A music Theory Question

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deadpickle
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A music Theory Question

Unread post by deadpickle » Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:36 pm

I am slowly learning some music theory and I am trying to incorporate a little into a song Im messing with. Im using the F scale as a bases and im now trying to make an intro. My question is that in the idea of music theory is it ok to us A, A7 and D, and D6 chords while using the F scale? Hope this is clear but I will include the tab just in case.

Code: Select all

F scale
     rB     rE          A   A7 Dsus4 D6  
                    d u 
e-------------5-5-5----5----5----7--------
B-------------5-5-5----5----8----7--------
G-------------5-5-6----6----7----7--------
D--9----7----5-7-7----5----5----7--------
A--x-----x----5-7-7----7----5----5--------
E--7-----5----5-5-5----5----x----x--------

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Unread post by taparoo » Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:02 pm

Well, those chords don't really follow the rules of the F major scale. If you were to derive chords from an F major scale, you'd get F major, G minor, A minor, Bb major, C major, D minor, and E diminished, or I ii iii IV V vi vii° (uppercase roman numerals = major, lowercase = minor, lowercase + °= diminished - this is the general chord structure for all major scales). So, if you wanted your song to be based around the F major scale, you'd want to focus more on those chords. But, hey, as the saying goes in music - if it sounds good, do it.

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Unread post by deadpickle » Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:43 pm

Thanks for the reply. Another question has come to my attention, why are the II, III, and VI minor? Why is VII diminished? Is it like this for all major scales? what about the minor scale? Again, thanks for the help this is helping to make MT a little clearer. Also does G major chord fit in with F major?

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Unread post by i am sam2 » Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:14 pm

deadpickle wrote:Thanks for the reply. Another question has come to my attention, why are the II, III, and VI minor? Why is VII diminished? Is it like this for all major scales? what about the minor scale? Again, thanks for the help this is helping to make MT a little clearer. Also does G major chord fit in with F major?
ill explain with an example. the II is minor (so its ii) beacuse if you start with the second of a scale, lets start with G, the second of the F scale, then take the third, fifth, and seventh of that WITHIN the F scale, you'll get a minor chord.

so the third of G in the F scale is a Bb (G > A > Bb). because the interval betwen Bb and G is a minor third, you can know that the chord is minor.

i dont think that makes sense...but whatever
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Unread post by fede » Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:03 pm

That's how the chords are derived according to the basic interval:

Whole step - Half step.

W W H W W W H

in the key of C:

C D E F G A B

To make the same interval possible in the Key of F, B has to be flat. (Bb) [in the key of G for ex, the F has to be sharpened (F#).]

F G A Bb C D E

See?

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Unread post by deadpickle » Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:12 am

So, using the F scale, to find if the 5th note is maj or min i need to:
Look at the third from it->C D E->making it Major
Then look at the fifth from it->C D E F G-> making it minor
Then look at the seventh from it->C D E F G A Bb->making it minor
2 minors 1 major
making it minor
sound right?

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Unread post by taparoo » Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:23 am

deadpickle wrote:So, using the F scale, to find if the 5th note is maj or min i need to:
Look at the third from it->C D E->making it Major
Then look at the fifth from it->C D E F G-> making it minor
Then look at the seventh from it->C D E F G A Bb->making it minor
2 minors 1 major
making it minor
sound right?
The third interval is what makes the chord major or minor.
For example in the key of C, you'd have the notes C D E F G A B
Look at the third and you'll notice the distance between C (the root) and E (the third) is two whole steps. If the third was an Eb THEN it would be a minor chord. In minor chords, the third is three half steps (a whole step and a half) away from the root. You don't have to worry about the fifth so much - you probably won't run into too many chords that have the fifth altered. When the fifth is sharpened (#5) and the 3rd is major ('regular') you'd have an augmented chord. And when the 3rd and the 5th are flatted you'd have a diminished chord.

A minor seventh chord has the flatted third AND the flatted seventh. Major seventh has everything major (no alterations made to the major scale) - 1 3 5 7.

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Unread post by deadpickle » Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:42 pm

Gotta make sure I got this right: Using the D scale: D E F# G A B C#
so the chords are: D E F# Gm A B C#m (I II III iv V VI vii), right?

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Unread post by Sciaracastro » Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:55 pm

deadpickle wrote:Gotta make sure I got this right: Using the D scale: D E F# G A B C#
so the chords are: D E F# Gm A B C#m (I II III iv V VI vii), right?
i got lost in this discussion, but i think it's I ii iii IV V vi vii...so for the D scale it's D Em F#m G A Bm C#m
for the F scale: F Gm Am Bb C Dm Em
Last edited by Sciaracastro on Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Unread post by taparoo » Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:56 pm

deadpickle wrote:Gotta make sure I got this right: Using the D scale: D E F# G A B C#
so the chords are: D E F# Gm A B C#m (I II III iv V VI vii), right?
You have the notes in the scale right (D E F# G A B C#), but you have the wrong 'formula' for the chords in that scale. For major keys, the formula is I ii iii IV V vi vii° - the one, four, and five are major.

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Unread post by fede » Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:30 pm

Four and Five may also be called "Perfect"

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Unread post by sunglassesatnight » Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:45 pm

Technically, 4 and 5 are only "Perfect." They are not major or minor, they're "perfect" or "diminished" if flatted or "augmented" if sharped. This has to do with their complimentary characteristics with one another, and high levels of consonance.

FYI, unisons and octaves are also called perfect.

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Unread post by Sciaracastro » Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:02 pm

SimsUK wrote:Technically, 4 and 5 are only "Perfect." They are not major or minor, they're "perfect" or "diminished" if flatted or "augmented" if sharped. This has to do with their complimentary characteristics with one another, and high levels of consonance.

FYI, unisons and octaves are also called perfect.
maybe i'm wrong, but it seems like u are talking about notes while we are talking about chords :lol:

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Unread post by fede » Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:04 pm

Actually it works for both. But I believe mainly for chords.

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Unread post by Sciaracastro » Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:07 pm

fedelm wrote:Actually it works for both. But I believe mainly for chords.

Fede
do u call a chord "perfect"? i do just for the 4th and 5th degree of a maj scale actually...never heard about a chord named "perfect" actually...

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