part in it. Go to: Dominant diminished scale Back to: Module 9 ……………………………………………………………………………………….

What is dominant diminished scale? Many authors strongly say that there are two diminished scales: The one we already showed (article ―diminished scale‖) and the ―dominant diminished‖. This dom-dim scale is nothing more than the drawing of the diminished scale that we showed but starting in the second degree instead of the first one. In other words, instead of the scale being: 

Tone – semitone – tone – semitone, etc. Starting in the second degree, we will have:



Semitone – tone – semitone – tone, etc. Notice that we used exactly this second sequence in the dominant chords in the article about diminished scale, because we played the diminished scale of G# starting with G, in other words, the structure was semitone – tone – semitone – tone, etc. Moral of the story: the dominant diminished scale is the diminished scale used in a dominant chord. Therefore, don‘t think that they are different scales; think that they are the same diminished, but used in a dominant chord (played one semitone above it). This will make your way of thinking easier. Go to : Equivalent chords VII° = V7(b9) Back to: Module 9 …………………………………………………………………………………………………. In this article you will learn the relation that there is between two equivalent chords: the seventh diminished degree and fifth dominant degree with flatted fifth. We already know that the diminished chord when located one semitone above the chord V7 has the same tritone of it. See this example, which is in C major tonality (G is the fifth degree):



Notes of G#°: G#, B, D, F



Notes of G7: G, B, D, F The tritone which is present here is between the notes B and F (3 tones of distance). The diminished chord (G#°) still has another tritone, between the notes G# and D. We could, then, think in changing the chord G7 to make it more similar to the diminished chord. The only note that would miss in the G7 chord to create the tritone (G# D) it would be G# (which is the flatted ninth of G). So we could put a flatted ninth in the V7 chord, and have G7(b9). Now we have two equivalent chords:



Notes of G#°: G#, B, D, F



Notes of G7(b9): G, G#, B, D, F

As we also know that G#° = B°, and A is the seventh degree of our tonality, we could generalize in saying that the chords VII° (seventh diminished degree) and V7(b9) are equivalent. Observation: To think in a chord of seventh degree VII° instead of V#° is more common.

Now think about this – C is the resolution chord of G (V7 – I). – The flatted ninth of G corresponds to the flatted sixth of C (note G#). – This flatted sixth of C is present in C minor scale (C major scale has sixth major and not sixth minor).

Conclusion The chord G7(b9) is indicated as dominant to be solved in C minor! Well, so you already know that the idea is to put the chord V7 to be solved in the first minor degree, and we can add an extension note (b9) to this dominant chord creating a V7(b9), because this will strength this cadence. In this topic, we discovered one more reason that makes the ascending diminished be solved in minor chords, because it is equivalent to V7(b9). To finish this subject, try to practice this equivalences VII° = V7(b9) in the other tonalities, incorporating this concept in the songs you know. This will enrich your vision about substitutions. Go to: SubV7 Chord Back to: Module 9 ………………………………………………………………………………………………… We will study here one more option of chords substitution. This will be useful to increase our range of possibilities in the item reharmonization, besides offering the knowledge about some ―harmonic clichés‖ that appear in many music styles.

SubV7 is an abbreviation to ―Substitute of V7―. Popularly, you read ―sub-7‖. As the name says, this is a chord that serves as option to substitute the fifth degree. We know that V7 is a dominant chord; therefore its substitute needs to be a dominant chord. Till now, our study was restricted to make substitutions only taking chords from a specific harmonic field, using the functional harmony concept. We will work now with new concepts. Prepare yourself to think ―outside the box‖. Consider the cadence II, V, I below: | Dm7 | G7 | C7M | The chord SubV7 in this progression will be the chord that will substitute G7, in other words, it will be in its place (this is why the name: ―substitute of fifth degree‖). In this example above, SubV7 is the chord C#7 (we will explain this soon), creating the following cadence: | Dm7 | C#7 | C7M | Where did we take this C#7 from? As a rule, the chord subV7 is a major chord with seventh which is located one semitone from the tonic that it will solve. As the tonic here is the chord C7M, the major chord with seventh which is located one semitone above it is the C#7. Great, we introduced a rule here, but maybe you are thinking that this is strange, because the chord C#7 in the example above doesn‘t belong to the harmonic field of C! That‘s true. But, as we will see, not all in life goes around the tonal context. We will help you to lose this prejudice. The effect of the chord SubV7 is in the chromatic approximation. Notice that the chord C#7 has 3 notes that are located one semitone immediately above the notes that create the chord C7M. Compare it: 

Notes of C7M: C, E, G, B



Notes of C#7: C#, F, G#, B This chromatic approximation effect allows that the chord C#7 (even if it doesn‘t belong to the harmonic field of C7M) to be used to create a cadence. Besides that, by the fact that this is a major chord with seventh, the subV7 has a tritone, characterizing it as a dominant chord, allowing its substitution by V7 in the point of view of harmonic function.

To help to convince you that it is possible to perform this substitution of the V7 by subV7, notice that the notes of the tritone of G7, in the previous example, are the same notes of the tritone of C#7: 

Tritone of G7: G, B, D, F



Tritone of C#7: C, F, G, B

Reasons why you can use subV7 in place of V7 Let‘s summarize then the reasons why this substitution is possible: 

Most of the notes of subV7 are located one semitone above the chord that it will solve, providing a feeling of chromatic approximation.



The tritone notes of V7 are the same of the tritone notes of sub V7.



SubV7 is also a dominant chord, making that its substitution by V7 doesn‘t interfere in the harmonic function of the respective part of the song.

Use of the SubV7 chord In theory, subV7 always can substitute V7. In practice, though, it‘s not like that, because this substitution will not fit well with the melody. It is always necessary to verify and try the ―flavor‖ that subV7 will give to the song while played with the melody. If it does not sound good, it must be avoided. Some music styles, like Jazz, Bossa Nova and MPB normally use a lot this subV7. Other ―squared‖ styles (less harmonically developed) use to not accept well the subV7. In all the times when possible to use subV7 in some song, all the approaches that we studied about the dominant V7 will be also useful to subV7 in the harmonic point of view, as well as the concepts of secondary dominant, deceptive resolution, extended dominant, etc.

Example of secondary subV7 | C | Gb7 | F | We already know that a secondary dominant chord is that one which prepares to another diatonique degree (which is not the 1st one). In this case, subV7 prepared the way to F (4th degree of C tonality).

Example of subV7 with deceptive resolution | Dm7 | Db7 | F | The expected resolution here was C major, because Db7 was acting like subV7 of G7 (the natural sequence would be Dm7 – G7 – C). The F chord is an unexpected resolution in this context.

Examples of extended subV7 | E7 | Eb7 | D7 | Db7 | C | In this example, we had four subV7 chords together in sequence. We can also have the extended sequences II – V: | Dbm7 | C7 | Bm7 | Bb7 | Am7 | Ab7 | G7 | C7M | Notice that these subV7 in this example are solving minor chords (e.g. C7 – Bm7) and these minor chords are already serving as second degree to a new progression II – V. The series finished with Ab7 – G7 to then G7 acts like V7 dominant of C. Very well, now you can have fun experiencing the ―taste‖ of this chord. Some extensions really used to subV7 are the flatted 9th and 5th. We will still see other applications to subV7 along our learning here in the website. If you are enjoying our studies and thinking that Simplifying Theory useful, help to spread it so that we can be even better! Go to: Module 10 Back to: Simplifying Theory …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Module 10

Interpolated chord is that one which appears in the middle of a ―harmonic cliché‖. For example, in the cliché II – V – I: | Dm7 | G7 | C | If we put the chord Ab7 before G7, it would be considered as an interpolated chord: | Dm7 | Ab7 G7 | C | Notice that Ab7 is acting as subV7. This is the most common occurrence of an interpolated chord. Another example, this time using the chord Db7 before C in the cliché V – I: | Am7 | G7 | C | | Am7 | G7 | Db7 C | In this case, many authors call this resolution as ―indirect resolution‖, because the tonic didn‘t come automatically after the dominant V7.

How to use interpolated chord The Utilization of the interpolated chord can serve as a surprise factor due to the partial disrupting of the harmonic cliché, or it can serve as option to delay the resolution. All depends on the related melody and the idea of the arrangement performer. Go to: Borrowed chords Back to: Module 10 …………………………………………………………………………………………………….

As the name says, Borrowed Chord is a chord that is borrowed from another mode. It can be from a Greek Mode or from a Parallel Mode. Most of the time, Borrowed Chords come from the parallel mode. For this reason, many authors classify the Borrowed Chord as just a chord borrowed from the parallel mode. Our definition here will be broader. Before going on, we will give you an example of borrowed chord: let‘s say that the song is in C major tonality. If, in some moment of the song appears the chord Eb7M, we quickly identify that it doesn‘t belong to the harmonic field of C major, but from the harmonic field of C minor. As C minor is the parallel of C major, we conclude that this Eb7M is a borrowed chord from the parallel mode. These borrowed chords are passing chords; they suddenly appear in the song and soon the song returns to its tonal harmony again. It is rare appearing a borrowed chord followed by a cadence, because, in this case, we would be characterizing a modulation. Notice the difference: modulations are little transitions of tonality. Borrowed chords don‘t change tonality, they are just borrowed and passing chords. With this difference understood, let‘s go on.

Borrowed Chords options Considering all the modes, there are many options for borrowed chords to use them in the songs. See below the chords of the harmonic field of all the available modes to C tone:

In the point of view of extension notes, it‘s really common to substitute, in the parallel mode, the degreesIm7 and Ivm7 for Im6 and Ivm6, respectively, due to the pleasant obtained sonority.

You also have to be careful with the chord Vm7, because in some cases, it is not a borrowed chord but a second minor degree, providing a modulation to the fourth degree. Example: Gm7 – C7 – F. Very well, you have probably noticed that there are many details, so you need to work in each one of them calmly. Now that the concept of borrowed chords is solid, let‘s train improvisation using these chords. After that, let‘s analyze some songs that have borrowed chords, for you to believe that they are real and used!

