Scales Chords 4 Beginners

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !
PRESENTS:
2008 PT Music - All rights reserved. This PDF should not be redistributed either for payment or free. Teachers: Please contact www.petethomas.co.uk if you would like the distributable version of this publication for your students. All proceeds to charity.
By Pete Thomas
All revenue from this publication is donated to charity. Please do not copy it and/or distribute it.
http://www.petethomas.co.uk/fundraising/
SCALES!
Scales: What & Why?! How to Learn a Scale! How to Play the Scales! Major scales! Melodic minor! Harmonic Minor! Aeolian Mode! Dorian Mode! Pentatonic minor! Blues scale (minor) ! Blues scale (major) ! Whole tone scales! Whole tone (cont) !
5
6 9 12 13 18 21 24 27 33 36 38 40 42
CHORDS!
Major chords ! Minor chords! Major 7 chords ! Minor 7 chords! Dominant 7 chords! Some Important Terminoloy !
43
44 44 45 46 46 47
SCALES
Scales: What & Why?

Ive made it relatively easy for you by presenting all these scales as written down music. I hope this will be a great reference for you, but ideally you need to be able to learn all these scales, especially if you ever intend to learn to do any jazz, pop, rock or blues improvisation. At rst this can be a bit of a daunting task, but after a while if you know a scale in one key, there is no reason why you cant play it in any key. OK, the ngering is very difcult in some keys, but nobody expects that part of it to be easy. However the important goal is to understand the sound of a scale, so that you can imagine the notes in your head, just like you can imagine a tune and be able to whistle it or sing it in the shower. Ideally you should learn to sing these scales as well as play them. Not got a very good voice? Dont worry, because (A) you dont need a good voice for this part of the learning process and (B) it will get better anyway. The important thing is that learning to sing the scales as well as play them will help to train your ears, which will help you to both learn the scales and (this is the good bit) be a much better player all round. What makes one type of scale different to another? Intervals and the pattern of intervals. Intervals are the distances (in pitch) between the different notes. Just as a melody is made up of different intervals, so are scales - in fact I encourage you to think of a scale as a tune. But, I hear you ask, isnt a scale just a series of notes going up in steps, then down again? Yes it is, but we dont use all of the steps of a staircase (although there is one exception to this that you neednt worry about for now) but the staircase is a useful analogy: Imagine a staircase made up of twelve steps, however for the scale analogy you think of each step as a half step (the musical terminology is a semitone) . So we can either go up that staircase in twelve half steps (semitones) or six whole steps (whole tones). Wrong! We can make life a bit more interesting than using either every step or running up two at a time. We can use different combinations of whole and half steps. It is those different combinations of whole and half steps (or whole tones and semi tones) that make one type of scale different to another.
The Major Scale Remember, we think of each step of the staircase as a half step (half a tone) and two steps of the staircase as whole step (whole tone) so as you can see for the major scale we start with two whole tones, then one half tone, then three whole tones and nally a half tone to nish. We can use a shorthand method to describe this Pattern of wholes and halves. Whole = W Half = H So we call this: WWHWWWH (The WH pattern) You may nd it easier to remember if we split this into two: WWH WWWH If you learn the guitar, you can think of the frets of the ngerboard as steps of the staircase. But its very worthwhile to get hold of a keyboard or piano and see how this works on the keyboard.
As I mentioned previously you dont need to be a great singer, and you dont need to be a concert pianist to benet from singing scales and playing them (however slowly) on a keyboard as well as on your saxophone.
Minor Scale Remember, whatever key you are in, the pattern is always the same for each type of scale. For the major scale its WWH WWWH. Lets now see how this applies to a minor scale, in this case the 1 melodic minor. There are different types of minor scale as you may know, for now but to understand the big main difference between a minor scale and a major scale, we just need to look at one of them. The melodic minor is the same as the major, but with one difference, the 3rd note is one step lower. This means our pattern of whole/half tones is now WHW WWWH
On the keyboard:
These differences in interval between the 1st (root) and the 3rd note are what denes a scale as major or minor. The interval from the 1st and 3rd in a major scale is called a major 3rd, and in a minor scale, guess what? a minor 3rd. Well go into then theory of that later on, for now just to get an idea of the very different (and signicant) avours of major and minor, try playing those notes on the keyboard together. First play a C and E together, then play C and Eb. You will hear a very different quality: the major 3td can sound strident or triumphant, the minor tends to sound sad or wistful.
1 In classical music, the melodic minor is different ascending and descending. When used in jazz its the same
scale up and down 2008 PT Music - All rights reserved. This PDF should not be redistributed either for payment or free. Teachers: Please contact www.petethomas.co.uk if you would like the distributable version of this publication for your students. All proceeds to charity.
How to Learn a Scale

