RE: [Harp-L] II V I - the diminished scale

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

You can name the degrees of the scale melodically as an ascending sequence as I did, or as components of a chord, as Michael did.

Both have value, but they emphasize different parts of a note's value.

Naming the notes melodically emphasizes their relation to their neighbors regardless of background chord and also emphasizes the purely melodic effect of going from one to another. Any tension they set up is likely to be resolved purely by melodic motion, and possibly within the context of a single chord.

Naming the notes harmonically, as parts or extensions of a chord, emphasizes their relation to the chord root and their harmonic effect in creating or adding color to a chord. Any tension they create is likely to be resolved by the note to which they move when the next chord comes along.

Both ways of looking at notes are well worth exploring.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Sat, 1/9/10, Michael Peloquin <peloquinharp@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Michael Peloquin <peloquinharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] II V I - the diminished scale
To: "Harp -l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Saturday, January 9, 2010, 3:51 PM


Winslow taught us:
> The Db diminished scale is the same as the E, G, and Bb diminished
scales - each of them one semitone above the chord roots of C, Eb, Gb
and A.
> 
> This scale contains aall the notes of all four
7th chords, plus some aditional notes. For instance, if you took this
Db diminished scale and named the scale degrees relative to the roots
of the C chord, you'd get
> 
> Root (C), flat 2 (Db) flat 3
(Eb), major 3 (E) raised 4 (F#), fifth (G), sixth (A), flat 7th (Bb).
The same is true for chord roots Eb, Gb, and A.
> 

Great job 'Slo -- however, I think that if we are going to the trouble of learning to speak theoretically, then we should take the next small step and name the scale degrees a bit differently, ie:
1, b9,#9,3,#11,5,13,b7

this explains these scale tones functionality more in terms of the related chordal harmony.

This scale is a piece of cake on a spiral/diminished tuned harmonica (or on a saxophone!)

  
Michael Peloquin

http://www.b-radical.us

http://harpsax.com

http://myspace.com/peloquinharpsax



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