In the world of music theory, scales serve as foundational elements that guide musical composition and improvisation. While diatonic scales like the major and minor scales are commonly used, non-diatonic scales such as the chromatic and whole tone scales offer unique soundscapes that can add depth and intrigue to your music. This lesson will explore these non-diatonic scales, highlighting their structures, characteristics, and practical applications.
#1.) The Chromatic Scale
Structure and Characteristics
The chromatic scale is one of the simplest yet most comprehensive scales in Western music. It consists of twelve notes, each a half step apart, encompassing all the possible pitches within an octave. This scale is unique because it includes every possible note, making it a tool for exploring all tonal possibilities.
- The chromatic scale is structured with only half steps between each note, resulting in the following sequence: C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, B, C.
Practical Applications
- Technique Development: Practicing the chromatic scale can improve finger strength and precision on the guitar. It's an excellent warm-up exercise that ensures each finger gets equal practice.
- Improvisation: While not typically used as a primary scale for solos, the chromatic scale can be employed to add tension or create transitional passages between more harmonically stable sections.
- Composition: Composers often use chromaticism to introduce dissonance or complexity within a piece, offering a contrast to diatonic harmony.
#2.) The Whole Tone Scale
Structure and Characteristics
The whole tone scale is another non-diatonic scale known for its dreamy and ambiguous sound. It consists of six notes, each a whole step apart, creating a symmetrical structure that lacks a clear tonal center.
- The whole tone scale is made up of whole steps only: C, D, E, F#/Gb, G#/Ab, A#/Bb, C.
Practical Applications
- Impressionism: The whole tone scale is frequently associated with Impressionist music, evoking a sense of ethereal and floating sound. It is often used to create an atmosphere of mystery and otherworldliness.
- Jazz and Fusion: Jazz musicians use the whole tone scale to create unconventional solos that break away from traditional tonal constraints, offering a modern and avant-garde sound.
- Chord Voicings: The scale's symmetrical nature makes it suitable for experimenting with unique chord voicings and progressions, allowing for interesting harmonic exploration.
Exercises For Daily Practice
- Scale Practice: Play both the chromatic and whole tone scales in various positions on the guitar fretboard. Focus on accuracy and smooth transitions between notes.
- Improvisation: Choose a backing track and incorporate chromatic or whole tone phrases into your improvisation. Experiment with how these scales can add tension or contrast to your solos.
- Ear Training: Listen to music that features chromatic and whole tone scales. Try to identify where these scales are used and the effect they have on the overall sounds.
By exploring the chromatic and whole tone scales, you’ll expand your musical vocabulary and gain the ability to incorporate unique and non-traditional sounds into your playing. These scales invite you to push the boundaries of conventional music theory and inspire fresh creative possibilities.
#3.) Altered Scales
Altered scales are a fascinating and versatile tool in the world of jazz and contemporary music, adding complexity and color to solos and compositions. These scales are derived by altering certain notes of a standard scale, often used to create tension and resolution within a musical piece. By understanding altered scales, you'll expand your harmonic vocabulary and open new avenues for creative expression.
Characteristics of Altered Scales
- Chromatic Alterations
Altered scales often involve chromatic alterations of standard scale degrees. These alterations can include raising or lowering specific notes to add dissonance or tension that resolves into more consonant tones.
- Rich Harmonic Palette
The altered scale provides a rich harmonic palette that is particularly useful in jazz, fusion, and contemporary music. Its unique sound can create a sense of anticipation and resolution, making it a powerful tool for creating musical interest.
- Application Over Dominant Chords
Altered scales are commonly used over dominant chords, especially those that resolve to a tonic chord. The tension created by the altered notes enhances the resolution to the tonic, adding depth and sophistication to the music.
- The Altered Scale (Super Locrian)
The most commonly used altered scale, often referred to as the Super Locrian scale, is derived from the seventh mode of the melodic minor scale. It is called "altered" because it includes multiple altered chord tones.
