Music Theory_ Exotic Scales_meta name=_description_ content=_A scale is merely a series of tones...

22/02/2015 Music Theory: Exotic Scales<meta name="description" content="A scale is merely a series of tones that lie between octaves. That's not too much … http://www.lotusmusic.com/lm_exoticscales.html 1/3 Music Theory Topics Click on these links to learn more about these topics. Backcycling Chord Basics Chord Extensions Chord Names Chord Progressions Chord Substitution Circle of Fifths Enharmonics Harmonic Minor Scale Improvisation Intervals Melodic Minor Modes Modulation Parallel Minor Scale Scales Exotic Scales Harmonized Scales Scale Degree Seconary Dominant Chords Transposing Have a Question? If you have a music theory question, I invite you to contact me, Tom Michero: service(at)lotusmusic.com. I welcome all inquiries and will respond to your question promptly. Books & Tools On a computer or from a book, learning music is too important to wait. Choose the books and tools that are right for you. "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." -Buddha Exotic Scales A scale is merely a series of tones that lie between octaves. That's not too much different than the definition of a chord. The main difference, however, is that a scale represents the foundation of a piece of music. A chord is essentially the harmonization of a scale. The term exotic as it applies to musical scales is a very relative term. Usually, when people refer to a scale as being exotic they mean it is not commonly used. This may or may not be the case. It is difficult categorize scales because there are so many varieties according to number of tones, interval, and geographic origins. While grouping scales according to their ethnic roots is useful to an anthropologist, it is not much help to a musician. A musician is interested in how a scale sounds and how it might be used in a piece of music. Each scale has a unique sound but, like chords, they share certain family traits. The most useful way I have found to categorize scales is similar to how chords are categorize, that is, major, minor, dominant, etc. When grouped this way it is easier to translate their harmonic function. The improvisor can use these scales to play over chords. For instance, if you saw a Cmaj7 chord on your lead sheet, you could play a major sounding exotic scale like the Hungarian Folk scale. This amounts to a key change without changing the tonal center and depending on the harmonic context can add unique tonal variety to your playing. There are many different scale choices for each chord. The principle here is the same as with the Diatonic scale. Scales that have the same notes as the chord can be played over the given chord. The scales listed here are grouped according to the chord function that they match. Each scale is matched with a chord as indicated to the right. The pairing of chord and scale is only one of several that can be made. Use this as a beginning point then explore pairings of your own. These scales above have a major scale sound to them because they all have seven tones and a major third and a major seventh interval, same as the Diatonic scale. These seventone dominant scales above are similar to the Mixolydian mode which has a major third and flatted seventh interval. The Mixolydian mode is the common scale to play over dominant chords. These modes Home Products Theory About Blog Interactive

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