If you take a quick glance at all the scales in this book, you may wonder how you will ever be able to play them all, let alone learn them by heart. Well, memorising them is the easy part, once youve got over the initial hurdle of hearing the WH pattern for each type of scale, e.g. whether the scale is WWH WWWH, WHW WWWH or whatever. It doesnt take long to understand and be able to identify those intervals so that you can not only recognise them, but picture in your head the sound and whether you move by one half step or two half steps (a whole tone). The next thing is be able to play them in every key, whether or not you can memorise them. Obviously some scales have ngerings for notes that are more difcult than others, and unless you know all the ngerings for all the notes, you arent going to be able to play the scales at all, let alone from memory so make sure you are familiar with the ngering for every note. It may be too daunting to memorise a whole scale at once, so I suggest breaking a scale down into smaller chunks. We do this in three stages, like this: Stage 1 First play the rst three notes. Play them up and down, both in one go and separately up and down:
4 & 4 1 note 2 3 2 1 1 2 3 3 2 Say the names to yourself, but now do it again and say the note numbers : &
C D E D C C D E E
&4 4
&
This is especially useful for a variety of reasons, for now it will help with the learning process. You will get to think of how the intervals between 1 and 2, and between 2 and 3 are both whole tones, and these numbers of course will apply whatever key you happen to be in.
10
Sooner or later you will be able to know the notes you should play even if your ngers arent yet accustomed to the ngering. Moving on, we take the next chunk: Stage 2 This takes a little more thought as we are starting on note 3:
&4 4 &
3
And if you remember your WWH WWWH, the note your are starting on (the 3rd note of the scale) goes up a half step to the 4th and then a whole step to the 5th. Once you feel comfortable with the numbers, keep thinking the intervals to yourself as well and try to hear the difference between the half tone and the whole tone. You probably know whats coming next, yet another chunk. Well, youd be wrong. First we are going to put together the rst two chunks we just learnt and really get our heads round the rst ve notes: Stage 1 & 2 together
&4 4 &
1
We have now covered just over half of our WH pattern: WWHW
11
Stage 3 Now that we have put together stages 1 and 2, we just need to complete the scale. Think back to our WH pattern: WWH WWWH. We are going to start from the 5th note; WWH WWWH and so we play from that note, two whole notes and a half to nish off onto the last note, which is of course the root note again, same as the 1st but an octave higher. A quick look at the keyboard again:
We have covered C D E F G as two chunks: WW and HW, then put them together as WWHW Here is the nal chunk of our C major scale:
&4 4
G A B C
B A G
&4 4 b n
5 6 7 8
7 6 5
12
Thats it! Now put the whole scale together:
4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 & 4 think the numbers: to also And dont & forget

C D E F G A B C C B A G F E D C
&4 4
C D E F
G A B C
C B A G
F E D C
&

7 6 5
By thinking not just the note names, but the numbering system and the WH patterns, you may think your life is a bit more complicated, but both of these will gradually help as you progress, so that instead of learning the musical language of scales as if it is just a random list of words, you will start to think in whole sentences that actually become easier to remember and will certainly be a great help when learn some of the basics of improvising and progress onto the next books in the Taming the Saxophone series.
How to Play the Scales

