Ok so im the process of trying to use my own, undoubtedly naive, logic to view and learn the fretboard better.
I have learned my pentatonic scales, major scales and major, minor and dominant arpeggios. I use these to solo over changes...but I find it altogether uninspiring.
My new plan is to make up my own chromatic patterns including every note and sing as i play over changes, thus building up a better vocabulary.
The question that has come up in my mind is
Why dont I just label intervals from 1-12 instead of the traditional 1-8...
So in my mind instead of a minor chord being
1 b3 5 in my chromatic logic it would simply be
1 4 8.
Does this make sense or have I got something very wrong?
Comments
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
As you know, the illogical use of b3, #5, b7 etc is all based on comparing scales to the Major scale. The illogical domination by Major scale harmony started in the 1600's and we've been forced to use it ever since, re-enforced by music academic institutions over centuries. Unfortunately, we're stuck with comparing everything to the Major scale, but it does makes life easier, because everyone is forced to learn the same system.
like many things, science, art, etc, it helps to look at things from multiple viewpoints, not just one
For example
major chord is 1 3 5 and minor is 1 b3 5 to some people
Or to others :
major chord is 1 5 8 and minor is 1 4 8 (like you suggest)
And to others it is
major 1 +maj3rd +min3rd, and minor is 1 +min3rd +maj3rd
they are all correct, but each ones comes in handy in different scenarios
e.g. I find the latter the most useful because anywhere on the fretboard I can find a major or minor 3rd interval really easily, and for me all other Intervals spring from that
yes I know most of the inversions, and I know most of the caged shapes, and I know some scale and modes, but I still find that latter approach of most use, especially when I am trying to work out chord progressions or follow someone
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
I think it is interesting that the only minor scale you can play on the white keys only is (one of the) A minor scales.
now, I always thought it was odd that scales started from C to C. Whereas it would be more “obvious” for thepm to go from A to A, A being the first letter of the alphabet. Which suggests that a piano is arranged for A minor, i which case it is the minor scale which everything else comes from
I have done that for you
https://youtu.be/5Xqip5Jzcpw
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.