How to improvise in Borrowed Chords? To improvise in borrowed chords is simple, it is just to identify where the borrowed chord came from and play the scale of this chord. In theory is easy, but in practice you should be thinking that this is hard, because we have to identify fast what was the borrowed mode to know which tonality or scale to use. Actually this is true. This is why is useful to know which are the most used borrowed chords. This way you can memorize these degrees and know automatically which one to use in these situations. All this will help to decrease your ―surprises‖ while improvising and will increase your music luggage. As more experience you will have, faster will be your reaction. Let‘s start then, working on improvisation with some bases of Guitar Pro. All of them are in D major tonality and have borrowed chords: 1) | C7M | Fm7 Bb7 | C7M | File: Borrowed chords1.gpro In the second bar line of this file, we can use Cm scale, since Fm7 and Bb7 belong to the parallel tone of Cm. Another option it would be using the resources that we already studied to the cadences II – V, with of that possible approach to the dominant, because Fm7 – Bb7 is a cadence II – V with deceptive resolution. Of course the fact of being a deceptive resolution requires caution in the return from the solo to the original tonality. 2) | C7M | Dm7 Db7M | C7M | File: Borrowed chords2.gpro

Here in this base we have, in the end of the second bar line, the chord Db7M, which is a borrowed chord from the Phrygian mode. In other words, Db7M is chord which exists in Ab major tonality (it is the IV degree of Ab), where C is the third degree (IIIm7) of Ab. So we can use in this moment the scale of Ab, its relative Fm or, of course, C Phrygian. Or even Db Lydian, since it is the IV degree of Ab. All this things are, actually the same thing. 3) | C7M | Abmaj7 Db7| C7M | File: Borrowed chords3.gpro In the first half of the second bar line, we can use the scale of Cm, because Abmaj7 is a borrowed chord in the parallel mode, IV degree of Cm. In the second half, we can use Ab melodic minor, which it the melodic minor scale one fifth above Db7. Observation: This chord is acting as subV7 of G7. 4) | C7M Bb7 | Abmaj7 G7 | C7M | File: Borrowed chords4.gpro Here, in the first bar line, it appears a borrowed chord (from the parallel mode). With it we can use the scale of Cm or A flat Mixolydian, because Bb7 is the fifth degree of Eb (relative of Cm). We can go on with the scale of Cm in the second bar line due to Abmaj7 (which also belongs to the field of Cm) and when the chord G7 comes, we can play the harmonic minor scale of C, as if we would stay on C minor mode. This is a really interesting idea to this progression. 5) | C7M | Fmaj7 Fm6 | C7M | File: Borrowed chords5.gpro In the second bar line of this progression, in Fm6 (IVm6), which is a borrowed chord of the parallel mode, we can use the melodic minor scale of F. If you want understand the reason of it, read the article ―Fourth minor degree (IVm6)‖. Besides all this approaches we showed, borrowed chords can also being preceded by a dominant chord. For example, in the previous exercises, Ab7M could be preceded by Eb7 in some progression.

In this case, Eb7 wouldn‘t be a borrowed chord, but an auxiliary dominant. Now, be careful when you also want to add the second degree in this progression, to try to create II – V – I, because with this structure we are already going to modulation and leaving the borrowed chords subject. Don‘t forget what we said in the beginning: borrowed chords are those which appear as intruders, they don‘t have the aim of changing the tonality of the song; they just appear as a surprise effect to create some peculiarity in the melody. See below some examples of songs that use borrowed chords (in orange): MEU ERRO (Hebert Vianna) A

C#m

D

Dm

A

Eu quis dizer você não quis escutar agora não peça não me faça promessas eu não quero te ver C#m

D

Dm

C#m

F#m

nem quero acreditar que vai ser diferente que tudo mudou você diz não saber o que houve de D

Dm

A

D

A

errado e o meu erro foi crer que estar do teu lado bastaria a meu Deus era tudo que eu queria D

Dm

eu dizia o seu nome não me abandone… In this song, which is in A major, we clearly have a single chord that doesn‘t belong to the harmonic field of A: the chord Dm. In the tonality A major, D is the IV major degree, not the minor (IVm). The chord Dm is present in the tonality of A minor, therefore Dm is a borrowed chord in the parallel mode. NOS BAILES DA VIDA (Milton Nascimento e Fernando Brant) D

D7M

D6

C

Foi nos bailes da vida ou num bar em troca de pão que muita gente boa pôs o pé na profissão Em7

A7(4)

A7

D

de tocar um instrumento e de cantar não se importando se quem pagou quis ouvir foi assim D7M

D6

C

cantar era buscar o caminho que vai dar no sol tenho comigo as lembranças do que eu era pra Em7

A7(4)

A7

D

D4

cantar nada era longe tudo era tão bom pé estrada de terra na boléia de caminhão era assim D

D7M

D6

C

Em7 com a roupa encharcada e a alma repleta de chão todo artista tem de ir aonde o povo está se A7(4)

A7(4)

A7

D

D4

foi assim assim será cantando me disfarço e não me canso de viver nem de cantar In this song, which is in D major, the chord C should be C#m7(b5) (VIIm7b5). This C major that appeared is acting like D minor (it is the seventh degree downgraded bVII). This song also presents other interesting characteristics, like cadences II – V – I to the tonic and to the first degree with passing notes. This last characteristic appears in the chord D4 (where the fourth is an avoided note. Notice that the chord D4 appears before the chord D, emphasizing that this fourth is just a passing note). Go to: How to modulate Back to: Module 10 ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

We already learned in the topic ―Modulation‖ the basics about this subject. Now that we have a solid theory base, it is time to go deep in this subject and to show you how to modulate, in other words, which resources and analysis we can explore in this subject. We can start answering some questions:

Where can we modulate to? We can modulate to any tone, independently from where we are; there is no restriction to this. But, the most common is modulating to closely related keys because our ear will adapt itself better to this kind of transition, due the fact that there is some affinity between these tonalities. In Pop music, in general, it is also used the modulation one tone above (increase the song one tone) or a half tone above.

What kind of resources can we use to modulate? The most common is using cadences. We can make II – V – I progressions, or any other, to prepare better our ear to the tonality change. Cadences serve as ―transition softeners‖; they prepare the way. To the improviser, they also serve as indicator so that the musician sees where the song is going. In the article about cadences we showed one example of use of cadences in modulation. We will see here more examples in known songs. But, before of this, it is worth to highlight that cadences are not the only way of soften a tonality transition. We can also make the ―diatonic modulation‖.

What is diatonic modulation? It is when we change the harmonic function of a chord in the song; in other words, we take advantage of the fact that a same chord exists in different tonalities and we does the transition between these two tonalities by this chord. See this example: Let‘s say that the tonality of a song is in C major, until the moment where G major appears followed by D major and B minor. We can clearly see that tonality has changed to D major, but it is interesting that the chord G belongs even to the harmonic field of C major as D major. In the

tonality of C, G is the fifth degree (dominant function), while in the tonality of D, G is the fourth degree (subdominant function). Moral of the story: to make this modulation from C major to D major, we changed the function of G: it is no longer the fifth degree and became to be used as fourth degree. This is an interesting manner of modulating, because we confuse the listener making the same chord serves in another function. Many times, this technique when well used makes the modulation becomes almost imperceptible; the tonality changes and the unsuspecting listener doesn‘t notice this! Well, the definition that we showed until now is the only one possible to diatonic modulation. For example, in a song in C major, after G could come the C minor chord, and in this case we would be modulating to a parallel tone using G as dominant, in other words, it didn‘t change its function, despite having taken the song to another tonality. Therefore, a broader definition to diatonic modulation would be using the present chord in the original harmonic field to take the song to another harmonic field. Many authors also call this kind of modulation as ―modulation with pivot chords‖ or ―modulation with common chords‖. If we would think in each possibility of modulation, we would stay here until tomorrow talking about how is possible to change the harmonic function of a chord (we could change a V7 in a secondary dominant; this one, on the other hand, could become a subV7, etc., etc.). It is not worth continuing discoursing about these innumerous cases, because it would be really boring. It is just to understand the concept, because the examples and ideas will come when we analyze the songs. Besides this modulation, we still have the called ―Chromatic Modulation‖.

What is Chromatic Modulation? It is when we does some chromatic change in one (or more) notes of a chord of the original harmonic field to be able to use it in another harmonic field, changing then, the tonality of the song. This sentence is really long, but an example can make it easy: Let‘s say again that the song is in C major. Think about the following sequence: C – Am – A – D. The tonality here has changed to D major, and the idea was to take the Am chord and change chromatically its third, changing it in a major chord. This A (that before was minor and belonged to the harmonic field of C major) became a major chord, serving as fifth degree for D (A major belongs to the harmonic field of D minor), concluding the modulation.

Very well, now that we know the resources, let‘s show one example of song that has several modulations, so you will see how composers work with this in practice. The song below has 3 tonalities: D major (in yellow), G major (in green) and A# major (in orange). Check it:

In the first modulation, the tonality was in D major, and then A7(9) chord, that was supposed to be solved in D7M (expected resolution), served as dominant for the dominant (V7/V7), because the D chord appeared with seventh and was solved in G7M, characterizing the first modulation. This modulation can be classified as modulation by secondary dominant to the IV degree, which is a closely related key. From this moment, the tonality became G major. The second modulation happened when the chord that was supposed to be G major appeared as G sharp minor (G#m7(11)). In this right moment, it would be hard to discover where the harmony is going to, but the next chords will give us a hint. Right after this G# minor, G7(#11) chord came, which is an altered dominant, and then F#7M chord appeared. So, we can conclude that that G# minor served like second minor degree of F# major and G7 served like subV7, replacing the fifth degree V7 of F#, which would be C#7. From that point, the tonality became F# major. Notice that this modulation went to one semitone below the previous tonality, which was G major.

The song still returns to the initial tonality of D major, through another modulation. In this case, the modulation happened through a dominant of the dominant (V7/V7), because E7 served as dominant to A, which in its time, served as dominant V7 to D. It is worth to highlight that, before this modulation, a modal borrowed chord of parallel tone appeared (A7M, highlighted in red; it belongs to the harmonic field of F#m, which is parallel to F# major). There are other characteristics in this song that could be studied apart, like imperfect cadences, inverted chords, among others. But as our focus here in this topic was the subject ―modulation‖, we will let these complete approaches in the part of studied songs here in the website. Go to: Bebop scale – bebop jazz Back to: Module 10 …………………………………………………………………………………………………. Bebop Scale emerged in the same context of Bebop Jazz. If you want to learn how to play Jazz, we can be sure that you are taking a big step in reading this article! We will show here a resource extremely used by Jazz musicians; and that can be also used in any other music style. Be ready to increase your versatility in all the contexts, because the application of this scale is really wide and useful to everybody! So, before everything, let‘s start with a little story about Bebop Jazz.

Bebop Jazz Bebop Jazz emerged among the 40‘s and marked what we call Contemporary Jazz. The father of this style was the saxophonist Charlie Parker, and the propagation of Bebop all over the world has the help of many other musicians (like the trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie). Due to its complex harmonies and frenetic rhythms, this style called attention, because it wasn‘t appropriate to dancing, nor to singing, being driven just to the improvisation and instrumental virtuosity. Bebop Music stood out because it was different from Popular Music, having fast rhythms

and hard sequences of eighth tones. The improvisation used resources known from Jazz and also some alterations, like the augmented fifth. These characteristic alterations, after being really used and consecrated, gave origin to Bebop Scale that we will show. The development of Bebop changed some approaches of accompaniment and solo. Drummers start to depend less on bass drum and more on drum plates (cymbal conduction). Bass players become more responsible for keeping the rhythmic pulsation, marking the harmonic cadences and playing the crotchets all the time. And the pianists were able to use a lighter touch, where the left hand was not obligated to mark the rhythmic pulsation or the fundamental note from the chords. With this, the standard shape of the Contemporary Jazz became universal and unmistakable. Very well, as we are not talking to basic readers but with musicians, before going on with this reading, go to Youtube and search ―Charlie Parker‖.

Dominant Bebop Scale Now that you have listened a little of Bebop, you should have noticed that chromaticism appears ―without limits‖ in this style. A chromaticism that marked the Bebop was the use of the seventh major in a Mixolydian Mode. In other words, to improvise in dominant chords the Bebop musicians added one note to Mixolydian Mode, making a scale with 8 notes. This scale became known as Dominant Bebop Scale. Let‘s see how the scale of G dominant Bebop compared with G mixolydian was. 