I have specically not set out out any different ways to play the scales, (e.g. over the entire range or up to the 9th note before descending) as different teachers and syllabuses use different methods. These are purely for reference: you can adapt them to t in with the way your teacher has advised. One very important thing: Dont rush them. It is more important to play with an even tempo than it is to play fast. Once you are sure you can play evenly (and in time with a metronome) at a certain tempo, then you can gradually set a higher speed, but each time do make sure that you are playing evenly and not stumbling or slowing down the tempo over the harder ngering passages. If one part of a scale is difcult (e.g. over the break between octaves) then practise just that one part as a sparate chunk before playing the entire scale.
13
Major scales
WWH WWWH
14
& b4 4
F
U w
U w U w U w U w
bb bbb bbbb bbbbb # n n n n n ## ### U w
b &b
B E
b
b &bb b b &bb
A
b
b & b bbb
D F
#
#### # # &
Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises
15
Major scale (cont.)
#### 4 & #4
B
U w U w U w U w U w w U
## n ## n ### n ## n# n b bb
& & &
#### ### ## #
&
G
& b &
F
b &b
U w w U
16
Major scale (cont.)

F
#
# # # & # ## 4 4 #### & #

B
U w U w U w U w U w U w
n ##### ## n ## n ### n ## n#
& &
E ####
###
## &
D
& #
G
17
Major scale (cont.)
&4 4
C
U w
U w U w U w U w U w
b bb bbb bbbb bbbbb # n n n n n ## ###
&b
F
b &b
B
b &bb bbb b &

A
b
bb &bbb

F
#
#### # & # & #### #

B
U w w U
n #####
18
Melodic minor
WHW WWWH
19
n n bb &bb 4 4
Fm
n n n n n n n n # # # # # # U w
U w U w U w
bbbbb bbbbbb bbbbbbb # n n n n n n n ## #
n n b b &bbb
Bm Em
b
n n bb & b b bb n n b b b &bbbb
Am
b
#### # # &
Cm
U w U w U w
n ### n ##
&
###
Fm
# #
## # # &
Bm
20
Melodic minor (cont.)
# # & 4 4 #
Em
# # # # # n # n n n n n n n
U w U w U w U w w U
n b bb bbb bbbb bbbbb
# # &
Am
& b n # b n # b &
Gm
Dm
b &bb
Cm
n n
Fm
b n & b bb n b & b bbb

Bm
n n
U w U w
21
Harmonic Minor
WHW WHW+H
Note there is an bigger than usual interval between the 6th and 7th steps, this is an augmented whole tone and is equal to three semitones.
22
n bbb 4 b & 4
Fm
n n n n # # #
U w U w U w U w U w U w U w
bbbbb bbbbbb bbbbbbb # n n n n n n n ## # n ### n ##
n b b &bbb
Bm Em
b
n b & b bbbb n b b b &bbbb

Am
b
#### # &
Cm
&
###
Fm
Bm ## # &
23
Harmonic minor (cont.)
# # & 4 4
Em
# # # # n n n
U w U w U w U w w U
n b bb bbb bbbb bbbbb
# &
Am
& b # b # b &
Gm
Dm
b &bb
Cm
n
Fm
bbb n b & b & b bbb

Bm
U w w U
24
Aeolian Mode
WHW WHWW
There are more than just two modes, but these are some common ones
25
b & b bb 4 4
Fm
U w U w U w U w U w U w
bbbbb bbbbbb bbbbbbb # n n n n n n n ## # n ###
b b &bbb
Bm Em
b
bb & b b bb bbb b b & bb

Am
b
#### &
Cm
&
###
Fm
26
Aeolian (cont.)
## 4 & 4
Bm
U w U w U w U w U w w U
n# n b bb bbb bbbb bbbbb
& &
Am
Em
&b
Dm

