Axis39
New Member
I think there's a little cart before horse thing going on with your lessons.... Or maybe It's just the way I think and learn?
A few years ago, I decided I was gonna try to understand some music theory. So, I got down to business reading some books and looking over a bunch of websites. I won't say I'm an expert, but I got a basic understanding. If I am talking about stuff that is way beneath you, then please forgive me. To me, these topics are 'basic music theory'.
For me, the first thing to learn is(was) the Major Scale and it's intervals. Then, figure out how chords are made... The Major scale, specifically C Major, is whole step (C to D), whole step (D to E), half step (E to F), whole step (F to G), whole step (G to A), whole step (A to B) and half step (B to C) for the octave.
To build chords, we start with the 1st, 3rd, and 5th degrees of said Major Scale to make a Major chord. Then figure out (like you mentioned) that flatting the third makes it a minor chord. Then, add the 7th.. Major 3rd and Major 7th makes a Major 7th chord. Minor 3rd, minor 7th makes a minor 7th chord. Major 3rd, minor 7th makes a Dominant chord. Once I got that understanding down.... I began spelling chords at night to put myself to sleep (it works better than counting sheep, believe me!). Then there's augmented and diminished....
Once I understood Dominant chords, and their other extensions: 6th, 9th, 11th, 13th, etc. I figured out that I probably wouldn't use much beyond 9ths for Blues. But, I keep that other knowledge hanging around, just in case. Every now and again I toss in an 11th to sound all jazzy and stuff.
Those dominant extensions led me to a little nugget which opened up the fretboard and some note choices to me... I'll explain that now and see if it makes sense to anyone else. LOL
If we take the C Major Scale, C, D, E, F, G, A and B. 7 scale degrees. A C Dominant 7th chord is made up of the notes C, E, G and Bb (B Flat). A C9 Chord (the dominant 7th plus the 9th) adds the D. C11, adds the F, etc. etc. By the time you get to a 13th chord, you've used all 7 scale tones (but, obviously we drop out certain notes to make it possible to play them with only 6 strings, but also to keep the sound uncongested). But, then when you start looking at those diminished, augmented etc chords, or doing a #7 b5 chord (like the 'Hendrix' chord) I suddenly realized any note can be used at any time if you think of it as an extension of the chord of the moment.
Granted some notes sound sweeter, some more dissonant, some resolve, some cause tension. This is where our own creativity and style influences come into play. In a typical, traditional style Blues, you would rarely play an 11th or 13th chord and using those color notes can sound really clanky in the wrong place, like ending a phrase with them... Unless they are leading to something else and you resolve it... Or, they can add tension in just the right place (like how Jimi played some diminished stuff in Red House to express how something was wrong and the key didn't fit the lock no more).
With my little bit of knowledge, things opened up for me and I stopped worrying about finding exactly the correct note and started listening for what I wanted to hear. I started avoiding the notes I didn't like or didn't sound 'right'... But, I also realized that I could play them in the right situation. I just had to become familiar enough with 'all' of the situations to know when to, and when not to, play the note. Which meant basically just a lot of time with my fingers on the fretboard and my ears open.
The other thing learning the basic scale and chord stuff taught me was how to switch between some styles effortlessly, note-choice wise. But, to truly switch styles, I have to listen to the music, get the feel for the rhythm, as well as note choice. The whole Blues (minor tonality in most cases) to Country (major tonality in a lot of cases) or even just within different genres of Blues (i.e. Chicago to Piedmont, West Coast to Chicago, etc.). Changing note choices on top fo chords can make things sound right ro wrong... Same with chord choices. You don't find 9th chords in Piedmont Blues very often... But, they're all over West Coast Jump and Swing type stuff.
In Blues, the circle of 5ths won't help much. Or, at least, hasn't helped me any. It probably will in some Heavy Metal (maybe, I dunno Metal chord progressions). Might help in some Rock (something like the Beatles as mentioned earlier).
The funny thing is, I play with a woman who has played professionally for over 40 years. She doesn't know anything beyond 7th chords, has no idea how to make a 9th chord, and has no interest in it. She just plays. She has some rudimentary knowledge of open chords and some moveable chord shapes. And yet, she has several W.C. Handy Awards, has made a good living, raising a child as a single parent and is still gigging regularly. She couldn't tell you how to play a Major scale, or what makes the minor scale different. I am not sure even knows what a dominant chord is. She knows how to play dominant chords... But, don't go getting all Roman Numerally on her. She won't listen.
What I'm trying to say with this is that a lack of music theory knowledge doesn't hold anyone back. Although, a little music theory knowledge never hurt anyone either. It certainly opened things up for me.
Again, if I have iterated anything incorrectly or anything below anyone's level of knowledge, I am only trying to spread information, not talk down to anyone or insult them.