Notes of the G Mixolydian Scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F



Notes of G Dominant Bebop scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F, F# Drawing of G Dominant Bebop

In G Dominant Bebop, there is a chromaticism among the notes F, F# e G.

As F# doesn‘t belong to Diatonic Scale, we should avoid resting on it. This seventh major should be used just as a passing note. The interesting is that the scale of 8 notes allows a more accurate rhythmic subdivision than in a 7 notes scale. A scale of 8 notes fits in a compass 4/4 playing one note by each eight notes. With this, the passing note can have the same duration of the other notes.

Major Bebop Scale There is also a Bebop Scale which is not dominant. This Bebop Scale, known as Major Bebop Scale, is used in major chords. It also has 8 notes, and the alteration is in the fifth degree (it has an augmented fifth). Compare below the C major scale with C Bebop major scale: 

Notes of C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B



Notes of C Bebop major scale: C, D, E, F, G, G#, A, B Drawing of C Bebop major

Observation: In the Dominant Bebop Scale, we saw that the ―extra note‖ was F# (seventh degree of the dominant). This note, starting from C, is the flatted fifth. In other words, both scales (dominant and major scales) together represent two alterations (diminished fifth and augmented fifth, in relation to the tonic).

Bebop Scale Application Bebop scale can be used in any tonal context, since these alterations in the fifth serve as passing notes! Of course that these passing notes tend to sound better in the tonic and in the dominant V7 (because the origin of these notes was based on these chords), but you don‘t need to be afraid of using them in the other degrees of the tonality; it is all about good taste.

Nice, you have just discovered new outside notes that can be used as passing notes (like the example of the blue note in the Pentatonic Scale). The difference is that the ―blue note‖ everybody knows and uses it, while the Bebop Scale is unknown to almost everybody. So this could be your differential! But, making the Bebop Scale sounds good requires training and practice, because these sonorities of augmented fifth and diminished fifth in the tonic are associated to a characteristic of the Jazz style. Maybe you use well the blue note of the Pentatonic Scale now, but notice that this note sounds good in a peculiar style that you developed (this involves certain dynamic, accentuation, among other things that your brain is already ―programmed‖ to do when it thinks in blue note). In the same way, Bebop Scale sounds good when used with the right dynamic and accentuation. As everything in life, it is not in a blink of an eye that you acquire this ability. Calm down, we are here to speed up this process to the maximum! First of all, we will give you some exercises for you to practice. They are links and sentences using the Bebop Scale. Repeating a lot these exercises, many times a day, you will internalize the Bebop feeling and will pass to use this scale like a master in innumerous music contexts, even those far from the Jazz context. Besides the exercises, we will show you some examples of application of these ideas in solo practices. Just as observation, the Descending Bebop Scale generally works better than the Ascending, but this you will realize by you own. Besides playing, try to listen to Jazz Bebop. We will indicate in the end of this study some names for you to take as models.

Exercises of Jazz Bebop Remember that the objective of these exercises is not gaining speed! We are not studying technique here, but musical vocabulary. So, forget the mechanic of the thing and start worrying about perception. Soon the results will appear!

Repeating the links bellow many times, the Bebop vocabulary will be in your fingers. Memorize it, understand it, feel it and practice a lot. This file of Guitar Pro has sentences built in C7 chord: BebopC7.gpro This means that the tonality is F major and that the worked scale is C Dominant Bebop Scale. You can transpose this to the tonality you wish; our objective is just introducing you the idea. These links were taken from the book ―How to Play Bebop‖, from David Baker. Use of Bebop ideas in songs: Bebopapplication.gpro This base is in C major tonality and has the chords Dm7 | G7 | C7M. Notice that the G Dominant Bebop Scale fits well with the G7 chord, but can also be used in other chords of this tonality, because the Dominant Bebop Scale is not restricted to the dominant chord alone, as we already emphasized. The same happens with C Bebop Major Scale, that doesn‘t need to be played exclusively in C major chord. It is important that you understand that Bebop Scales can be used in any tonal context, since that the outside notes appear as passing notes. Practice the Bebop Scale downloading the file: Bebop scale exercise.gpro This base is in E minor tonality. Listen carefully and practice the bebop sentences in this backing track. Try to know some consecrated Bebop musicians to internalize this style once and for all: Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Oscar Pettiford, Duke Jordan, Miles Davis, Tommy Potter, Al Haig, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Stitt, Max Roach, Lucky Thompson, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham, Kenny Clarke, Milt Jackson, Charles Mingus, Roy Haynes, etc. Go to: Whole tone scale Back to: Module 10 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Whole Tone Scale or Hexatonic Scale is a scale made by the sequence: tone – tone – tone – tone – tone – tone.

It is not for nothing that it is called ―Whole Tone Scale‖, is it? Because all the notes have 1 tone of distance among them. You can also notice that this scale has 6 notes, so the name: ―hexa‖ also makes sense! Using this sequence, let‘s see how the G Hexatonic Scale is (you can also see the degrees above the notes): 1M 2M 3M 4A 5A 6A C, D, E,

F#, G#, A#

Drawing of Hexatonic Scale

Nice, but you are interested in knowing what this scale is and where to use it! So let‘s go to what matters:

How to use the Whole Tone Scale Hexatonic scale can be used in dominant chords. For this, it is just playing the Hexatonic of the own dominant in question. For example: in the progression of chords Am7 | G7 | C, we can play the Hexatonic Scale in G7. Nice, we will talk about some details later, but is good for you to know that the Whole Tone Scale it is not as used as Diminished, Harmonic Minor or Melodic Minor scales. Its sonority is not as ―acclaimed‖ as the other scales; some musicians like more, others less, it is up to you to decide when it is worth to use it or not. Our hint is that, when you will use it, try to play this scale in altered dominant. Why? Well, as we already saw, the Hexatonic Scale has augmented fourth and fifth, besides a seventh minor. The dominant V7 already has a seventh minor, so the Hexatonic creates in it two alterations

(augmented fourth and fifth). When the dominant already has these two alterations, the Hexatonic sounds even better, doesn‘t it? So that‘s the reason! In the next topic, we will talk more about Whole Tone Scale, making relation with a special Greek Modeand giving you examples of application. Check it! Go to: Lydian dominant mode Back to: Module 10 …………………………………………………………………………………………………… Another possible application to the whole tone scale, besides those we saw, is in the Lydian Dominant Mode. ―Gosh, now it became difficult! It screwed me up! I will not understand anything!‖. Calm down, sure you will understand, it‘s really simple. What is the Lydian scale? It‘s a major scale with an augmented fourth. If you didn‘t know that, it is just to check the Greek Modes; do this scale and observe it. Let‘s recap then. If the tonality is in C major, the chord of fourth degree is F7M and the Greek Mode used in F is the Lydian Mode. Until here, nothing is new.

Lydian Dominant Mode If we change this seventh major of F7M for a seventh minor, we would have F7 chord. In this case, the scale that we used before (Lydian Mode) would have an alteration in the seventh degree (it would no longer be major, but minor). This new scale (Lydian with seventh minor) is called Lydian Dominant Scale, because the resulting chord became a dominant chord with seventh (F7). Notice that lowering of the seventh created a tritone, this is why the chord became dominant. Very well, the greatest result of all this is when the chord of fourth degree is a dominant chord, the scale in it has an augmented fourth (which comes from the Lydian Mode) and a seventh minor (which comes from the dominant structure), being really similar to the Hexatonic scale!

Actually, the only note that the Hexatonic scale has that is not in the Lydian dominant scale is the augmented fifth degree.

Similarity between Hexatonic Scales

Lydian

Dominant

and

Compare below the F Lydian dominant scale with F Hexatonic scale: 

Notes of F Lydian Dominant: F, G, A, B, C, D, D#



Notes of F Hexatonic: F, G, A, B, C#, D# Due to this affinity, we conclude that the Hexatonic Scale can be used in Lydian dominant chords, as we wanted to show you! Now let‘s continue this reasoning. Where does the Lydian dominant chord come from? In which context does it exist? It is always in the melodic minor harmonic field. Let‘s see C melodic minor harmonic field:

Notice that the fourth degree is a major chord with seventh! (in other words, a Lydian dominant). Therefore, the Lydian dominant comes from the melodic minor context. This makes us to conclude some things. Take a breath, calm down and relax. Ready? Now we can go on. We already saw that F Lydian dominant is the mode that fits in F7 when F is the fourth degree of the tonality. And what is the scale to be played in the first degree (Cm7M) in this case? It is C melodic minor, right? Because this harmonic field is created in this scale! So my friend, this means that the Lydian Dominant Scale is the fourth mode of melodic minor scale. In other words, F Lydian dominant is the C melodic minor scale played starting in its fourth degree. We are doing here the same thing we did in the Greek Modes, in other words, we are playing a scale starting from other degree that not the first. If is hard to understand, read again the article about Greek Modes and then return back here. The idea will be really clearer.

Let‘s now compare the notes of C melodic minor with F Lydian dominant: 

Notes of C melodic minor: C, D, Eb, F, G, A, B



Notes of F Lydian dominant: F, G, A, B, C, D, Eb They are exactly the same notes. Have you noticed that C minor melodic scale is one fifth above F? Do you remember that we taught you how to use the melodic minor one fifth above the non altered dominant chords? So then, there it is one application to this! F7 is a non altered dominant, right?! The moral of the story is this: Playing the melodic minor scale one fifth above a non altered dominant, we are doing this dominant sounds like it was a fourth degree Blues (IV7). For example, we let‘s suppose that we are improvising in this cadence: | Dm7 | G7 | C | The tonality here is C major, but in G7 we can play the D melodic minor scale, as we already know. Doing this, we are using G7 chord to ―cheat‖ the listener making him/her that G7 is IV degree Blues. This is the same as thinking that tonality changed to D melodic minor (momentarily), where G7 is acting like fourth degree IV7 (and not as V7 of C anymore). Of course that this is not the only explanation to use the melodic minor scale one fifth above the dominant. Many musicians prefer thinking that this D melodic minor scale creates an alteration (ninth flat) in G7 chord. Independently of the explanation that you will choose, the important is not to be restricted to only one train of thought, because sometimes we can explore hidden resources and create really attractive sonorities when thinking beyond the common sense. Never block your mind when the subject is music!

Melodic minor and Lydian dominant Well, returning to the idea of Lydian dominant, due the fact that we are doing G7 sounds like IV7, we can also try playing the Hexatonic scale on it, because we already saw that there is more affinity between Hexatonic and Lydian dominant mode (IV7) that between Hexatonic and Mixolydian dominant (V7). Summarizing, when you apply the Hexatonic scale in a non altered dominant V7, try to mix your solo to the melodic minor scale one fifth above.

This combination sounds really good, because it renders the Hexatonic more attractive! The melodic minor one fifth above can make the V7 has another momentary function (IV7), which is more interesting to the Hexatonic. In practice, Hexatonic scale doesn‘t use to appear alone, because the Lydian dominant chords (IV7) or augmented fourth dominants are not really common. So Jazz and Bossa Nova musicians like to put a small dose of Hexatonic mixed with other things (mainly the melodic minor one fifth above), to give this ―taste‖ we explained. Many even don‘t know the reason of this! To finish this, notice that there are just two Hexatonic scales (C and C#); the other ones are identical to these two, starting in other degrees. This is really useful of observing when improvising, because it increases our field of vision. Instead of thinking in G Hexatonic, for example, you can think in D# Hexatonic, which is identical. So, when you want to mix G Hexatonic and D melodic minor, for example, you can think in D melodic minor and D# Hexatonic (it is closer and better to see). Get the hint!

