 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: katchow
Date: 2004-06-22 17:11
ok, so i've pretty much got my maj. scale blazend in my brain and i'm ready to try committing min. scales to memory...
only, i wonder if it matters which one i should do first...harmonic, melodic, or dorian. i'm primarily interested in learning jazz and i've heard the dorian mode is most commonly used, but i dunno if harmonic minors would give a better idea of how minor chords are formed (if there is any difference, i'm really not sure)
i want to know them all eventually, but it seems rather daunting so i wondered if there is a practical starting point, for whatever reason...
thanks for any responses
kevin
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Author: mkybrain
Date: 2004-06-22 19:22
correct me if i'm wrong someone, but i do believe the three types of minor scales are Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic. Dorian is a mode, I believe D to D in a C major scale is the dorian mode.
the minor mode, i.e. minor scale, is the Aeolian mode, thats what your working on.
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Author: katchow
Date: 2004-06-22 19:29
ahh, i think your right...thanks for the tip
so much to learn
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Author: mkybrain
Date: 2004-06-22 19:36
learned it in AP Music Theory, if there are in music theory classes available to you, you should take it, its pretty helpful, thought i have no idea how much it will help me in college yet, since im not there
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Author: allencole
Date: 2004-06-23 06:21
A couple of points that may or may not be of interest:
1 - Yes, Dorian is a mode, but mode vs. scale seems like hairsplitting. In fact, someone is now referring to Dorian Mode as "Jazz Harmonic Minor." (undoubtedly because its structure allows for a major or dominant IV chord)
2 - Yes, learn all your minors together key by key. It helps you to compare them. Besides, your natural minors are already contained in your major scales.
3 - Harmonic minor won't teach you about minor chord structure in and of itself. This scale exists for the purpose of having the seventh degree be a leading tone--and thus allowing you to have a major or dominant V chord. In fact, your chord structure generally depends on which minor scale and vice-versa:
Natural Minor: I, IV and V are all minor
Melodic Minor: Harmony isn't written in stone, because upward and downward have different notes. But may go well with 'detective show' chords like Im+7, or Im6 and V chords with sharp or flat ninths.
Harmonic Minor: I & IV are minor, V is dominant usually with a flat 9. A lot of guys will chop off the root of the V7-9 chord, and substitute a diminished chord based on that raised 7th of the scale. (a la Sing, Sing, Sing & Be-Bop)
Dorian Mode: I & V are minor, but IV is major or dominant.
Although Dorian is heavily used in jazz, I find Harmonic Minor a particularly handy thing to have under my fingers when playing in minor keys.
Allen Cole
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Author: kdennyclarinet
Date: 2004-06-23 07:44
I learned all of my minors all three ways.... one key at a time. However, if you just want to take it one small step at a time, the harmonic minor is a good one to begin with. It is the same up and down the scale, and with the raised 7th, it has a distinctive sound and "feel" to it that is easy for the ear to learn and recognize.
Best of luck to you.
K. Denny
BME, MM, DMA
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Author: katchow
Date: 2004-06-23 12:31
wow, thanks for the responses...very informative allen, thanks for the jazz perspective on things. i will try to nail one key at a time, but i think i'll try fleshing out a few more harmonic min scales just to play around with following some simple chord changes...
call me crazy, but i think music theory is very interesting
kevin
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Author: Dee
Date: 2004-06-23 12:53
The Dorian mode will however feel somewhat like a minor key because of the interval size (i.e. a half step) between the 2nd and 3rd notes of the scale.
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