Minor Changes

the term 'relative minor' is a useful one. basically, when you have, for example, the C major scale...

C D E F G A B C

and the A minor scale...

A B C D E F G A

notice how these scales share the same notes. that is basically what is meant by "relative". relative scales share the same notes.

if you remember from my earlier post on diatonic theory, and the chords constructed from the major scale, you will remember seeing...

here are the possible chords built on all the notes of the C major scale...

C E G B = Cmaj7 = I
D F A C = Dmin7 = ii
E G B D = Emin7 = iii
F A C E = Fmaj7 = IV
G B D F = G7 = V
A C E G = Amin7 = vi
B D F A = Bmin7(b5) = vii

when we now go to minor, we just shift over to using A as the one chord. also, a reminder that we use uppercase roman numerals when referring to major chords, and lowercase roman numerals for minor chords. when we build all the possible chords on the notes from the A minor scale, this is what it looks like...

A C E G = Amin7 = i
B D F A = Bmin7(b5) = ii
C E G B = Cmaj7 = III
D F A C = Dmin7 = iv
E G B D = Emin7 = v
F A C E = Fmaj7 = VI
G B D F = G7 = VII

also in my earlier post on diatonic theory, we talked about what a ii V I progression is, and how to find, and construct them. now, we are going to look at, and analyze a chord progression. this is the progression...

Dmin7 G7 Cmaj7 Bmin7(b5) E7 Amin7

know your scales

i posted this in a thread on facebook, and thought it was important enough to drop in here... enjoy

"i think its great to practice, study and know *all* scales. i also think that the scale that *should* be played on a certain chord should be looser than this, and left up to the player to decide from moment to moment. lets say theres a Cmaj7 chord, and the bass plays C, and the chord player maybe plays B and G... that leaves the rest of the spectrum up to the soloist. there are all kinds of scales that can be used now, really any scale with a major 7th, a root and a 5th can be used there without 'clashing', as well as other scales that might clash and still work in context with the phrase surrounding the music in question. when i see b9 chords, i usually hear/see them is as a dominant chord. lets say in the key of C minor you see - Dmin7(b5) G7b9 Cmin7 - there we have G7b9 acting as a dominant chord. the C minor scale actually does a great job describing that chord ( and actually the entire progression). modally, we can say "we are using the 5th mode of the minor scale, or G phrygian"... but, what does that mean to me? i can easily leave that scale and go with other colors at any point, and i want to be able to hear other colors and have the freedom to leave that scale (or stay on the original scale/color and really explore it comfortably). otherwise, im just memorizing what scale does what, and thats not making music, thats just playing scales. that being said, at some point, some ground work needs to be done to find these colors, and use them..."

playing with a metronome Vol.1

i used an online metronome available to use for free at http://www.metronomeonline.com/. i set it to click at 60bmp. you can apply this technique playing any instrument and practicing any type of music. i used an improvised bass line for this demonstration... a straight 8th's groove in 4/4...

link to audio..

basically, you just displace the metronome click to become different beats in 4/4 time. first, beat one, then beat two, three and finally 4. enjoy.