Hans Penner
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 12 Jan 2013 11:37 am |
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I am tired of playing grips only and am now venturing forth to learn scales.
But, I am green as grass when it comes to scales.
Are the following 3 examples all harmonized G scales?
My own research says they are not all harmonized G scales.
Eg. 1
S
3 3---3B---5B---8---10---10B---13----15
4 3---3C---5C---8---10---10C---13F---15 < --G---A-----B----C----D----E-----F#----G
5 3---3----5C----8---10---10----13----15
Eg. 2
S
3 3---3B---5B---8---10---10B---13----15
4 3---3C---5C---8---10---10C---13F---15 < --G---A-----B----C----D----E-----F#----G
Eg. 3
--D---E-----F#--G----G----A-----B------C
S
3 3---3B---5B---8---10---10B---13----15 OR 3---3B---5B---8---10---10B---13----15
5 3---3----5C----8---10---10----13----15 OR 3---3A---5A----8---10---10A---13----15
The above now reflect the explanation provided by Tucker. Thanx Tucker.
_________________
At long last, July 14, 2011 and I have a musical instrument I CAN play.
Stage One, Nashville 112, Hilton pedal, Black Box
Last edited by Hans Penner on 12 Jan 2013 2:35 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2013 1:27 pm
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Hans, the first two examples are the G major scale played in harmony. The third example is not.
There is a small error in examples #1 and #3: the 5th string should also indicate a "C" next to it (in the three frets where you have C pedal on the 4th string, or B-pedal on 3rd string).
1) The first example is based on the pedals-up position. The "G" note that starts the scale is found on the 4th string, 3rd fret. The other two notes are the harmony to what's happening on the 4th string. This sequence up the neck is playing the scale using full chords -- and if you put a number under each position, 1 thorough 7 (and ending on an octave position, "1" chord), you have the chords of the Nashville Number system.
2) The second example is the same as the first one, only it's 2-note harmony. The main scale is still being played on the 4th string. The notes on the 3rd string are harmony notes.
3) In order to turn the third example into a harmonized G major scale, just play it like example #1 (with the BC pedals... so add pedal C to the tab in the same positions where you hit B-pedal), but leave out the 4th string in your grip.
And, as an aside, since you're not touching the 4th string, you can choose to use AB pedals instead of BC -- they will produce the same results if you're only playing strings 3 and 5. This might be easier for some people.
From a music theory standpoint, there are a couple of ways to view what's happening in this scale in example #3 (usually, in writing out scales, you start from a position that has the root -- the G note in this example -- but there isn't a G note in your example #3 since the tab has the scale starting in the 3rd fret, and the G note we need is on the 4th string -- and we're not hitting that string):
* You can still look at it as the G major scale beginning from a root position in fret 3, but only playing the harmony notes (and leaving out the main scale on the 4th string).
* Or.... you can view it as being the pedals-down version of the G harmonized scale... only starting it out (in fret 3) mid-way through the scale. In this scenario, the root would be in fret 10 with the B-pedal down (strings 3 or 6 would be the "G" note that starts the G major scale). The G scale itself would be played on string 3 as you move up and down the neck. String 5 would be a harmony note.
Therefore, you could choose to re-number the scale tones with fret 10 being the "1" position (think pedals-down G position), fret 13 would be the "2," etc. Fret 3 in your tab would therefore be the 3rd step of the G scale.
To summarize: harmonized scales beginning in the pedals-up fret are based on the 4th string and use BC pedals, while harmonized scales beginning in the pedals-down position are based on the 3rd string (or 6th, same note) and use AB pedals (well, plus the E-lower lever at times, if you want make full, 3-note chords). And, of course, the two approaches have a different sequence pattern (negative image, actually) as to when to hit and release the pedals.
If you're an ear player, it doesn't matter how you think of it -- just know that all those positions will probably work over a G chord.  |
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