[Harp-L] re: what's a scale

[rainbowjimmy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

If all you play is blues maybe you don't need to know about scales. If  
I want to play the piano solo on the Allman Brother's Jessica on the  
harp, then it's helpful for me to know they like to jam on Major  
Penatonic scales. Makes it easier to guess which notes they'll be  
playing.

Now if I know the major pentatonic scale and I know some theory I can  
figure out the relative Minor Pentatonic scale which will make it  
easier for me to play Hendrix's "Little Wing". You could play it in  
third--I like it in 5th.

Playing straight 3rd position blues riffs over the Door's Break On  
Through won't sound right but if you know your dorian scale you can  
have a lot of fun.

It also helps when you're collaborating on the song writing. My friend  
Steve wrote a song with initial melody based on an E7 chord (I know  
this because I know theory). So I guess the song will work well with a  
blues scale. Wrong. It helps to know there's a major scale with a flat  
7th and it helps to know how it lays out on the harp.

What do you do if a song modulates to another key?

Could you do all this by ear? Sure. It's just easier with a little theory.

Having said this. please don't just solo by running up and down the  
scale. All that shows is you practice your scales. Do something with  
the notes.

Rainbow Jimmy
http://www.spaceanimals.com
http://www.soundclick.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals.htm