[felixdcat]

Huh, a long post ahead as, at least I think so...

I'm wondering about one thing. I have a C major scale (for example). Now, I know all the notes there are in that scale, and I know that rule that major chords are on I, IV, V, and minor ones are on ii, iii, vi. Last one is diminished. Right?

Well, let's take a look at the major scale formula:



Let's say I want to improvise in the key of C, let's say I'll play C-Am-G (just invented the progession).

I can find the C note on the fat E string (8th fret), and then I can build a simple triad by using notes on D, G, B -> 1-3-5.
That's a C major triad, right?

After that, I go to the 5th fret - A note. Here I can do the same thing except I have to flat the note on the G string. I got an Am chord, if I'm right.

Then I can repeat the procedure for the G one, too. I build a nice G major triad.

I was wondering if this is a good approach, because I'd like to do chords, and this seems to make sense to me. After reading Kirk's lessons, I came to a conclusion that everything comes from a major scale, with some changes. I see this as one of the ways. Please tell me if this is correct. Thank you .

[Fretsource]

Felix - What do you mean about building a C major triad on D, G & B? Do you mean on the D string, G string and B string? (Yes, you can but why choose those strings? - ALL strings can be used)

Or do you mean build a C major triad including those notes D G & B? (No, you can't - only Cs Es and Gs can be included)

[felixdcat]

I meant on those strings. What I'm trying to ask if anyone here is using this approach for building chords. I just gave it a little thought and it seemed to make sense to me. Like a combination of scales and chords.



What I mean is. I'm thinking about building triads from notes on those 3 strings (D, G, B), which have 1-3-5 notes of the scale in a row -> C E G. Of course, if I do it this way, I find it simple to add 7ths, 6ths, or whatever because I know where they are.

[Kirk Lorange]

There's no real mystery to chords, felixdcat, their shapes are well known. What you're revealing to yourself is the way chords emerge from scales, and that's a good thing, but their final shapes are set in stone.

[felixdcat]

Um, could I use this for improvisation?
I play 1-3-5-7 of a C chord, and then I connect it to B major, because 7th of C major is 1st of C chord? I guess it could work, if I wanted, I could go minor, by playing a flat 3rd of B major scale... ??

[Fretsource]

Originally Posted by felixdcat

I play 1-3-5-7 of a C chord, and then I connect it to B major, because 7th of C major is 1st of C chord?

I think you meant to say "7th of C major is 1st of B chord,"
Anyway, no, because B major contains two notes that aren't in the C major scale (D# and F#). As you said, you could flat the 3rd to be D instead of D#, but you'd still have F# which is out of key.

I'm not saying it's impossible to include 'out of key chords'. Everything is possible in music - you just have to find a convincing way of doing it.

[felixdcat]

Originally Posted by Fretsource

I think you meant to say "7th of C major is 1st of B chord,"
Anyway, no, because B major contains two notes that aren't in the C major scale (D# and F#). As you said, you could flat the 3rd to be D instead of D#, but you'd still have F# which is out of key.

I'm not saying it's impossible to include 'out of key chords'. Everything is possible in music - you just have to find a convincing way of doing it.

Ok. But I could go for, let's say, Em? Well, Em is in both C key and D key, right?

[Fretsource]

Originally Posted by felixdcat

Ok. But I could go for, let's say, Em? Well, Em is in both C key and D key, right?

Right

[felixdcat]

Ok, I got this. Well, I guess I'll do most of my improvisations over chords. Now I found a good way to build them .

What I was wondering, while I'm improvising, over, let's say, a C chord, I can play any notes from the C scale, and then return to the 1-3-5, and then go to some other chord in the key? I'm not sure if this is right, so please tell me

[Fretsource]

When you talk about improvising over a C chord, do you mean that someone else is strumming a C chord and you are improvising lead over that chord?
If 'yes' - then you can't just go changing to another chord when you feel like it. You must follow the rhythm guitarist's chords. If he or she changes to A minor then you should do the same, i.e., playing the notes of the A minor chord, (and other passing notes, etc.) like you did with the C chord.

If playing by yourself, improvising bits of chords and lead too - then you can change whenever you like. You are in full control. If you stick with chords that belong to the key, it will sound correct, normal and possibly boring. If you slip in some out of key chords it might sound terrible - but it just might sound amazing. That's the fascinating part - exploring 'the unknown'..

[Aunt Doty]

Am I wrong in thinking he needs Planetalk?!!! I just got mine and it seems to me it teaches improvisation!?

[felixdcat]

Ok. Let's say I'm improvising over the I-IV-V progression.

I play C-F-G chords.

When I'm improvising over a C chord, can I put some other notes from the C major scale in, and then before going to the F chord, use those 1-3-5 notes?

[Fretsource]

Felix - Yes, you can.
Aunt Doty - Yes, I think he does

[felixdcat]

I'll get PlaneTalk, as soon as I catch my dad

[Fong]

Going by your first post.

D G B is not 1 - 3 - 5 for the C Major Triad.

It is the G Major triad.

G D B is the G Major Chord, so D G B would likely be the first inversion of that chord.

So that is where I think you went wrong there?

Also where you talk about flattening the Note for the Am, you talk about flattening the G String.

The problem is, the 7th fret of the G string (considering your scale box is set to start on the 8th fret) is a D. Not a C#. So if you flatten the 7th fret of the G String (play the 6th fret) you will end up with a C# which is in A Major and not A Minor.

You have to think more along the lines of the notes you are flattening. You need to flatten the 3rd note of the Major Scale to make it a Minor.