And that's more info than anyone probably wanted to read on a Friday...
A few years ago, I decided I was gonna try to understand some music theory. So, I got down to business reading some books and looking over a bunch of websites. I won't say I'm an expert, but I got a basic understanding. If I am talking about stuff that is way beneath you, then please forgive me. To me, these topics are 'basic music theory'.
For me, the first thing to learn is(was) the Major Scale and it's intervals. Then, figure out how chords are made... The Major scale, specifically C Major, is whole step (C to D), whole step (D to E), half step (E to F), whole step (F to G), whole step (G to A), whole step (A to B) and half step (B to C) for the octave.
To build chords, we start with the 1st, 3rd, and 5th degrees of said Major Scale to make a Major chord. Then figure out (like you mentioned) that flatting the third makes it a minor chord. Then, add the 7th.. Major 3rd and Major 7th makes a Major 7th chord. Minor 3rd, minor 7th makes a minor 7th chord. Major 3rd, minor 7th makes a Dominant chord. Once I got that understanding down.... I began spelling chords at night to put myself to sleep (it works better than counting sheep, believe me!). Then there's augmented and diminished....
Once I understood Dominant chords, and their other extensions: 6th, 9th, 11th, 13th, etc. I figured out that I probably wouldn't use much beyond 9ths for Blues. But, I keep that other knowledge hanging around, just in case. Every now and again I toss in an 11th to sound all jazzy and stuff.
Those dominant extensions led me to a little nugget which opened up the fretboard and some note choices to me... I'll explain that now and see if it makes sense to anyone else. LOL
If we take the C Major Scale, C, D, E, F, G, A and B. 7 scale degrees. A C Dominant 7th chord is made up of the notes C, E, G and Bb (B Flat). A C9 Chord (the dominant 7th plus the 9th) adds the D. C11, adds the F, etc. etc. By the time you get to a 13th chord, you've used all 7 scale tones (but, obviously we drop out certain notes to make it possible to play them with only 6 strings, but also to keep the sound uncongested). But, then when you start looking at those diminished, augmented etc chords, or doing a #7 b5 chord (like the 'Hendrix' chord) I suddenly realized any note can be used at any time if you think of it as an extension of the chord of the moment.
Granted some notes sound sweeter, some more dissonant, some resolve, some cause tension. This is where our own creativity and style influences come into play. In a typical, traditional style Blues, you would rarely play an 11th or 13th chord and using those color notes can sound really clanky in the wrong place, like ending a phrase with them... Unless they are leading to something else and you resolve it... Or, they can add tension in just the right place (like how Jimi played some diminished stuff in Red House to express how something was wrong and the key didn't fit the lock no more).
With my little bit of knowledge, things opened up for me and I stopped worrying about finding exactly the correct note and started listening for what I wanted to hear. I started avoiding the notes I didn't like or didn't sound 'right'... But, I also realized that I could play them in the right situation. I just had to become familiar enough with 'all' of the situations to know when to, and when not to, play the note. Which meant basically just a lot of time with my fingers on the fretboard and my ears open.
The other thing learning the basic scale and chord stuff taught me was how to switch between some styles effortlessly, note-choice wise. But, to truly switch styles, I have to listen to the music, get the feel for the rhythm, as well as note choice. The whole Blues (minor tonality in most cases) to Country (major tonality in a lot of cases) or even just within different genres of Blues (i.e. Chicago to Piedmont, West Coast to Chicago, etc.). Changing note choices on top fo chords can make things sound right ro wrong... Same with chord choices. You don't find 9th chords in Piedmont Blues very often... But, they're all over West Coast Jump and Swing type stuff.
In Blues, the circle of 5ths won't help much. Or, at least, hasn't helped me any. It probably will in some Heavy Metal (maybe, I dunno Metal chord progressions). Might help in some Rock (something like the Beatles as mentioned earlier).
The funny thing is, I play with a woman who has played professionally for over 40 years. She doesn't know anything beyond 7th chords, has no idea how to make a 9th chord, and has no interest in it. She just plays. She has some rudimentary knowledge of open chords and some moveable chord shapes. And yet, she has several W.C. Handy Awards, has made a good living, raising a child as a single parent and is still gigging regularly. She couldn't tell you how to play a Major scale, or what makes the minor scale different. I am not sure even knows what a dominant chord is. She knows how to play dominant chords... But, don't go getting all Roman Numerally on her. She won't listen.
What I'm trying to say with this is that a lack of music theory knowledge doesn't hold anyone back. Although, a little music theory knowledge never hurt anyone either. It certainly opened things up for me.
Again, if I have iterated anything incorrectly or anything below anyone's level of knowledge, I am only trying to spread information, not talk down to anyone or insult them.
And that's more info than anyone probably wanted to read on a Friday...
DC.