Interval Pattern
- Half step
- Whole step
- Half step
- Whole step
- Whole step
- Whole step
- Whole step
Example: C Altered Scale
To construct the C altered scale, start with the C melodic minor scale and use its seventh mode:
- C (root)
- Db (half step from C)
- Eb (whole step from Db)
- E (half step from Eb)
- F#/Gb (whole step from E)
- G#/Ab (whole step from F#)
- Bb (whole step from G#)
This scale includes several altered tones such as the b9 (Db), #9 (Eb), #11 (F#/Gb), and b13 (Bb), creating a rich and tense sound.
Practical Applications
- Improvisation Over Dominant Chords
Use the altered scale to improvise over dominant chords, particularly in jazz progressions. The tension created by the altered notes can lead to expressive and sophisticated solos.
- Composition
Incorporate altered scales into your compositions to add complexity and intrigue. They can be used to transition between sections or to highlight key moments within a piece.
- Chord Voicings
Experiment with chord voicings that include altered tones from the scale. This can add color and depth to your harmonic progressions.
Exercises
- Scale Practice
Practice playing the altered scale in various positions across the fretboard. Focus on the unique intervals and the tension they create.
- mprovisation
Choose a jazz standard with dominant chords and use the altered scale to improvise. Pay attention to how the altered notes interact with the harmony and create tension and resolution.
- Composition
Write a short piece or section using the altered scale. Experiment with different chords and voicings to explore the scale's creative potential.
By mastering altered scales, you'll enhance your ability to create dynamic and expressive music, particularly in jazz and contemporary genres. These scales offer a unique sound that can transform your compositions and improvisations, adding sophistication and intrigue to your musical palette. Embrace the complexity of altered scales and use them to push the boundaries of your musical creativity.
#4.) Symmetrical Scales
Symmetrical scales are a fascinating area of music theory, characterized by repeating interval patterns that create unique and often mysterious sounds. These scales are particularly useful for adding tension and intrigue to compositions, making them popular in genres that explore complex and avant-garde musical ideas. In this lesson, we will introduce two prominent symmetrical scales: the diminished scale and the augmented scale, exploring their structures, characteristics, and applications.
#5.) Diminished Scale
Structure and Characteristics
The diminished scale, also known as the octatonic scale, is a symmetrical scale composed of eight notes. It alternates between whole and half steps, creating a repeated pattern that lends itself to a sense of tension and instability. This scale is often used to evoke a feeling of suspense or drama.
Interval Pattern
- Whole step
- Half step
- Whole step
- Half step
- Whole step
- Half step
- Whole step
- Half step
Example: C Diminished Scale
- C (root)
- D (whole step from C)
- D#/Eb (half step from D)
- F (whole step from D#)
- F#/Gb (half step from F)
- G#/Ab (whole step from F#)
- A (half step from G#)
- B (whole step from A)
Practical Applications
- Jazz and Classical Music: The diminished scale is frequently used in jazz and classical compositions to create tension and facilitate modulation.
- Improvisation: Musicians often use this scale over diminished and dominant seventh chords to add complexity and interest to their solos.
- Film Scores: Its tense and eerie quality makes it a favorite in film scores, where it enhances suspenseful or dramatic scenes.
#6.) Augmented Scale
Structure and Characteristics
The augmented scale, also known as the hexatonic scale, consists of six notes and is built using a repeating pattern of minor thirds and half steps. This symmetrical structure results in a sound that is both ambiguous and ethereal.
Interval Pattern
- Minor third (1½ steps)
- Half step
- Minor third (1½ steps)
- Half step
- Minor third (1½ steps)
- Half step
Example: C Augmented Scale
- C (root)
- D#/Eb (minor third from C)
- E (half step from D#)
- G (minor third from E)
- G#/Ab (half step from G)
- B (minor third from G#)
Practical Applications
- Jazz and Fusion: The augmented scale is used in jazz and fusion for its ability to create innovative and unexpected tonal shifts.
- Compositional Innovation: Composers utilize this scale to break away from traditional harmony, offering unique melodic and harmonic possibilities.
- Experimental Music: Its symmetrical nature and ambiguous sound make it ideal for experimental and avant-garde music, where it can challenge conventional musical norms.
