 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Ken Mills
Date: 2007-01-31 00:24
Columbus wrote that he wanted to learn the mm scales, just a few days ago. Try combining the Fmm scale with C major or A harmonic and natural minor scales; it is the most natural resolution. For freedom mix the mm scales with the diminished, they provide tension in between whatever primary scale that is used as a pair of bookends: say, the combination A natural and harmonic minor scale (Acm) that you can use in the key of C major as well as A minor, as a matter of fact. Simply do: Acm followed by any of the three diminished scales then the Fmm, Bbmm, or Cmm leading back to Acm. It is relaxing to just let it come out, you do not have to sit and try to be creative, just listen as a member of the audience would. Acm-Adim-Fmm-Acm, etc. Please let me know how it goes.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2007-01-31 08:05
I know that this may may be a ' 2 nations divided by a common language' thing, but can you clarify 'natural' minor please? I know melodic minor:
A B C D E F# G# A (ascending)
A Gnat Fnat E D C B A (descending)
and Harmonic minor:
A B C D E Fnat G# A (in both directions)
Can you please list A 'Natural' minor please?
I have heard Dim7 chords called 'roundabout' chords because you can go off in any direction. As you say there are only 3 so can be very useful if you are noodling around on a piano and playing songs in totally unrelated keys and don't want to stop playing between songs but need to change key. Weber also used Dim7's in the clarinet concertino, so being able to play dim7's is useful.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: allencole
Date: 2007-02-01 06:01
Mike, "Natural" minor is exactly what the key signature tells you. An A natural minor would go:
A B C D E F G A
Allen Cole
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2007-02-01 08:09
You mean a C major scale starting on A, or A Aeolean (sp?) mode. Thanks for clarifying. I have never heard the term 'Natural Minor' before. They are not a thing that I have formally learned, like harmonic & melodic minors. They are not examined in UK exams as are the other minors. I guess that as playing-wise, they are the same as the relative major but starting on the 6th, there is no point in formally learning.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: allencole
Date: 2007-02-01 19:59
Yes, you could say that. I usually introduce it to students as 'the minor scale that's hidden in every major scale' and tell them that they're getting a freebie for having learned the majors.
Allen Cole
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Mills
Date: 2007-02-03 23:40
Comrades by Ear; If you combine the two scales, the harmonic minor and the natural minor then you can play these four major triads: CM, EM, FM, GM. So that gives you dance music. If you are in the mood to dig into the harmony with a tonic note moving around as "harmonic motion" then make the bookends Ccm and Fcm then Bbcm then Ebcm etc in the cycle of fourths and then stick in the secondary scales in between these new bookends. Further, primary scales, as major or minor, tend to resolve directly or straightaway up in fourths, and down in whole steps, and a la Gershwin down in minor thirds too. If they resolve this way then the use of secondary harmony is optional; but if you decide to go up instead of down in a whole step, for example, then you must stick in some special passing notes to help you go smoothly. It is a lot more simple for me to use just one type of scale, the compound minor, when trying to keep track of the harmonic motion going on. James Moody on sax, the old man, plays solos with an augmented flavor. How does he do that? Bartok does not sound too sappy either, even when big and orchestral. Every diminished scale can follow a primary compound minor scale but only one will lead to it: another idea as a musical structure of some sort. Those scales work differently. Anyway, try going Acm-Bcm-Acm with the added harmony above where necessary then add the optional. Or Ccm-Gcm-Ccm. Whatever.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