1.200 words later… Well, the subject here burned our neurons! But the concept is not as complicated when we put the pieces together. With practice these concepts will go from your head to your veins! We can guarantee that explanations like this one you will not find anywhere, even paying a lot for books and extensive bibliographies. It‘s a great pleasure to Simplifying Theory team to scrutinize the details and reveal the hidden secrets behind many theory themes of music. If this website has been useful for you, help us to divulge it so that we can improve even more! To finish this topic, we will give you an example in Guitar Pro of the use of Hexatonic in an altered dominant chord. The base, hexatonicscale.gpro, in D minor tonality and is made by the following chords: | Em7(b5) | A7(#5) | Dm7(9) | Try to create your own ideas and mix the A Hexatonic with D melodic minor scale in this example. Enjoy it!

Go to: IVm6 chord Back to: Module 10 …………………………………………………………………………………………………. The fourth minor degree chord (IVm6 chord) is a chord that doesn‘t belong to the natural major harmonic field, because in this field, the fourth degree is major. In this way, it acts generally like a borrowed chord of the parallel mode in this context, because it belongs to the minor harmonic field. As this chord appears many times in songs, we dedicated a specific topic to speak about it. Generally the fourth minor degree appears with an additional sixth (IVm6), because this produces a pleasant sonority to this chord.

How to improvise using the IVm6 chord? To improvise in it, we can think in the parallel mode or in the melodic minor scale of itself. This second option is a secret rarely known, and we will (as always) explain why this is possible. Firstly, let‘s name the things. You could suppose that we are in the tonality of C major and suddenly appears the Fm6 chord. This chord can be seen as a Bb7 ―disguised‖. Compare it below: 

Fm6 notes: F, C, D, G#



Bb7 notes: Bb, C, D, G# Notice as this two chords have the 3 identical notes, being different just in the tonic. The main similarity here is that Fm6 has the tritone of Bb7, which is made by the notes D and G#. Therefore, Fm6 can be understood as a dominant (in this case, the dominant V7 of Eb, due the fact that Bb7 is one fifth above Eb). You can also notice that Eb is the relative major of Cm. Very well, as Fm6 is acting like Bb7, we can use the melodic minor scale one fifth above Bb7 (if you don‘t remember this resource, read the topic ―Melodic Minor Scale‖). But the fifth degree of Bb7 is the F itself, because this we can use the melodic minor scale of F in Fm6 in this context.

Let‘s show below an example of application of this concept by Guitar Pro (took from the topic AEM): Base: | C | Fmaj7 Fm6 | C | File: IVm6.gpro Listen the melodic minor scale of F in Fm6 in this context and take your own conclusions! Notice now the first part of the song ―Trem de Cores‖ by Caetano Veloso. We will show only the first chords of the song to prove that this resource of fourth minor degree is really used: | D D(#5) G7M | Em Gm6 | In the second bar line, Gm6 chord is acting like IVm6, because the tonality is D major. Our intention is to improve even more this website, giving more practical examples and analyzing more songs. You can help to enrich Simplifying Theory divulgating the website and sending your own ideas of solos to this and other themes. Take part on it! Go to: Module 11 Back to: Module 10 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Module 11

In the harmonic major field, the chord of second degree is minor. But an interesting resource (really used) is playing the chord of second degree as major. The feeling which is produced is similar to a secondary dominant, because the second degree could serve as V7/ V7 (dominant of the dominant). For example, in C major tonality, D is minor, so playing D major would give the sensation of preparation to a fifth degree (G). Without adding the seventh (D7), the feeling of the dominant is attenuated. We will show some examples of use of the major chord of second degree, for you to be used with this sensation: 

In this first file from Guitar Pro, the tonality is C major. Notice the feeling of the D major chord in this context: IImajordegree.gpro



Now pay attention in B7 chord in tonality A major. Notice that it is serving as secondary dominant to E major: II7.gpro

How to improvise in major chord of second degree (II7) Nice, let‘s say now that you are improvising a solo in a song that has the major chord of second degree. What to do? You can use the melodic minor scale in it, which is located one fifth above it. Any surprise in this? No! Because it is the same resource that we used in non-altered dominants, and as we already said here, the major chord of second degree gives the feeling of the secondary dominant. We can also consider that it is an borrowed chord from the Lydian Mode. This doesn‘t change the resources that we can use in the point of view of improvisation, because the idea would be the same that we just said. Listen to the examples we gave and practice this concept in other songs too. Train your ear to identify the feeling of a major chord of second degree. As in many times this chord has the seventh (to definitely mark the dominant function), it is denoted by II7. This chord doesn‘t appear only in harmonically rich styles, but also in popular songs, providing interesting variations. Now that you know this resource, try to identify it as always as possible.

Go to: #IVm7(b5) chord Back to: Module 11 …………………………………………………………………………………………………. Well, in the previous article, we talked about the chord of second degree (II7). Now we will talk about a chord that is closely connected to it: the half diminished sharp chord of fourth degree #IVm7(b5).

Where to use the chord #IVm7 (b5)? This kind of chord can act like a passing chord between IV and V degrees. Before everything, let‘s name the things to not being so abstract: you can suppose that we are in the C tonality. IV and V degrees, therefore, will be F and G chords. And the chord #IVm7(b5) will be the F#m7(b5) chord. Back to the subject we proposed, the F#m7(b5) chord can be used as a passing chord between F and G chords. It is possible to notice that one of the reasons for this being possible is the chromatic effect which is associated, because the bass note is going chromatically from F to G. But why does the chord need to be half diminished (m7b5)? Pay attention in this: 

Notes of #m7(b5) chord: F#, A, C, E



Notes of D7 chord: D, F#, A, C As you can see, these chords have 3 notes in common; and besides that, the tritone from D7 chord (created by F# and C notes) also is present in the F#m7(b5) chord. Moral of the story: one can have the function of the other! Nice, but what does it mean in practice? Well, the D7 chord is the dominant of G, isn‘t it? So then, playing D7 before G would be a cadence ―V – I‖ (perfect cadence), while playing F#m7(b5) chord before G would have the same purpose, being a cadence ―VII – I‖ (imperfect cadence).

Very well, so it is explained! The F#m7(b5) chord can be used between the F and G chords due the chromatic effect and the formation of a cadence ―VII – I‖. Now you are able to use this resource whenever you want. Observation: if the F#m7(b5) chord is followed by B7, it is acting like II degree of a progression II – V – I to E minor, then the previous thought is not applied, because the purpose is another one. Before finishing the subject, just notice that D7 is the second major degree (II7) of C; then don‘t be surprised if, ―by accident‖ you see the #IVm7(b5) chord replacing the second major degree (due the fact that they are really similar). The utilization of #IVm7(b5) is not restricted to stay only between the IV and V degrees; remember that everything is possible when the subject is music. It is important to notice that, as being a strange chord to the tonality, the #IVm7(b5) chord will not always sound well. It is needed being aware of the produced effect. As much practice you have in the use of this chord, faster you will know how to identify it and also how to fit it in the songs that don‘t have it. We tried to pass here in the website the fundamental concepts to avoid doubts and to awaken ideas in the functional harmony aspect. The real application of these concepts, however, will be connected to the melody and the good taste of the composer. Go to: Improvising with outside notes Back to: Module 11 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Let‘s use this topic to make a general review of everything we saw about improvisation until now, to serve as a quick reference guide.

Improvisation guide Before anything, a good improviser needs to know in ―which ground he is walking in‖. For this is important:

1) Identify the main tonality of the song.

Prerequisite: to know the natural harmonic fields.

2) Identify quickly the changes of tonality, if there is some. Prerequisite: to know the most used resources in modulation.

3) Identify passing chords which are strange to the tonality, if there is some. Prerequisite: to know the concepts of borrowed chords, secondary dominants, major second degree (II7), minor fourth degree (IVm6), passing diminished.

4) Identify the harmonic feeling of each chord in the song. Prerequisite: to know the harmonic function. Very well, with these 4 items, the improviser has already a great vision about the ―ground‖ he is walking in. To know how to profit the most this ―ground‖ it is important that the improviser knows well the main scales.

Application context of music scales Let‘s organize then the contexts in which the scales can be used, highlighting in italic the resources that bring outside notes to your solo:

1) When the tonality of the song is identified (and the possible changes of tonality), the musician can use: – Natural scales: major, relative minor, Greek modes. – Derived from natural scales: pentatonic and Blues scale.

2) When strange chords to the tonality are identified, the musician can use:

– In borrowed chords: Natural Scales (if you know from which mode this borrowed chord came). – In secondary dominants and major chord of second degree: Melodic Minor Scale one fifth above the chord in question. – In minor chord of fourth degree: Minor scale of the chord of I degree of the tonality and/or Melodic minor scale of the own IVm chord. – In passing diminished: Diminished Scale of the own chord.

3) When the harmonic feeling of each chord is identified, the musician can use: – In the tonic function (I degree of the song): Major scale, relative minor, pentatonic, Blues scale, arpeggioof the chord, Bebop scale, target notes by chromatic approximation. – In the tonic function (VI degree of the song): Minor scale, relative major, pentatonic minor, Blues scale, arpeggio from the chord, Bebop scale, target notes by chromatic approximation. – In the tonic function (III degree of the song): Phrygian mode, pentatonic minor, arpeggio of the chord,target notes by chromatic approximation. – In the subdominant function (II and IV degrees): Greek mode from the chord, arpeggio of the chord,target notes by chromatic approximation. – In the non-altered dominant (V7): Mixolydian mode, arpeggio from the chord, Melodic minor scale one fifth above, altered scale, diminished scale one semitone above, hexatonic scale of the own chord, Bebop scale, target notes by chromatic approximation, harmonic minor scale one fourth above (if it solves in a I minor degree). – In the altered dominant chord (V altered degree): Mixolydian mode, arpeggio from the chord, altered scale, diminished scale one semitone above, hexatonic scale of the own chord, Bebop scale, target notes by chromatic approximation, harmonic minor scale one fourth above (if it solves in a I minor degree).

We already said this, but never is too much emphasize that a dominant chord is what allows outside notesthe most, as you just saw here. About the other chords of the natural harmonic field, the outside notes can come from the following scales: Blues, Bebop and target notes by chromatic approximation. It is always good to come back and study again some topic if you forgot how to use some scale. This summary serves as a guide for those who absorbed the content separately here in the website. Bit by bit we will also insert new contents, so be sure to follow! Your solo will be even more ―tasty‖ in the way you take this ―trickery‖ of these outside notes. Show you creativity sending your solos to Simplifying Theory. This is a good way to see music theory in practice! Go to: Improvisation in blues Back to: Module 11 …………………………………………………………………………………………………. After studying many subjects, here we are coming back to the world of Blues! If you are a beginner in the subject and by accident you fell in this topic, read the basic topic about Bluesbefore anything. Well, if it is not the case, and you have been following the website, so you have learned that the dominant chord V7 allows us to use many interesting resources in improvisation. It is the most explored kind of chords when we talk about outside notes. What we are going to do now is to take the concepts that we learned about dominants and use them in Blues; because Blues is formed mainly by dominant chords! You already know the basic structure of Blues, so now is time to get off from the surface and go beyond the Minor Pentatonic scale + Blues scale.

