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Topic: The minor scale and its chords |
Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 10 Dec 2018 11:52 am |
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If a minor scale includes the major seventh, why is the flat seventh dominant? I'm not trying to be capricious, but if the Eb scale contains a-flat and b-flat,
why are a and b naturals in the relative minor scale?
There are people who know theory better than me; maybe you could respond about what I'm missing. The matter had never come up in 50 years
nor has it been a bother, but now I'm old and demand for everything to work together and yield logical answers. (Maybe I've missed more than I think.) |
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Brian Hollands
From:
Geneva, FL USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2018 1:30 pm
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You may be confusing the different types of minor scales a bit. The relative minor of Eb maj is C min. C "natural" minor has all the same notes as Eb maj. C melodic minor uses the A and B natural when ascending and flats both note when descending. C harmonic minor uses the A flat and B natural both up and down.
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'81 Sho-bud LDG, 2 EMCI's |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 10 Dec 2018 2:03 pm
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Meanwhile, the dominant is G (containing a B natural) while the subdominant is Fm (containing an Ab). This is why the harmonic minor scale is so called - it is used when it is necessary to fit the melody to the three basic chords.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2018 1:03 am Re: The minor scale and its chords
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| Charlie McDonald wrote: |
| If a minor scale includes the major seventh, why is the flat seventh dominant? |
I agree with the information in the previous responses, but... It’s like, here is the answer to the question we think you are asking. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 11 Dec 2018 2:22 am
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Charlie should have enough answers now to work out the question 
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 12 Dec 2018 9:14 am Re: The minor scale and its chords
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Indeed that is the case. Seldom is a question on the Forum answered so succinctly and conclusively. I understand the distinctions now, and they're reasonable.
| Fred Treece wrote: |
| Charlie McDonald wrote: |
| If a minor scale includes the major seventh, why is the flat seventh dominant? |
I agree with the information in the previous responses, but... It’s like, here is the answer to the question we think you are asking. |
It's possible that that is the question. Perhaps I'm trying to mend some rift or riff.
In further thought: I'm listening to a project I just completed, another individual's tunes.
In one tune, I use the dom seventh throughout (almost every chord) although it's the chord I normally avoid at every opportunity. Another tune, I'm using the harmonic minor a the head (and throughout) because it's the one that sounds right?
Thank you for your excellent and informed responses.
Cool. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 12 Dec 2018 10:54 am
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If the tune is in true harmonic minor, and the 1-4-5 chords are Im-IVm-V7, then the harmonic minor scale is absolutely going to work.
If you want to give your dominant seventh scales a jazz twist, try the harmonic minor scale a half step up from the root of the dom7 chord. In other words, play F harmonic minor over E7. Technically, it can still be called an altered E7 dominant scale, featuring b5, #5, #9, and b9. You can get some interesting chord voicings from it that are very easy on pedal steel and resolve to I minor or major nicely. |
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