Gm
b b & b &bb
Cm

Fm
b & b bb b & b bbb

Bm
U w w U
27
Dorian Mode
WHW WWHW
28
n b & b bb 4 4
Fm
n n n n U w
U w U w U w
bbbbb bbbbbb bbbbbbb # n n n n n n n ## # U w
bbb n b & b
Bm Em
b
n b & b bbbb n b b b &bbbb

Am
b
#### # &
Cm
29
Dorian (cont.)
### 4 # & 4
Fm
# # # # n n n n n
U w U w U w U w U w U w w U
n ## n# n b bb bbb bbbb bbbbb w U
&
## #
Bm
& # # &
Am
Em
&b
Dm
n
Gm
b n b & b &bb
Cm
n
Fm
b & b bb n b & b bbb

Bm
U w
30
Pentatonic major
WWm3 Wm3
We have a new interval here, a minor 3rd (m3) . This contains three semitones.
31
& b4 4
F
F
#
# n ## ### nnnnn # n bb b b n n n n ## #
#### # & # #G & b & b bb

A
b
### A & b &b

B
b
nnn bb
32
Pentatonic major (cont.)
#### 4 B & #4 &

C D
nnnn
bbbbb n n n n n ## nn bb b # n n n ## #
b & b bbb & ## D

E
b
b &bb &
#### E
33
Pentatonic minor
m3W Wm3W
34
& b4 4
Dm
# n ## ### nnnnn # n bb b b n n n n ## #
#### # & #
Dm
# Em & b & b bb & ##

#
Fm
#F m
nnn bb
b &b
Gm
35
Pentatonic minor (cont.)
#### 4 & #4 &

Am
G m
nnnn
Bm
b
bbbbb n n n n n ## nn bb b # n n n ## #
b & b bbb
m ## B &
b &bb
Cm
#### &
Cm
36
Blues scale (minor)

b & b bb 3 4 b & b bbb
b
Fm
U#
U #
bbbbb # n n n n n ## ###
Bm
#### # & # & #### #

# #
Dm
n # n # n n n # # #
U # U # U # U #
n ##### ## n ## n ### n ##
G m
n b n n n
#### & & ###

#
Cm
Fm
## &
Bm
U#
2008 PT Music - All rights reserved. This PDF should not be redistributed either for payment or free. Teachers: Please contact www.petethomas.co.uk if you would like the distributable version of this publication for Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises your students. All proceeds to charity.
37
Blues scale minor (cont.)
#3 & 4 & &b

Am
Em
b b b
b b
b b
U # U # b b
U #
n b bb
Dm
Gm
# # # n n
b &b b &b
b b n n
U # U #
Cm
b &b b &b
Fm
Bm
U #
U #
38
Blues scale (major)

& b3 4
F
# # # n
b b b b n
U #
U # U# U # U #
bb bbb bbbb bbbbb # n n n n n ## ###
b &b
b &bb
# #
b & b bb
b & b bbb
n
#
#### # & #
F
n n
&
####
U #
n #### U#
39
Blues scale major (cont)
#### 3 & 4
E
n n # #
n # #
n n n b b b
& &
### ## #
U #
U #
n ### n ## n# n b bb
& & &b b &b

B F C
U #
U #
# #
U #
U #
U #
40
Whole tone scales
WWW WWW
41
# 4 # b & 4
D7+ D 7+
b
b # b n n b # n # b n n # n n b #
w w w w w w w w
b n n bb &bbb b # &b
C7+
n bb b bb nnn b n # n ## # nnnn bb b n n n ## nn bb b bb nnnnn
&
####
B7+
n #
b b n &bb
B 7+
&
##
A7+
n #
A 7+
b
b n b n &bbb b # &
G7+
42
Whole tone (cont)

F 7+
#
#### 4 n n # & 4 b b b n &

F7+
n n b n n # b n b # n n b # n # b n w
w w w w
nnnn bb n n n ## #
&
###
E7+
n #
E 7+
b
nnn bb b b nnnn # n bb b b bb
b & b bb n b # & # b
D7+
b & b bbbb n n &b &