Summarizing the improvisation in blues It is time to use the other approaches we know! Let‘s summarize what you can use in the chords of Blues (first, fourth and fifth degrees), all of them non-altered dominants:

– Melodic Minor scale one fifth above – Diminished scale one semitone above (Dominant Diminished scale) – Whole tone scale – Bebop Dominant scale – Mixolydian mode scale – Major Pentatonic scale (above the first degree) – Chromaticism with Target Notes We don‘t need to comment here about Melodic Minor Scale, Diminished, whole tone, Bebop and Mixolydian; because the reason to use each one of them is thinking that each chord of Blues acts like a dominant chord (we already studied this approach for each one of these scales). Even if these chords with seventh of the dominant are not being solved in their tonalities, they are nonetheless dominants, so we think as each of them as a V7 chord. The chromaticism with Target Notes was also completely explained in other topics and you already know how to use it. The new thing here is the Major Pentatonic. In the same way we use the Minor Pentatonic, we can also use the Major Pentatonic above the first degree. Think about this: Major Pentatonic takes the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th degrees. In G chord, Major Pentatonic would take then the notes G, A, B, D and E. Let‘s see if these notes are already present in another scale we are using: To G7 chord, D is present in the Minor Pentatonic scale of G. Ok, then I don‘t need o be worried about this note. E and A are present in Melodic Minor scale of D (which is the melodic minor one fifth above G7). B is present in the Mixolydian scale of G. In other words, when playing the Major Pentatonic scale of G, we are not doing nothing different than using the previous notes that we already used. So, there is no problem in doing this!

Just as a curiosity, the Major Pentatonic in Blues is really used by the guitarist B.B. King. If you want to grow in this style, listen to B.B. King and notice the way he uses the Major Pentatonic. If you are not comfortable with the Major Pentatonic and if you are a lover of the shape of the Minor Pentatonic scale, you can think about the relative minor of G (E minor) and play, in this case, the Minor Pentatonic of E. Very well, the theory concepts are all expounded, now it is time of hands-on! We will give you all these concepts used in solos. Check bellow and take these ideas as example to build your own ideas! Observation: Diminished scale in Blues sounds better when is played before the transition from one chord to another. For example, before going from the first degree to the fourth, try to use the Diminished. Do the same thing in the transition from the fourth degree to the first. This scale sounds better this way because it is really used in the idea of ―passing chords‖, as we already studied. File Guitar Pro: AdvancedImprovisationinBlues.gpro Use all these concepts in this base of Blues: Bluesbase.gpro Now you can consider yourself a differentiated musician! Which is the frequency that you listen to these outside notes in Blues? We can do almost everything in Blues, but 99.9% of musicians don‘t explore it, they just extract things from Minor Pentatonic with a Blue note. It is such a waste of opportunity, isn‘t it?! In this topic, we talked just about improvisation. In the next advanced topic of Blues we will talk about the concepts of functional harmony. If Simplifying Theory has been useful for you, share it and help us to grow! Our target is to develop the website even more and be reference in music theory study. Your participation is important! Go to: Improvisation in jazz Back to: Module 11 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. If you are reading this article, probably you have already asked yourself how to improvise in Jazz.

All musicians who are hooked on Pentatonic scale fear Jazz, because this style has many harmonic variations, far from the tonal songs that the ―virtuous pentamusician‖ are used to. But there is always someone who is hooked on Pentatonic and wants to leave this limited life and learn Jazz. This mission, though, goes down the drain in most of the cases, due the fact that Jazz looks like a thing from another planet. And this is why we are here! We want break this myth that Jazz is not for all! We will soon create a topic which explains what characterizes Jazz, its rhythm and everything. But we can give good news for you who studied and followed all the levels until now: you are already able to improvise in Jazz! That‘s it, but before jumping for joy, calm down, because is yet needed training and dedication.

Characteristics of Jazz We will not give you a new concept in this topic; we will just emphasize some important points: 1. Jazz is, normally, rich in cadences and modulations. 2. The rhythmic pulse of Jazz asks a solo that follows the swing. We will cover in this topic the first item. Later we will create a topic about the second item. So let‘s go. To improvise well in modulations, we already know that is important to master with confidence the Greek modes, in a way that you could stay in the same region of your instrument even if the song changes its tonality. For example, let‘s say that a Jazz song started in C major and in the third barline the tonality changed to D major. If you were using C Ionian, it would be interesting to stay in the same region of the instrument, changing from the C Ionic to C Mixolydian, instead of ―jumping‖ to F Ionic. Try to stay with your hand static during these transitions so that the improvisation can flow, without being like a ―deer jumping‖ and searching Ionic modes in each tonality. This is the way of developing a behavior and a posture of someone who plays Jazz. In relation to cadences, train a lot the improvisation in cadences II – V – I, exploring the resources that we have to the dominant V7, specially to the Melodic minor scale and altered scale (its sister), because Jazz musicians use and abuse these two scales.

Spending time improvising in a cadence II – V – I will make you used to this sonority and with an immediate reflex, a reaction that phrasing automatically develops when faced with this cadence. The advantage of this is that Jazz uses this cadence, so you will recognize immediately what is happening all time, and of course, you will behave really well in these progressions. After that, train improvisation in other cadences less usual than this, like deceptive cadences, to learn how to react well before some surprises. Observation: when we say ―cadence II – V – I‖, you should have the idea of the sequence: subdominant – dominant – tonic, in other words, we can have other chords assuming these functions too, as the cadence IV – V – I, for example. Having these two concepts that we commented well trained (modulation and cadences); you will find your place in any Jazz song.

How to improvise in Jazz with jazzy phrasing To have a jazzy phrasing, listen to some musicians of this style and notice the ―enthusiasm‖ they play the notes. Practice a lot the Bebop scale. Choose some Jazz songs and train improvisation in them. In the part of ―examined songs‖ here in the website, we will be putting some classics of Jazz with comments. Practice them. The results will not delay to appear. Try to practice these concepts of this backing track (download the file): Jazztrain.gpro This base is full of cadences II – V – I. Practice until you feel yourself comfortable with this context. Soon you will feel yourself comfortable to Jazz, and this will enrich your musical vision in a surprising way! Go to: Reharmonization Back to: Module 11 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Reharmonization is the art of modifying the harmonic structure of a song. For that, musicians work with many concepts, almost all of them we already saw here in the website.

How to reharmonize In practice, reharmonize is taking a song which is already done and change its harmony keeping its original melody. Let‘s say that a friend of yours show you a song he did. With the concepts of reharmonization, you can take this song and make it better, creating a complex and interesting structure. Another use is working in songs that are well known. For example, you could want to play a famous hit, but with another version, to show personality from your own. To this, it would be necessary reharmonize its structure. Remember, however, that more complex doesn‘t always mean more beautiful. The main function of reharmonization is providing a base to alternative ideas, wherein the quality of these ideas will depend on the good taste of the composer.

How to work with reharmonization Many composers gain their lives doing this. People come to them with songs they want to record, doing their ―dry‖ and ―square‖ chords (the only ones they know). So composers observe the intentions of the ―artist‖ and reharmonize the song, making the structure better and enriching the composition according to the taste and motivation of their ―client‖. You will perceive, over this study that any reharmonization needs to be done considering the melody. It is it which will say what we can or can‘t do. This topic will emphasize this point, showing how the melody is the flagship and what we can create of harmony in it.

Types of reharmonization In order to have this articulation we mentioned and learn well this concept, we will show you here 6 ways of possible reharmonization: 1. With the addition of notes to the chords. 2. With the substitution of chord with the same harmonic function. 3. With the substitution of the used Greek Mode.

4. With the utilization of chord progressions. 5. With modulation. 6. With borrowed chords. We will show each method separately, because each approach is extensive. Let‘s go to the first one:

1) With the addition of notes to the chords: This method is nothing more than adding notes to the chords in the song. Many authors don‘t classify this addiction as reharmonization, but here we will consider any change in the harmony as reharmonization (even if it is changing isolated notes in the chords). Think then that a song was created with the following chords: | G | D | Em | C | A first idea that we could have to this song it would add the seventh in each one of the chords, making tetrads instead of triads. We would have then: | G7M | D7 | Em7 | C7M | This structure would give another ―body‖ to the song. But maybe the singer didn‘t like this D7, saying that it was quite aggressive. So you choose to put a D9, which is ―smoother‖. | G7M | D9 | Em7 | C7M | Since that, in the D9 chord in the guitar, the ninth (E note) entered in the place of the third (F# note), we can use this F# and put it in the bass. Check the chord D9/F#:

This also would make an interesting sequence in the bass of the song; that would be decreasing: G, F#, E: | G7M | D9/F# | Em7 | C7M | As we will have a return to G7M after C7M, and as the fifth of G7M is D, we could add this D to C7M (it would be the ninth of C7M) to let this structure more static. See the examples below:

Notice as the note of the second string (D) didn‘t move in the transition of these chords. This technique of trying to keep some notes static during the transition is really used, because it makes the harmony be ―smooth‖. Many composers argue that, as less ―punches‖ and octave abrupt changes, the more pleasant and ―smooth‖ the harmony will be. We have to search for notes which are near, that move our fingers a little. In the keyboard, this approach is exercised in the chords. Keyboardists generally search for the best inversions and shapes to play ―near‖, without jumping far away in the keys. It is interesting that you think in extension notes considering this. Try to do the least movement as possible with your fingers in each change of chord. Of course that this ―smoothness‖ will not be always your sound objective, but when it is the case, remember that. Well, compare the initial harmony with the final one: | G | D | Em | C |

| G7M | D9/F# | Em7 | C7M(9) | This was just an idea. We could think about putting fourths, sixths, inverting some chords, anyway, you will always have many possibilities to work with. It is just to consider the tonality you are and include the extension notes that will please you, also combining the static effect we mentioned and the bass move. Consider that, even some extensions mischaracterize some chords (depending on the context), any extension can be useful as surprise factor, since there is no impact with the melody. The next resource of reharmonization will be analyzed in the second part of this topic (chord substitution). Go to: Chord substitution Back to: Module 11 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Now we will consider another resource of reharmonization: Chords substitution.

