How Do I Know What Scale/s To Use?

Chords, scales, harmony, melody, etc.
RELATED
PRODUCTS

Post

Aviary Photo_130994351430200012.png
My DAW lets me conform all of my notes in the piano roll to a set key and scale, in other words, it won't let you place a note that isn't in the key and scale that you set it to into the piano role. But for this to work, you have to first enter the key and the scale you are working in. I've included a picture of the feature in my DAW and you can see all of the different scale options that it offers.

The one thing I'm unclear on is what scale/s should I be writing in for popular music? Should I use different scales for EDM, Pop and R&B? Or, do you have to use some formula to figure out which scale to use every time you compose?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Post

It depends on genre and song feel.

For example many dance songs are composed in minor scales. Try Aminor for example and see how it goes. Good luck!

Post

Would that be the Harmonic Minor, the Melodic Minor or the Minor Pentatonic?

Post

Carpenter wrote:Would that be the Harmonic Minor, the Melodic Minor or the Minor Pentatonic?
Natural minor

Post

Thank you very much.

Post

it won't let you place a note that isn't in the key and scale that you set it to into the piano role. But for this to work, you have to first enter the key and the scale you are working in.

Chromatic means all 12 notes. Defining a key is only there to identify if particular notes are sharp or flat.
Synapse Audio Dune 3 I'm in love

Post

Carpenter wrote:
The one thing I'm unclear on is what scale/s should I be writing in for popular music? Should I use different scales for EDM, Pop and R&B? Or, do you have to use some formula to figure out which scale to use every time you compose?
To your question, you can use ANY scale/key for those genres, some scales are more popular, but don't let that restrict you. You should (I will, anyway) start with the melody and/or chords, and then AFTERWADS or during the proces find out what scale(s) and key(s) the composition might be. Identifying the scale/key and the chords help you creating the harmonies. The funtion of your DAWs feature (the same feature in many other apps such as the Melodyne) to first define the scale is just a "crutch", which helps you, if you will, remember the "correct" scale notes, if you want to start with certain scale, or e.g. in the Melodynes case, to force your notes to some scale. But remember that this forcing has its downside, too, thats why I put above the "correct" to the quotes: don't stick in the scale, you can locally sharp or flat ANY note in your scale in your song - this gives often just the uniqueness and character to you song!

Post

Forcing to scale is like bowling with gutter guards - safe and boring. :)

Leave it on Chromatic and let the music go wherever it wants to go.

Post

The scale is mainly inside the chord you use. Easier to work out on a keyboard through the voicing.
Neo Soul Production http://soulful-keys.com

Post

That's a cool feature for composition if you are not a trained musician. Which DAW is that? I used to do something similar by transposing notes and there are also plugins like Cales http://www.codefn42.com/cales/index.html for this.

When it comes to choosing the right scale, just choose the scale that fits the mood that you want to transport. Major scales tend to sound happy and extroverted while minor scales tend to sound sentimental and introverted - but each scale has its own characteristic after all.

Post

The answer to your question is: learn some scales. That's what being/ becoming a musician is about.

Post

Seriously, we have synth presets, genre templates, and now painting-by-numbers melodies. You could force your daw to a scale and just paint random notes, and it would be technically correct, but boring and bland. How much mindfulness does it take to look up or discover a scale and keep to those notes manually? Even in dance music, the best music plays around with non-diatonic notes and chords. There is so much you will be missing by doing this. Music tourism at it's finest.

My advice, choose the notes that you like, then slowly learn the theory around what you hear. Find something nice, then use theory to work out why it sounds good.
http://sendy.bandcamp.com/releases < My new album at Bandcamp! Now pay what you like!

Post

How Do I Know What Scale/s To Use? You don't. Here's what needs to happen first: you have a musical idea. Now, the scale or other device serves that idea. Apart from all context like this, this is a complete waste of time to talk about afaic.

Post

Well, the chromatic scale has all the notes, even the bad ones. Then, the major and minor scales take out some of the bad notes leaving you with the basic happy and sad flavors. Finally, the pentatonic scales take out all of the notes that teenagers and old people like like leaving with only the best notes that are almost universally appreciated by most adults and small children.

If you want to make music for small children, use silly noises and plinky piano sounds with the pentatonic scales. If you want to make serious music, then use badass sounds, I think that you know what I mean by that, with the pentatonic scales

That's really all there is to it.

Post

ghettosynth wrote:Well, the chromatic scale has all the notes, even the bad ones. Then, the major and minor scales take out some of the bad notes leaving you with the basic happy and sad flavors.
I didn't know there were "bad" notes. I will use pliers to pull out the bad notes on my keyboard just like a dentist removes rotten teeth. :P

Post Reply

Return to “Music Theory”