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Understanding Major Scale Modes

The Harmonic Minor scale can be arranged into seven modes similar to the Melodic Minor scale, though it is used less often for melodies and more for creating harmonies. While the names of the Harmonic Minor modes are not standardized, one mode is the same as the Spanish scale with its characteristic lowered 2nd, 6th, and 7th notes. Any scale type can be used for improvisation as long as it contains the notes of the underlying chords.

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118 views3 pages

Understanding Major Scale Modes

The Harmonic Minor scale can be arranged into seven modes similar to the Melodic Minor scale, though it is used less often for melodies and more for creating harmonies. While the names of the Harmonic Minor modes are not standardized, one mode is the same as the Spanish scale with its characteristic lowered 2nd, 6th, and 7th notes. Any scale type can be used for improvisation as long as it contains the notes of the underlying chords.

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Majorr Scale Mod

des
Melod
dic Miinor Scale Modes
s
Harm
monic Minor
r Scale
e Mod
des
The Harmonic Minorr scale can also be u
used for im
mprovisation
n, although
h less often than the
e
Major or M
Melodic Min
nor scales, because itts role in music
m is mo
ore for crea
ating harm
monies than
n
melodies.

However, we should cover it briefly.


b As with the Melodic Minor, it can
n also be arranged
a in
n
erent mode
seven diffe es, whose names
n are based on modified
m forrms of othe
er scales. The
T names
s
of these m n standardised, so y
modes are not you may see
e other varriations in u
use.

ore, althou gh under a differentt


You may rememberr that we have seen the fifth mode befo
hrygian Majjor is exactly the sam
name. Ph me as the Spanish sc
cale, with tthe distincttive b2, b6
6
and b7 degrees.

e sight of the
Don't lose t fact that ANY sca
ale type ca
an be used
d for impro
ovising, so long as itt
contains th
he notes off the chord((s) you are
e working with.
w

There is n
no system of
o modes in
n general u
use for the
e other scalle types, b ut there is no reason
n
why you c
can't expand
d any of them into mo
odes if therre is one yo
ou are partiicularly inte
eresed in.

Even in sttandard forrm, there are


a still ple
enty of oth
her scale ty
ypes to wo
ork with. It might be
e
useful if you revisit them
t now, in the earllier tutoriall, and explo
ore which cchord types each one
e
could imprrovise overr. 

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