How to substitute chords from the same harmonic function? This strategy summarizes itself in a replacement of a chord for another one with the same harmonic function of it. Let‘s work this with the song ―Atirei o pau no gato‖. C Atirei o pau no gato – to Dm Mas o gato – to C Não Morreu – reu – reu

F Dona Chica – ca C Admirou-se – se G7 Do berro C Do berro que o gato deu: Miau ! Listen to it in Guitar Pro: Reharmonization1.gpro Before anything, let‘s summarize the functions of each chord in the harmonic field of C major (which is the tonality of this song): Chords of tonic function: C, Em, Am Chords of dominant function: G7, Bm7(b5) Chords of subdominant function: Dm, F We already learned that two chords of the same harmonic function can be exchanged one for another without changing the harmonic function of the specific part. So let‘s try some exchanges. In the tonic function, let‘s exchange the C that is in the part ―morreu-reu-reu‖ by an Am, and the C that is in the part ―admirou-se-se‖ by an Em. In the subdominant function, let‘s change the place of Dm and the F where they appear. In the Dominant function, let‘s put Bm7(b5) in the place of G7. Try to play and sing this song with these new chords:

C Atirei o pau no gato – to F Mas o gato – to Am Não Morreu – reu – reu Dm7 Dona Chica – ca Em Admirou-se – se Bm7(b5) Do berro C Do berro que o gato deu: Miau ! Listen to this new harmony in guitar pro: Reharmonization2.gpro What did you think? Did you feel any problem? This is the proof that we can do these changes with freedom. Of course that this is not always the best option; sometimes the melody asks another thing. We have to be attentive to the melody. Melody is the boss! Choose songs that you know and try to play them changing the place of the chords with the same harmonic function. Practice this to open your vision and your ear. Besides the natural harmonic field you can also try the chords from harmonic minor and melodic minor field. Check the options:

* It doesn‘t have dominant function ** It is also called 4th Blues degree Now we will go to another approach in the third part of this topic (Greek modes substitution). Go to: Module 12 Back to: Module 11 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Module 12

The third part of our study about reharmonization will show that we can substitute the Greek Mode in a song.

What is Greek Modes substitution? Substitute the Greek mode is using chords from another Greek mode instead of the original ones (in other words, you change the tonality of the song). For example, let‘s say that a song is in E minor tonality (E Aeolian). Some chords that could be part of this song would be Em, G, Am, Bm, C etc. All of them belonging to the harmonic field of E minor (E Aeolian). If we change the chords of this song for the ones that belong to the harmonic field of C major, like Em, Dm, F, among others, and we continue starting the song by E minor, this tonality wouldn‘t be E Aeolian but E Phrygian, because E would act in this harmony like the third degree of C. Therefore, we would be changing the tonality from E minor to C major. As we are starting with E and assuming that E is the resolving chord of the song, saying that the tonality is E Phrygian is the equivalent of saying that we need to emphasize chord notes of E in the resolution of solos, because the song solves itself in E, and not forgetting that the tonality is C major.

And how to choose the Greek Mode to substitute? First of all, it is important to know that we can choose any Greek mode, since the melody allows it. Now we are going deep in the question of analyzing the melody. This will be easy to understand when we see the example that follows, yet in the song ―Atirei o Pau no Gato‖. The notes of the initial melody of this song are: G, F, E, D, as you can see in the file of Guitar Pro that we showed before. Since the initial melody goes around G (check the first and the second bar line to see it), we can start the song with any chord that has G note as a chord note. This concept is new and extremely important to work with reharmonization. Keep this idea: the chords that create a melody need to have in them the notes of this melody. This could seem obvious, but it is not, because it gives amazing possibilities, as we will see.

Our song starts like this: C Atirei o pau no gato – to Since we want to change the Greek mode, let‘s choose the Mixolydian mode to test the theory. The tonality of this song will no longer be C Ionian but a C Mixolydian. In other words, the harmonic field of the song will be F major, and C will be, therefore, the fifth degree (V7) of this field. So, we start with: C7 Atirei o pau no gato – to Can we do this? Yes, because the melody of this part of the song is in G, and G belongs to C7 chord (it is the fifth of C7). So let‘s continue. We can think to use the F chord right after to make the cadence V – I (C7 – F), so: C7

F

Atirei o pau no gato – to But we have a problem there! The melody in this part of the song still in G, and the F chord doesn‘t have the G note! How will we fix this problem? Well, we can add the extension 9th to F chord (because the ninth of F is the G note). Nice, so we have: C7

Fadd9

Atirei o pau no gato – to Chord Fadd9:

The melody of the next part of the song: ―Mas o gato-to‖ is in F. We can think to use Bb chord here (because the F note is the perfect fifth of Bb. Besides that, Bb belongs to the harmonic field of F major, as we want). The result is: C7

Fadd9

Atirei o pau no gato – to Bb Mas o gato – to The melody goes to E note now in ―não morreu-reu-reu‖. The F7M chord has the E note (it is the seventh major of F). So is a good thing to choose: C7

Fadd9

Atirei o pau no gato – to Bb Mas o gato – to F7M Não Morreu – reu – reu We don‘t need to substitute the next chord, which is Dm7, because this Dm7 belongs to the harmonic field of F major and the melody in this part of the song is in A (which is the perfect fifth of D). So we have:

F7M Não Morreu – reu – reu Dm7 Dona Chica – ca The melody now goes to G in the part ―Admirou-se-se‖. We can put the Am7 chord, which belongs to the harmonic field of F and has the G note in its structure (G is the seventh minor of A). F7M Não Morreu – reu – reu Dm7 Dona Chica – ca Am7 Admirou-se – se In the next part (―do berro‖), the melody goes to G note, so nothing impedes us to put the Gm chord (which also belongs to the harmonic field of F major). Dm7 Dona Chica – ca Am7 Admirou-se – se Gm Do berro

It‘s done, now the song finishes with C note. So let‘s finish with the Fadd9 chord, because D note is the perfect fifth of Fadd9. Our final reharmonization became this: C7

Fadd9

Atirei o pau no gato – to Bb Mas o gato – to F7M Não Morreu – reu – reu Dm7 Dona Chica – ca Am7 Admirou-se – se Gm Do berro Fadd9 Do berro que o gato deu: Miau ! Listen to: Reharmonization3.gpro Notice that we reharmonized this song changing the Greek mode from C Ionic to C Mixolydian. We could try to do the same to other modes; but, it is necessary evaluate if the melody would allow this.

We couldn‘t think, for example, in change this song to C Dorian, Phrygian, Aeolian nor Locrian, because in these modes, C is minor (it has the third minor), wherein the melody is passing through the D note, which is the third major of C. Did you notice as is important to always think in the melody? It is in this point that the musician begins to understand the root of the thing, the chords exist to follow the main melody. Everything goes around it! Another important observation in this reharmonization that we did is that there is a moment in this song when B note appears in the melody, in the part ―Admirou-se-se‖. This B doesn‘t belong to the harmonic field of F major that we created. But B is the seventh major of D, and as D minor is the relative of F, we can think in using the harmonic minor scale of D in this part (since the harmonic minor scale is the minor scale with the seventh major). Very well, we will continue our study in part 4 (modulation and borrowed chords)! Go to: Reharmonization with borrowed chords Back to: Module 12 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Now that we explored the concept of Greek modes substitution, let‘s move on to the last three items that we mentioned about reharmonization: use of cadences, modulation and borrowed chords. We will first see modulation and borrowed chords, and then we will finish with the study about cadences. The idea that we will use for modulation and borrowed chords will be the same we used for Greek modes substitution: think about the melody. So let‘s go: We already know that the initial melody is in the G note. This note is the third major of Eb7M chord. So this means that we can use Eb7M to start this song! Can you see as the concept of melody and chords opens new horizons?! Our song began to start with: Eb7M

Atirei o pau no gato – to As the F note is the melody of the next part, we can think in DM7(b5) chord, because F is the third minor of D. You can also notice that Dm7(b5) belongs to the harmonic field of Eb, so we still in this tonality. Eb7M Atirei o pau no gato – to Dm7(b5) Mas o gato – to In the next part, the melody note is D, so we can try to put C7M chord there. From now on, we will continue the song with chords of C major tonality (the original ones of the song). This means that we did a modulation! We went from Eb7M to C major tonality. The melody allowed this easily. Nice, but what kind of modulation was this? It was a modulation to a parallel key! Eb7M is the relative major of C minor, in other words, this means that we were in C minor and now we went to C major. Our song became: Eb7M Atirei o pau no gato – to Dm7(b5) Mas o gato – to C7M–> modulation Não Morreu – reu – reu F Dona Chica – ca

Em7 Admirou-se – se G7 Do berro C7M Do berro que o gato deu: Miau ! Very well, let‘s put now a borrowed chord in this ―game‖. The melody in the part ―Dona Chica-ca‖ is in the A note. This note is the third minor of F#m7(b5), so we can use this chord. The song would be: Eb7M Atirei o pau no gato – to Dm7(b5) Mas o gato – to C7M–> modulatiom Não Morreu – reu – reu F#m7(b5) –> borrowed chord Dona Chica – ca Em7 Admirou-se – se G7 Do berro

C7M Do berro que o gato deu: Miau ! Listen to: reharmonization4.gpro Ok, if someone asks: ―where did this F#m7(b5) come from? Because this chord doesn‘t belong to the harmonic field of D major‖. Our answer could be: ―It‘s a borrowed chord from the Lydian mode!‖. Explanation: F#m7(b5) belongs to the harmonic field of G major. This is the same of saying that F#m7(b5) belongs to the harmonic field of C Lydian. Therefore, this chord is been borrowed from this mode. Very well, we already included modulation and borrowed chords in this song. Now is the time to finish this topic by adding cadences in this reharmonization we did! Follow this in the part 5 of this topic! Go to: Reharmonization with chord progressions Back to: Module 12 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Continuing our study about reharmonization, we arrived at cadences! In the part ―Mas o gato-to não morreu-reu-reu‖, right after Dm7(b5) comes C7M chord, right? So let‘s try to put G7 before C7M to create a progression II – V – I:

Now, right after F#m7(b5) comes Em7 chord, so we can add a B7 to create another progression II – V – I:

With this, F#m7(b5) became a second minor degree of Em7. But F#m7(b5) was already acting like a borrowed chord, so now it is a chord with a double function: borrowed chord and second minor degree. Well, before F#m7(b5) there is C7M chord. This F#m7(b5) has only one note of difference from F7M. Compare it below: 

F#m7(b5) notes: F#, A, C, E



F7M notes: F, A, C, E So we can think that F#m7(b5) is acting like F7M and, in this case, C would be the fifth degree of F. Therefore, we can put a C7 right after C7M to emphasize this transition:

Another progression II – V – I that we can do with the chords Em7 and Dm7 in the next part, is putting an A7 between them:

The final part has already a progression II – V – I, so we will not touch it:

Great, we will see how our final reharmonization is:

Listen to it in guitar pro: reharmonization5.gpro It‘s really interesting this harmony, because we had a sequence of three cadences II – V – I, that goes from the part ―Dona Chica-ca‖ until the end of the song (we call it extended cadence II – V – I). This made a children‘s song sound like Jazz!

Awesome, so now that you learned how to make reharmonization, it is time to stimulate your creativity and start to reharmonizate the songs you know. The more you practice, more ideas will come. The resources are many, aren‘t they?! Enjoy it! Go to: Blues harmony – advanced Back to: Module 12 ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Now that we already know how to give a special ―color‖ to Blues improvisation, it is time to explore Blues Harmony. If you fell in this topic by chance, first you should learn what Blues is and follow the contents of the website with calm. We will see here the origins of Jazz; how it came from the Blues structure. Even to someone who doesn‘t like the style, it is worth to study this topic, because Blues structure allows innumerous substitutions, cadences and harmonic works, a lot that couldn‘t fit in a book. Very well, let‘s start with the basic. The definition of Blues as we saw, it is connected to 12 clearly defined bar lines. See an example of Blues in A: I |

A7

IV |

IV |

D7

E7

|

IV |

V |

D7

I

D7

D7

|

I |

IV |

A7

I

A7

A7

|

I |

I |

A7

A7

|

V |

E7

|

We already know this structure; it is one of the basic arrangements of Blues. Let‘s start to ―play‖ with this harmony, using some concept that we already know.