C7+
D 7+
w w w w
nnn n b n # n ## # nnnn bb b
b #
B7+
####
b &bb
B 7+
b n
n #
Scales and Chords 4 Beginners
CHORDS
Im going to assume by now you know what a scale is, and many of you know what chords are, but its probably worth having a little look here at how they are related. If you can get access to a keyboard for this section you will get a much better understanding of the concept. This is not an easy concept if you havent studied music theory before, so I suggest you read carefully, play the examples at the keyboard (it doesnt matter how slowly, you dont need to be a concert pianist, just follow the diagrams)
Major chords
Here is a C major scale with scale degrees shown as numbers:
We can make a chord by counting up from the root (1) and including only alternate notes:
4 &4 4 & 4 1
1
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
&
1
bb b &
chord:
w w w w
This is a chord of C major (we use just the letter C as a chord symbol to denote the chord of C major). This is how you nger it on a keyboard:
Minor 5 chords 6
b &bb
5
b &bb
chord: C min7 chord: C min Now lets look at a scale of C minor (note the three ats in the key signature):
& & Scales and Chords 4 Beginners 1 3 b & b bb &bb b & bbbb & b b & bbbb & b 1
1 1 3
3
3
5 5
chord: C chord: C
And do the same thing:
1 1
2
2
4 4
5 5
1 1
3
3
3
3
6 6 chord: chord:
bbbb bb
7 7 C min C min
w w symbol = C min w We now have a chord of C minor (chord w w w
5 5
or5 sometimes just 7Cm - but note that the m must be lower case). Note 5 7that there are various different types of minor scale which are in common use, this one is called a natural minor.
chord: C min7 chord: C w min7
8 8
&4 4 To make a 4 note chord we use the same approach, but just go one stage further and include
1 the 7th note. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
These two chords (C and C min) are both 3 note chords (triads), and although they are very common in pop and rock, we also nd 4 note chords which have a slightly richer sound.
& Major 7 chords

1 3
chord:
&
1
chord: C maj7
w w w w
Using the C major scale again, we count up from the root missing out the alternate degrees of the scale and we get a 4 note chord in C major. This is called a C major 7 (Cmaj7). This is1sometimes 2 3 denoted 4 5 with 6 a 7 triangle 8 1 3 C7.
b &bb

chord: C min7
chord: C min
b &bb
5
w w w w
Scales and 1 Chords 4 Beginners 2
b &bb
b Minor & b b 7 chords b &bb &4 4 1
chord: C min
1 same with our C minor 3 scale: Lets do the
2 7 chord 3(C min7).4 And we 1 get a C minor This is sometimes written as C-7
chord: C min7
w w w w
7 C
Dominant 7 chords
&
1
chord:
w & wdominant 7. It is the There s just one more type of chord I want to look at now, this is called aw w
same1as a major 7, but is lowered (attened) by one semitone: 3 the 7th degree5 7
chord: C maj7
&
1
b
7
chord: C 7
bw w w w
As you can see the 1, 3 and 5 make up a C major chord, but be careful not to call this a C major 7. Whenever you see a chord symbol with just the 7 and no minor or major, it is a dominant 7 type chord with the attened 7th.
&
bbb
But dont be fooled into thinking that the 7th note will therefore always have a at symbol. In this case we are thinking of a C chord in the key of C. But if we are in a sharp key, ie a key with one or more sharpened notes, such as the key of G then the 7th note of the major scale is always a sharpened note is attened, it has symbol to show that the 1 note. So 2when the 3 4 5a natural 6 7 8 sharpened note (F# in this case) has been attened by a semitone: chord: C min
b &bb b &bb
1
bb b w & w 2008 PT Music - All rights reserved. This PDF should not be redistributed either for payment w w or free.
chord: C min7
Teachers:1 Please contact www.petethomas.co.uk 3 5 if you would like 7the distributable version of this publication for your students. All proceeds to charity.
# & 4 4
1
n
7
chord: G 7
nw w w w
This chord can be used in two main ways: In the example above we have a C7 chord and we still in the key of C but have just attened the 7th degree. The Bb doesnt normally t in the key of C, but this chord is very frequently used in blues, where the attened note gives the chord some colour. A more traditional use in western music would be to use this chord as a chord in the key of F, in which case the Bb is already in the key signature.
& b4 4
1 F
2 G
3 A
4 Bb
5 C 1
G 5
Bb 7
chord: C 7
Tw w w w
As you can see the key signature is now F and this time instead of counting the notes of the chord from the 1st (or root) note of the key (F), we are counting the C chord notes up from fth note of the F scale, which is of course C the root of the chord C. That is because in any key a chord can be built on any degree of that key. In this case our dominant chord is built on the 5th degree of F (F - G - A - Bb - C) so although C is the 5th degree of the key of F, we still call it the root (or 1st degree) of the chord of C. More of this later.
Some Important Terminoloy