Practical Exercises
- Scale Practice: Play both the diminished and augmented scales in various keys and positions on the guitar fretboard. Focus on the symmetrical intervals and the unique sound they produce.
- Improvisation: Use these scales to improvise over suitable chords, such as diminished or augmented chords, and experiment with the tension and release they create.
- Composition: Incorporate symmetrical scales into your compositions to add a layer of complexity and intrigue. Experiment with combining these scales with more traditional harmonic elements to discover fresh musical ideas.
By exploring symmetrical scales like the diminished and augmented scales, you can expand your musical vocabulary and introduce innovative sounds into your playing. These scales challenge the boundaries of traditional music theory, inviting you to explore new creative dimensions in your compositions and improvisations.
#7.) Exotic Scales
Exploring exotic scales can be a transformative experience for any guitarist, offering a gateway to new musical landscapes and cultural expressions. These scales, often derived from non-Western musical traditions, provide unique tonal flavors that can enrich your compositions and improvisations, setting your music apart with distinctive sounds. This lesson delves into the fascinating world of exotic scales, highlighting their structures, origins, and applications.
Understanding Exotic Scales
Exotic scales are characterized by their unusual interval patterns and tonal qualities that differ from the traditional Western diatonic scales. They often originate from specific cultural or regional music traditions and can evoke a wide range of emotions and atmospheres.
Examples of Exotic Scales
- Hirajoshi Scale (Japanese)
- Structure: A five-note scale with a distinct Eastern sound, often used in traditional Japanese music.
- Interval Pattern: Whole step, half step, major third (two whole steps), half step, major third.
- Example Notes (C Hirajoshi): C, D, Eb, G, Ab
- Phrygian Dominant Scale (Middle Eastern)
- Structure: A seven-note scale that combines the Phrygian mode with a raised third, known for its Spanish and Middle Eastern flavor.
- Interval Pattern: Half step, augmented second (three half steps), half step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step.
- Example Notes (E Phrygian Dominant): E, F, G#, A, B, C, D.
- Raga Bhairav (Indian)
- Structure: A scale used in Indian classical music, known for its solemn and meditative quality.
- Interval Pattern: Half step, augmented second, half step, whole step, half step, augmented second, half step.
- Example Notes (C Bhairav): C, Db, E, F, G, Ab, B
Practical Applications
Incorporating Exotic Scales into Your Music
- Improvisation
- Use exotic scales to add a unique flavor to your solos. Experiment with different scales to evoke specific moods or atmospheres.
- Composition
- Integrate exotic scales into your compositions to add depth and cultural diversity. Use them to create motifs or themes that distinguish your music.
- Genre Fusion
- Blend exotic scales with Western musical elements to create innovative and genre-defying pieces. This can lead to exciting new sounds and textures.
Daily Exercises
- Scale Practice
- Choose an exotic scale and practice it in different positions on the guitar. Focus on the unique intervals and sound of the scale.
- Improvisation
- Improvise over a backing track using an exotic scale. Pay attention to how the scale influences the mood and character of your solos.
- Composition Challenge
- Write a short piece or melody using an exotic scale. Experiment with different rhythms and dynamics to explore the expressive potential of this piece.
By incorporating exotic scales into your musical repertoire, you'll expand your creative horizons and explore new cultural expressions. These scales offer a rich palette of sounds that can inspire innovative compositions and improvisations, allowing you to connect with a diverse range of musical traditions. Embrace the uniqueness of exotic scales and let them guide you on a journey of musical discovery and experimentation.
Conclusion
This chapter has introduced you to advanced scale concepts, pushing the boundaries of traditional theory. These lessons will broaden your musical vocabulary and inspire new creative directions. But in order for that to happen, you need to fully understand the scale concepts. Take time to study them, and put the ideas into practical application.
If you need any personal assistance with your guitar playing, be sure to reach out at your earliest convenience. I am always happy to help unlock the mysteries of the fretboard. Just contact me through my website, and we'll set up a time to chat. Thanks for your time today, and I hope you got some insight into unconventional ways of looking at scales. Good luck with your learning, and take care.
Sincerely, Dwayne Jenkins