Increasing the harmony of blues First, let‘s work in the fourth bar line. Notice as we started in A7 and went to D, in other words, A7 is acting like dominant V7 of D. We can make this cadence more fluid changing this passage in a progression II – V – I. For this, in the fourth bar line we will put the chord Em7 before A7. With this we will have Em7 – A7 – D. Now notice that we have two consecutive bar lines in D7 (fifth and sixth bar lines). As we will return to the first degree in the seventh bar line, it is interesting to put a diminished chord in the sixth bar line. We will use the diminished that serves as substitute to D7. Which one is this? We already studied that! It is located one semitone above the dominant, in other words, it will be D#°. See below how is the structure with these first changes: I |

A7

IV |

IV |

D7

E7

D7

|

|

D#º

D7

|

Em7 A7 |

I |

A7

IV |

IIm7 V7

A7

IV

V |

I

I |

A7

I |

A7

| V

|

E7

|

Very well, it is becoming to be interesting! Now we will be more audacious. Starting in the eighth bar line (that precedes the ―climax‖ of the song), we will make a sequence of dominants. Notice that after A7 (in the eighth bar line) we went to E7 (ninth bar line). Our intention is to put the dominant V7 of D before going to E7. Nevertheless, the dominant V7 of D is B7. We can enlarge even more this idea playing the dominant V7 of B before that, which is F#7. So, our ―game‖ will be putting F#7 in the eighth bar line in the place of A7, because A7 is already present in

the previous bar line, and we continue in this sequence of dominants putting B7 and E7 in the ninth and tenth bar lines. Look how this is: I |

IV

A7

|

IV |

D7

B7

D7

|

|

D#º

E7

|

Em7 A7 |

I |

A7

IV |

IIm7 V7

A7

IV

V |

I

I |

F#7

I |

A7

|

V |

E7

|

Notice that, since we were in E7, and we went to A7 in the eleventh bar line, because E7 is the dominant V7 of A. With this, we omitted the passage for D7 in the tenth bar line; it was out of this progression. As result, we have the progression F#7 – B7 – E7 – A7, in other words, we finished a cycle of fourthsstarting in F#7 and finishing in A7. Interesting, isn‘t it?! Well, as our song finishes in E7; before starting all over again, we can repeat this ―game‖ in the two last bar lines. In other words, what about putting F#7 after A7 inside the eleventh bar line and B7 before E7 in the last bar line? We will have a progression that will be identical to the previous one, but faster, because we would be putting two chords by bar line! Check it below: I |

A7

IV |

IV |

D7 V

I

D7

|

A7

IV |

D#º IV

IIm7 V7 |

I |

A7 I

Em7 A7

|

I |

F#7 V

|

|

B7

|

E7

|

A7 F#7

|

B7

E7

|

Ok, our Blues is already really ―stirred‖. We are leaving the traditional sound of Blues and going in direction to Jazz. Let‘s continue this tour! We already know that, in the major harmonic field, the first degree has the same harmonic function of third degree (IIIm7). Really in practice, these degrees have two notes in common. Compare A major to C# minor. Both of them have the E and C# notes. So we can try a substitution. It would be really relevant to substitute A7 to C#m7 in the seventh bar line, because the next chord of the sequence is F#7 (which is acting like V7 of B). This way, C#m7 would serve as second degree of the progression II – V – I made by C#m7 – F#7 – B. So we will make this substitution of C#m7 in the place of A7 in the seventh bar line and make the same thing in the eleventh bar line: I |

IV

A7

|

IV |

D7

B7

D7

|

IV |

V |

I

D#º

E7

A7

|

Em7 A7 |

I |

IV |

IIm7 V7

I

C#m7

|

F#7

I |

| V

C#m7 F#7 |

B7

E7

|

To ―soften‖ a little bit this harmony, we can make B7 of the ninth bar line become a Bm7, because then we would have a progression II – V (Bm7 – E7). Besides that, it is worth to highlight that the passage from F#7 to Bm7 would give space to a harmonic minor scale in the improvisation. We could repeat this idea in the last bar line, due the fact that the progression is the same. We would have: I

IV

I

IIm7 V7

|

A7

|

D7

|

A7

IV |

D7

|

Bm7

Em7 A7 |

IV D#°

|

I

C#m7

V |

|

|

I

F#7

|

IV |

E7

I

| C#m7 F#7

|

Bm7 E7

V

|

Since we are making this harmony really tonal, we could do even better, changing the chords C#m7 in C#m7(b5) chords, because this extension is typical of cadences II – V – I that are solved in minor chords (remember that our resolution is being made in Bm7). Besides that, other really common extension in these progressions that are solved in minor chords is the flatted ninth in the dominant chord. This way, we increment the cadences II – V – I that before were C#m7 – F#7 – Bm7 making: C#m7(b5) – F#7(b9) – Bm7. I |

A7

IV |

D7

IV |

D7

|

Bm7

|

A7

|

IV D#°

V |

I

|

C#m7 (b5)

E7

| C#m7(b5) F#7(b9) |

|

V7

Em7 A7 | I

IV |

IIm7

I

F#7 (b9) | I Bm7 E7

V |

Harmonizing Blues with Closely Related Tones and Borrowed Chords Let‘s use now the concept of closely related keys. As the first degree of this Blues is A major, the parallel key is A minor. The fourth degree of A minor tonality is D minor. We already studied this subject and commented that the fourth minor degree (IVm6) is really used in many different songs and styles! So let‘s reorganize this harmony taking out D7#° from sixth bar line and put it in the fifth, with D7, opening space in the sixth bar line to appear Dm6 (remember that this space was to have D7 originally). Then, we added a borrowed chord in the ―game‖! It is being borrowed from the parallel key. This progression D#° – Dm6 – C#m7(b5) was interesting, because the bass walked chromatically from D# to C#.

I |

A7

IV |

D7

|

IV |

D7 D#° |

Bm7

A7

|

Dm6

|

I C#m7 (b5)

|

E7

V7

I

F#7 (b9) |

IV |

IIm7

Em7 A7 |

IV

V |

I

I

| C#m7(b5) F#7(b9) |

Bm7 E7

V |

Wow, a lot of modifications! Are you tired?! I hope not, because we are going to play another ―game‖: add subV7 in this dance!

Harmonizing Blues with SubV7 Chords We can use and ―abuse‖ subV7, because he have lots of dominants V7 in this harmony. So, let‘s go. We will show some ideas and the explanation below: I |

IV

A7

|

D7

IV |

D7 D#°

A7

|

IV |

Dm6

V | Bm7 F7b5 | 

|

I

E7

| C#m7 (b5) G7b5

IIm7

Em7

Eb79(b5)

|

I |

V7

I

F#7 (b9) C79(b5) |

IV

I

| C#m7(b5) F#7(b9) |

Bm7 E7

V |

In the fourth bar line, we changed A7 to its subV7 which is Eb7. We used some common extensions to this subV7, which are the 9th and the flatted 5th. The chord was then Eb79(b5).



In the seventh bar line, we used the subV7 of C#7 (G7b5) to precede F#7.



Right after this, we used the subV7 of F#7 (C79b5) to precede Bm7.



In our ninth bar line, we added the subV7 of B7 (F7b5) to precede E7. Gosh!! This is becoming a huge mess!

Blues Harmony with Complex Chords

What about having a glimpse of ninths, fourths and thirteenths in some chords that still ―square‖, to make it more ―spherical‖ and beauty?! Feel free to season at your taste! We already taught how to do this in other topics. Our final work of art has finished and was like that: I |

IV

A7(9)

|

D7 (13)

IV |

D7 D#°

I |

A7 (9)

IV |

Dm6

V | Bm7 F7b5 |

|

Em7

V7

Eb79(b5)

|

I | C#m7 (b5) G7b5

IV E7 (11)

IIm7

| C#m7(b5) F#7(b9) |

|

I F#7 (b9) C79(b5)

|

I

V Bm7 E7

|

Awesome! We took a lot of juice from this fruit! Imagine all the possibilities and combinations that we can create! My friend, it was like that that Blues gave birth to many styles! Here we did a reharmonization in a primitive way of Blues and changed this structure to Jazz. So for that harmony sound like Jazz, it is just to add the swing. We will talk specifically about Jazz in other articles, so you will be able to kill this lion! For now, we already gave you many tools for you to ―destroy‖ in harmonies and improvisation.

1.700 words later … Imagine how many resources we can use in this harmony when doing a solo! Merge all this knowledge with techniques, clarity, feeling and you will be an exceptional musician. We will keep updating the website, bringing more examples, ideas, analysis, comments, studies and for that we need your help, sharing Simplifying Theory and collaborating to our growth. Let‘s go! Go to: Rhythm – Theory Back to: Module 12

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

What is Rhythm theory? In this topic we will learn the theory that exists behind the musical rhythm. Besides rhythm being an element of great importance to any musician, the majority misses this study, because they think that rhythm is innate of human being: ―those who are born with rhythm in veins don‘t need to practice this, only those who face difficulties in this item‖. Well, you have to know that this is completely misguided! Any musician needs to study and practice rhythm, the same way that they need to practice any other technique, because the rhythm can be refined and developed. The first tip for those who want to develop this field of rhythm is always playing with a metronome aside. Those who use a metronome while training technique are like having a military general aside saying: ―do not quite the rhythm!‖. This makes the musician develop not only precision, but also accentuation, an important factor to any instrumentalist. Nice, but before reading the following in this topic, we recommend that you read the article ―sheet music‖, because we will use here some resources from it to represent the rhythms, specially the part that mentions bar lines. Very well, we already learned in the article about sheet music what represents the 4/4 time: it fits 4 quarter notes in a bar line. Just to remember, see below how many figures fit in a bar line in the representations: 4/4 = it fits 4 quarter notes 4/2 = it fits 4 half notes 4/8 = it fits 4 eighths 2/4 = it fits 2 quarter notes 3/1 = it fits 3 whole notes

5/32 = it fits 5 sixty fourths 7/2 = it fits 7 half notes As we commented before, 4/4 time is the most common in music. In this time, you can count, in the rhythm of a song, from 1 to 4, starting over again the count, without having mismatch with the melody. See the example of the song Rolling in the Deep: Starting in 00:23 of this song, when the bass drum enters marking the time: ―boom‖, ―boom, ―boom‖, ―boom‖, you will count from 1 to 4 and start again, following the ―boom‖ of the bass drum in this way:

Notice that there is a perfect match in this count with the melody; this means that this song is in the 4/4 time. As the 4/4 time is the most used, the majority of the musicians feels uncomfortable when facing songs that are ―broken‖ (that are not in 4/4 time). For example, pay attention in the introduction of the song Dreaming Awake, from the Swedish band of Progressive Metal Harmony: Once the song starts, we will start the count as we did in the previous song. This time the snare drum is the one that will help us to mark the time. Count (1, 2, 3, 4) in a way that the first beat in the snare drum be in the number 3, in other words, when the song starts, you start to count in a speed that the number 3 be in the first beat of the snare drum. This will be our speed of counting in this song. Count up to four and restart counting, the same way you did in the previous song. Did you notice that the song doesn‘t fit well in this count? The guitar is doing a repetitive riff, but this riff doesn‘t fit well with our count, because when we arrive in number 4 and restart the count, the song is in a different point, ―untidy‖. This is happening because the introduction of this song is not in 4/4 time, but in 7/4.

