Basic (theory and probably stupid) question #2

What's Hot
Placidcasual79Placidcasual79 Frets: 977
edited September 2018 in Theory
Hello all

Yesterday I asked a stupid question about. amps (Cabs vs combos)....

today its theory - and I'd be really grateful for any help you wise and wonderful bunch can provide. 

I enjoy listening to reggae and ska. Apologies if this is a stupid question - but are there scales or patterns that are prevalent in these styles? Anything I could learn that would help me? I am basic and self taught so I struggle - for example with the playing of Roddy 'Radiation' Byers of the specials or Peter Tosh of the Wailers. 

When I manage to work out their parts I cannot understand the scales they're using (essentially anything other than a blues pentatonic and I am lost lol)

Any help gratefully appreciated 

James 
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom

Comments

  • vizviz Frets: 10644
    edited September 2018
    Major and mixolydian mainly, with lots of I-IV-V progressions. 
    Roland said: Scales are primarily a tool for categorising knowledge, not a rule for what can or cannot be played.
    Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I've heard quite a few minor pentatonics in the solos on Live at the Lyceum
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Thank you @viz and @Phil_aka_Pip ;

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16253
    edited December 2018
    Late to the party on this! Having played a bunch of Roddy's parts it depends a bit but he tends to stick to major and minor pentatonics. 
    He uses some basic harmony in thirds on several things. So, play notes from a pentatonic and add their relative third and he forms a lot of double stops that way. Lynval Golding would do some of the lead parts. Thats him at the start of the solo on Little Bitch playing octaves. From memory it's basically a minor pentatonic ( maybe with a 2nd added?) but made interesting by playing it as octaves. Quite a lot of examples of simple melodies played using octaves in reggae ( Chase the Devil by Max Romeo is a good example ).

    Strictly speaking Peter Tosh played very little guitar with the Wailers or even on his own records. The solos tend to be session players ( including Ernest Ranglin in their earlier ska recordings) and then American guitarist Al Anderson ( not to be confused with Al Anderson of NRBQ)  and British guitarist Junior Marvin (not to be confused with reggae artist Junior Murvin). It's  mostly Al on the Tosh solo records. 
    Al is primarily a blues player and was bezzy mates with Paul Kossoff. I trust Phil's ears more than mine but I'd guess that Al  ( who takes the solos on Live at the Lyceum) used primarily blues scale, major and minor pentatonics but it was very much about phrasing. Old school blues rock really - ha, we've got you now! 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • LestratcasterLestratcaster Frets: 1079
    edited December 2018
    There are two types of pentatonic, major and minor which are interchangeable esp with blues. The key is the intervals, major has major 2nd, 3rd and a 6th, minor has a minor 3rd, a 4th and a 7th.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • vizviz Frets: 10644
    There are two types of pentatonic, major and minor which are interchangeable esp with blues. The key is the intervals, major has major 2nd, 3rd and a 6th, minor has a minor 3rd, a 4th and a 7th.
    (and they both have a perfect 5th of course)
    Roland said: Scales are primarily a tool for categorising knowledge, not a rule for what can or cannot be played.
    Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • viz said:
    There are two types of pentatonic, major and minor which are interchangeable esp with blues. The key is the intervals, major has major 2nd, 3rd and a 6th, minor has a minor 3rd, a 4th and a 7th.
    (and they both have a perfect 5th of course)
    Yeah, and that.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • finest1finest1 Frets: 94
    there is no such thing as a stupid question!  that's why forums exist!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • CarpeDiemCarpeDiem Frets: 275
    finest1 said:
    there is no such thing as a stupid question!  that's why forums exist!
    Wis'd. There are probably also a number of people who probably thought 'I wish I'd asked that question', or didn't think of asking it, that learn from reading such threads.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.