Two major chords, 3 semitones apart

midiglitch · November 2013

What parent scale gives rise to this?

I.e. Harmonic minor (or more accurately Phrygian dominant) gives rise to two major chords a semitone apart, but can't think what would give two major chords a minor third apart.

Based on the lower of the two chords, It would need to have both a minor third and major third. Can't think...any suggestions?

octatonic · November 2013

None really come to mind.

Two chords: A major and C major:

A major: A C# E

C major: C E G

Looking it as an A scale:

A, C, C#, E, G, A

R, b3, 3, 5, b7, R

You could look at the b3 in terms of being a #2 but it still doesn't get you anything particularly useful.

If you think it in terms of a C chord:

C, C#/Db, E, G, A, C

R, #R/b2, 3, 5, 6, R

Again nothing here that is particularly useful.

randomhandclaps · November 2013

I can't think of any in particular and am pretty certain there are no recognised scales where this would occur 'staying in key'. What is the context?

midiglitch · November 2013

Thinking aloud...

Diminished half-whole scale will do it. Otherwise Lydian dominant sharp 9! If that's even a real scale...

midiglitch · November 2013

Context is just I like to jam a couple of chords on a loop and see what happens.

Usually I use target chord tones which means you can play over anything, but if a scale works and has a strong sound of is own that can be nice to work with (I have a particular soft spot for modes of harmonic minor as you may know.)

In this case my chords were g and a#, both major and I just wondered what their mother was.

randomhandclaps · November 2013

midiglitch said:

Thinking aloud...

Diminished half-whole scale will do it. Otherwise Lydian dominant sharp 9! If that's even a real scale...

Not sure what you are referring to. What would the notes be?

Also Lydian #9 is actually Lydian #2 from the harmonic minor scale and wouldn't work - unless you are creating an 8 note scale.

midiglitch · November 2013

It's the posh name for whole step, half step scale (think bends era radiohead, whenever Johnny plays octaves...), but starting with the half step instead of the whole step.

In C you would have:

C Db Eb E F# G A Bb

randomhandclaps · November 2013

I know the scale but I am completely missing where the two major chords a minor third apart come from - it has been a long day mind.

viz · November 2013

3rd mode of the phrygian blues scale (1221132), 3rd mode of the super locrian blues scale (1212132), 3rd mode of the augmented blues dominant scale (2112132), 3rd mode of the minor blues dominant scale (2121132) <- edit: this one, Hollywoodrox!

monquixote · November 2013

I'm thinking the right way to think of this might be the punk approach of playing all the diatonic chords as majors regardless of what they should be.

You don't really worry about the parent scale just treat it as the relevant minor pent and ignore the clashy notes.

Another example would be Stepping Stone by the Monkeys

midiglitch · November 2013

randomhandclaps;78301" said:
midiglitch said:

Thinking aloud...

Diminished half-whole scale will do it. Otherwise Lydian dominant sharp 9! If that's even a real scale...

Not sure what you are referring to. What would the notes be?Also Lydian #9 is actually Lydian #2 from the harmonic minor scale and wouldn't work - unless you are creating an 8 note scale.

I think Lydian dominant #2 would work... Take the mode from the harmonic minor as you say but with a flat seventh replacing the major seventh. Hence why I said "not sure if it's even a real scale"

If you harmonise the whole-half scale (which is an eight note scale) you get four major chords (all dominant) and four diminished chords. The major chords are a minor third apart and the diminished chords are also a minor third apart.

@viz I wondered what variations of the blues scale would come up. Thinking of that #2 as a minor third certainly points in that direction. Good to have your encyclopedic knowledge to hand!

@monquixote that would be one perfectly good approach to get by on. I'm just interested in exploring these things as far as I can and see what I can learn.

midiglitch · November 2013

@viz I assume your notation is the number of semi tones between notes of the scale?
Out of interest do you use that approach to remember the scales?

viz · November 2013

Yes, correct; and no I don't because there's 462 unique heptatonic variations! I remember them by the sound. But I find the numbers good for indexing them.

pickerg · November 2013

@viz really impressed with your scale/mode knowledge in this and the pentatonic thread... did you get this from many different sources or is there one book/website that covers everything?

viz · November 2013

It's purely mathematical I assure you! In real life situations I fall back on my steve vai licks which suit EVERY occasion

IMO of course. But I did have quite a thorough classical music education and upbringing.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Two major chords, 3 semitones apart

Comments