But how can we find out that it is in 7/4 time? Well, repeat this same count that you were doing, in the same speed, but instead of counting just up to 4, count up to 7 and then restart. Did you see as it fits now? The guitar riff follows the count up to seven to the restart. Observation: Our analysis of this song was focused just in the first part of the introduction, because actually, the whole introduction starts with 3 compounds in 7/4 time and then a compound in 8/4 time. This last one can also be seen as two 4/4 consecutives. In the same way, the firsts compounds we saw (7/4) can be seen as a sum of a 3/4 to a 4/4. We preferred to deal with this compounds as 7/4 and 8/4 to make a reference to our count and to be easier to follow. And when the vocalist starts to sing, the time of the song goes to 4/4. Notice as this song doesn‘t keep the same time, but switches between 7/4 and 4/4. This situation is not common in popular songs. This is why is interesting to take songs with complex timing to practice and loose the addiction of just being comfortable with songs in 4/4. Let‘s see one more example now in 3/4 time, the song ―Ele é exaltado‖: Check the counting below, in the rhythm that follows the lyrics:

Very well, now that we learned how to identify this odd times, try to observe, as exercise, that the song Take Five, played by the quartet of Jazz Dave Brubeck, is in 5/4 time: Other band which is worth to mention about this, in a way of having many songs with ―broken time‖ is the Canadian band Rush, which was an influence to many of Rock/Metal segment by adding complex times in its compositions (as for example, the virtuous American band Dream Theater). We will give continuation to this study in the topic ―Setback‖. Go to: Rhythm exercises Back to: Module 12 ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

ery well, it is time to give you some interesting rhythm exercises for you to develop your rhythmic independence. Starting with our logic of counting (1, 2, 3, 4) to find the time of a song, rhythmic independence is knowing how to play in the time 1, in the time 2, in the time 3, etc. This independence gives us freedom to work in any point of rhythmic marking, and not depending only on strong times, for example. The exercises we will see have this goal. In these exercises, for guitar, the hand with the guitar pick will mark the time with quavers, while the left hand will muffle the strings, except when is indicated to play the chord. In other words, you make the chord sounds just when is indicated, muffling the strings with the left hand the rest of the time. If you are training in other instrument, you need to know that ―muffling the notes‖ is like a pause, making the chord sounds only when is indicated. The chord which will be used in the exercises is Dm7, but you can use any other chord you choose, or even just a note. If you don‘t know how to read sheet music, read this article.

Rhythmic exercise model The time used will be 4/4 and all the symbols are quavers:

In this first exercise, you should play only the first quaver of the bar. Observation: The counting time can be done in the following way:

Follow in Guitar Pro: Exercise1.gpro Exercise 2: In this next exercise, you should play only the second quaver of the first time:

File: Exercise2.gpro Exercise 3: Now, play the first quaver of the second time:

File: Exercise3.gpro Exercise 4: Play only the second quaver of the second time:

File: Exercise4.gpro Exercise 5: Play only the first quaver of the third time:

File: Exercise5.gpro Exercise 6: Play only the second quaver of the third time:

File: Exercise6.gpro Exercise 7: Play only the first quaver of the fourth time:

File: Exercise7.gpro Exercise 8: Play only the second quaver of the fourth time:

File: Exercise8.gpro Now let‘s make some combinations: Exercise 9:

File: Exercise9.gpro Exercise 10:

Exercise1o.gpro Bonus exercise: In this exercise we will work the rhythm with the harmony made by Bb7M, A7(#5) and Dm7. Notice how this concepts are useful to make creative bases. We will not put the image here because it is really big. File: Exercise11.gpro You can practice these exercises with many different times in the metronome, starting slowly and increasing bit by bit. You can also create your own exercises. You can also work with other symbols, like semiquaver, for example, increasing the difficult and creating more subdivision options. Go to: Mathematics and music Back to: Module 12 …………………………………………………………………………………………….

Is there a relation between Mathematics and Music? We decided to create this topic to show Mathematics is related to Music, because many people ignore the fact the there is Mathematics in music. Maybe you don‘t like Math, but don‘t worry; we will try to explain each concept in a simple way, just for you to know that our sensitivity to sound is connected to the logic in our brains. This is really interesting, so let your prejudices aside. All the knowledge is nice when well taught. Before going to the subject of Mathematics in music, let‘s remember some basic concepts.

Physics in music Ok, in the first topics here in the website, we commented that sound is a wave, and that the frequency of the sound is what defines the music note. But what is frequency? It is a repetition. Imagine, for example, a bicycle wheel spinning. If this wheel completes a turn in 1 second, we say that the frequency of this wheel is ―one turn per second‖, or ―one Hertz‖. Hertz is just a name to represent a frequency unit, and normally is abbreviated by ―Hz‖. If this wheel of our example completes 10 turns per second, its frequency would be 10 Hertz (10 Hz). Nice, but where is the connection with sound? Well, sound is a wave, and this wave oscillates with a certain frequency. If a sound wave completes one oscillation in one second, its frequency will be 1 Hz. If it completes 10 oscillations in one second, its frequency will be 10 Hz. For each frequency, we will have a different sound (a different note). A note, for example, corresponds to a frequency of 440 Hz.

Mathematics in music And where Mathematics enters in music? It was observed that when a frequency is multiplied by 2, the note still the same. For example, the A (440 Hz) multiplied by 2 = 880 Hz is also an A, but just one octaveabove. If the goal was to lower one octave, it would be enough just dividing by 2. We can conclude then, that a note and its respective note have a relation of ½. Very well, before going on, let‘s return to the past, to the Ancient Greece. In that time, there was a man called Pythagoras that made really important discoveries to Mathematics (and music). This that we showed about octaves, he discovered ―playing‖ with a stretched string. Imagine a stretched string tied in its extremities. When we touch this string, it vibrates (look the drawing below):

Pythagoras decided to divide this string in two parts and touched each extremity again. The sound that was produced was the same, but more acute (because it was the same note one octave above):

Pythagoras didn‘t stop there. He decided to experience how it would be the sound if the string was divided in 3 parts:

He noticed that a new sound appeared; different from the previous one. This time, it wasn‘t the same note one octave above, but a different note, that was supposed to receive another name. This sound, besides being different, worked well with the previous one, creating a pleasant harmony to the ear, because these divisions showed till here have Mathematics relations 1/2 and 2/3 (our brain likes well defined logic relations). Thus, he continued doing subdivisions and combining the sounds mathematically creating scales that, later, stimulated the creation of musical instruments that could play this scales. The tritone interval, for example, was obtained in a relation 32/45, a complex and inaccurate relation, factor that makes our brain to consider this sound unstable and tense. In the course of time, the notes were receiving the names we know today.

Mathematics and music scales Many peoples and cultures created their own music scales. One example is the Chinese people, which began with the idea of Pythagoras (using strings). They played C in a stretched string and then divided this string in 3 parts, like we showed before. The result of this division was the note G. Noticing that these notes had a harmony; they repeated the procedure starting in G, dividing again this string in 3 parts, resulting the note D. This note had a pleasant harmony with G and also with C. This procedure was then repeated starting in D, resulting in A. After that, starting in A, they got E. When they repeated this procedure of dividing the string in three parts once again, resulting in B, there was a problem, because B didn‘t fit well when played with C (the first note of the experiment). Actually, these notes were really close one another, what caused a ―sound discomfort‖. Because of this, the Chinese finished their divisions getting the notes C, G, D, A and E, taking B aside. These notes served as base to Chinese Music, making a scale with 5 notes (Pentatonic). This

Pentatonic Scale, for being pleasant and consonant, represented very well the Oriental Culture, which was always connected to harmony and stability. Since its creation until today, the Pentatonic Scale represents a good option to melodies, as we already said in the topic ―Pentatonic Scale‖. But let‘s return to the subject of notes and frequencies, because we just showed 5 notes of the scale.

The Mathematics of 12 notes The western music, which works with 12 notes, did not discard the note B as the Oriental Culture did. The western people observed that the notes C and B were close one from another and decided to create a more comprehensive scale. In this scale, all the notes should have the same distance one from another. And this distance should be the interval that had between C and B (one semitone). In other words, between C and D, for example, should exist an intermediate note, because the distance between C and D (one tone) was bigger than the distance of C and B (one semitone). Through an analysis of frequency, it was discovered that multiplying the frequency on the note B by the number 1.0595 we would arrive in the frequency of C. Check it: Frequency of B: 246.9 Hz Frequency of C: 261.6 Hz Multiplying the frequency of B by 1.0595 we will have: 246.9 x 1.0595 = 261.6 Hz (the note C). As the goal is to keep the same relation (distance) to the other notes, we will use this procedure to discover which note will come after C. Multiplying the frequency of C by 1.0595: 261.6 x 1.0595 = 277.2 Hz (the note C sharp) Repeating this procedure to see what comes after C sharp: 277.2 x 1.0595 = 293.6 Hz (the note D)

Notice that following this logic, we can create all the chromatic scale! In other words, after multiplying the frequency of C by the number ―1.0595‖ twelve times, we will return to C. This is possible because ―1.0595‖ corresponds to the result of the square root 12√2. Notice that 12√2 multiplied 12 times by itself is (12√2)12 = 2. And we already saw that a note multiplied by 2 is itself one octave above. Now we can clearly see that these numbers didn‘t come by chance. The goal since the beginning was dividing a scale in 12 identical parts, in a way that the last note return to be the first. It was like this that Equal Temperate Scale appeared, also called as Chromatic.

Logarithm in Music We will not go in many details, but those who know a little bit about Math have noticed that we worked here with the logarithm of base 2. Because of this, the makers of piano put the form of a logarithm graphic in the piano body, to make a reference to this Musical Mathematics Discovery. Check it: Example of a Logarithm graphic:

Piano body:

There are many other Mathematical explanations to many questions about music, but to show them here it would be necessary to talk about advanced topic in Mathematics, like Fourier series, Riemann Zeta Function, etc. Like few people have this base in Mathematics, we will not go deeper. Our goal here was to show how music works mathematically and how the logical relations are understood in our brain, creating tranquility or tension. Obviously, we did everything using approximation (round numbers), because an analysis more accurate would be boring to the majority of the readers. It is not necessary to memorize all that we taught in this topic; just think that music didn‘t come from nowhere. Music is the result of a numeric organization. The interpretation of all these things is done by our wonderful and mysterious brain. The final conclusion is that, if you are a musician, so you are (in a way or another) mathematician, because the feelings of pleasure that you feel while listening to music hide subliminal calculations. Your brain likes calculations, it is a calculating machine! The more you practice, study and know music, the more this faculty will be developed. Probably you will begin to feel pleasure while listening to songs that before didn‘t bring great feelings to you. We can compare this with a student of Physics in the first semester. If he reads a book of modern Physics, it will looks like Greek to him. It will not give him any pleasure. But some years later when he will have a good base of Mathematics and face this book again, maybe he can love the subject and could wish spend the rest of his life in this. Go to : Module 12 Back to: Simplifying Theory -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------