Chords that have all their notes in the key signature (as with a C7 when it is the fth chord in F) are called diatonic chords. If one or more notes a chord has one are not in the key signature we call the a chromatic chord. What you have just learnt is some very basic theory in regard to playing rock, pop, jazz and blues, however I included one of the more advanced concepts than you would not normally get at this stage of learning about chords, the idea of chromatic chords. The reason Ive chosen to do this is that blues and rock music, although on the face of it a simple form of music, very often
uses the type of chromatic alteration I showed you above (often called blue notes, more about those later). Very often people learn conventional classical harmony, in which at a basic level a dominant chord always functions a diatonic chord, ie the fth chord of a key, and not as a chord that has just had a note changed to make it sound bluesy. I have done this for a reason. Very often people want to start off learning blues. In some respects it is very simple and a good starting point for beginners as it can be a lot more rewarding than trudging through the usual old beginner tunes that you get in some tutors, but if your knowledge of music theory is based purely on elementary classical harmony, then it can be confusing when you nd that not only are the rules broken, but if you try to apply the rules, you get taken in completely the wrong direction. So if you are a complete beginner to the idea of improvising with and chords I every strongly recommend that you read this chapter again, ideally with a piano or other keyboard so that you can not only get these basic concepts internalised, but also (and more importantly) understand how they sound.
One nal thing about chords. On a keyboard or guitar the notes can be played simultaneously. This is not possible on a saxophone (with a few exceptions using a very advanced technique), so when saxophone players play chords, they are played one note after the other - arpeggios.
Saxophone Instruction DVD Devised and presented by Pete Thomas
I hope you have enjoyed working on these scales. Lots more stuff in Taming The Saxophone Please look out for other books, DVDs and online resources in the series. Pete Thomas

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Scales Chords 4 Beginners

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Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales: What & Why?

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

How to Learn a Scale

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

We have now covered just over half of our WH pattern: WWHW

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Thats it! Now put the whole scale together:

4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 & 4 think the numbers: to also And dont & forget

How to Play the Scales

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

bb bbb bbbb bbbbb # n n n n n ## ### U w

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Major scale (cont.)

& & &

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Major scale (cont.)

# # # & # ## 4 4 #### & #

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Major scale (cont.)

b bb bbb bbbb bbbbb # n n n n n ## ###

b &bb bbb b &

#### # & # & #### #

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

bbbbb bbbbbb bbbbbbb # n n n n n n n ## #

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Melodic minor (cont.)

n b bb bbb bbbb bbbbb

b n & b bb n b & b bbb

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

bbbbb bbbbbb bbbbbbb # n n n n n n n ## # n ### n ##

n b & b bbbb n b b b &bbbb

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Harmonic minor (cont.)

n b bb bbb bbbb bbbbb

bbb n b & b & b bbb

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

bbbbb bbbbbb bbbbbbb # n n n n n n n ## # n ###

bb & b b bb bbb b b & bb

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises

Scales and Chords 4 Beginners !

n# n b bb bbb bbbb bbbbb

b & b bb b & b bbb

Pete Thomas - saxophone exercises