A Couple Quick Questions On Keys And Scales..

[BR138]

Hey all, just a few quick questions regarding the Key in which I should be practicing my music productions in!
Minor Keys - From what I've been reading they're big in Trance, House, etc.. forgive me for asking such a basic question - but is this referring to the Minor SCALE? Or is it referring to Minor keys in a Major scale (example Eb, Ab, Db, Gb). Any clarification on this would be greatly appreciated.

I've also read that many Producers will use Minor keys in the "verse" part of the track and then flip to Major keys for the Chorus (for a tension/release type effect). Anybody here practice this kind of thing regularly? As asked in my first question, are they flipping from Minor to Major Scales or just favoring more Major keys in the chorus? Also, in your opinion, would it be favorable to change the key as well during any point in a song?
I guess that's all I've got for now. Any help with answering these would be EXTREMELY helpful and so much appreciated. THANK YOU!!!

[BertKoor]

I think they refer to the scale being minor. Weather the colour of the root note on the keyboard is black or white shoud be irrelevant, since everything is "relative" from there. You can transpose a whole song without it having any harmonic effect.

Switching from major to minor scale and vice versa has a potentially dramatic effect. Just reading about it doesn't really help, you need to hear it. First it needs to be in your passive vocabulary before you can put it to use.

[jancivil]

the Minor SCALE? Or is it referring to Minor keys in a Major scale (example Eb, Ab, Db, Gb).

- 'example Eb, Ab etc'; I guess you are calling the black notes on the keyboard 'keys'? I think what you're reading refers to minor scale (which corresponds with 'minor key'). EG: "C minor". CF: C major, where all the keys are white, C 'natural' minor's B, E, and A are flat, found on black keys.

while one could consider the so-called natural minor alongside its relative major as if one scale*, if you're in a minor key, the useful 'scale' is going to agree with that and be a minor scale. (there is more than one 'minor scale', additionally.)

* C minor is the relative minor per Eb major, and the 'key signature' is the same, the three flats I indicate above; so in the 'natural' or unaltered form of minor the same seven tones belong to both. The difference might not necessarily be that noticable. However where the ear is accustomed to say C major, its parallel minor, C minor would tend to be noticable.

[GeckoYamori]

Switching between the parallel scales is pretty common and can feel quite seamless. Pretty much all you're doing is moving the "offset" so to speak.

[JumpingJackFlash]

Minor Keys - From what I've been reading they're big in Trance, House, etc.. forgive me for asking such a basic question - but is this referring to the Minor SCALE? Or is it referring to Minor keys in a Major scale (example Eb, Ab, Db, Gb). Any clarification on this would be greatly appreciated.

First thing to realise is that there is a difference between scales and keys.

There are different forms of the minor scale, but only one minor key.

Unlike in major keys where all the notes are fixed, the 6th and 7th notes of minor keys are variables. They can occur as per key signature, or they can be raised by one semitone. Composers pick the most appropriate version for either harmonic or melodic reasons, but both versions are part of the key and are equally valid in themselves.

You seem to think that white notes are major and black notes are minor? - That is not the case.
The black notes are flats and sharps, and that is nothing to do with being minor or major.

My Introduction to Music Theory might be helpful. Also see my posts on Sharps, Flats and how to work out Keys, and Scales, Modes and Chords.

[BertKoor]

Switching between the parallel scales is pretty common and can feel quite seamless. Pretty much all you're doing is moving the "offset" so to speak.

Parallel scales, you mean like moving from some bars rooted in A minor to C major? Try following C major with C minor! That's quite different (and can be done to great effect)

[sjm]

Lou Reed's Perfect Day is a great example of switching from the minor key to major key of the same root note. It really has a profound effect on the chorus. I *think* it's A minor/major in the original.

[Spiritos]

A simple rule would be to remember that tunes in the minor key sound sad and in the major key sound happy.

I think as Bert Koor wrote analyzing it to write won't help you unless you hear it.

More food for thought: If you think about the Schoenberg system or jazz, a whole new musical spectrum will open up for you regarding scales and harmonics..

[chordprogression7]

but is this referring to the Minor SCALE? Or is it referring to Minor keys in a Major scale (example Eb, Ab, Db, Gb).

Good question. Let's put it like this: the key is the 'big' element, the scale is a 'smaller' one. The key is always the bigger element. As you implied, you can play a minor scale IN a minor key or a minor scale in a major key. Both can be done, so both exists. When you are playing a minor scale in a major key, it's called the 'relative minor'.

Minor keys in a Major scale

It's actually the other way around: a scale is found in a key, but not the opposite, so it's actually a minor scale in a major key. The key is always the main point of reference, the boss

[Blues_127]

GOOD explanation above!!!

My chorus teacher taught me to count. Best thing I ever learned. Any scale/key, count 1-7 (8=1 being the octave). In a major key, Play the chords using the scale as the root. #2 & #6 are the relative minors to that key (keeping it simple). i.e. Key of C, a(min) and d(min) are relative. This also touches on modal theory... which I will decline to PROVE I am an idiot and will simply avoid...

Also: Check out the 'How Music Works' Series with Howard Goodall (also recommend his one on the Beatles). Great music and learning tools, bridging the gap between those Aeolian dudes and dubstep.


http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=How ... ORM=HDRSC3

[JumpingJackFlash]

Play the chords using the scale as the root. #2 & #6 are the relative minors to that key (keeping it simple). i.e. Key of C, a(min) and d(min) are relative.

Be careful with your terminology.
Major keys have only one "relative minor". In the case of C, it's Am.
Dm is a "closely related key" to C major, but it is not "relative" (its relative major is F).

Also "chords using the scale as the root" doesn't make much sense.

[Kondarivan]

Any scale/key, count 1-7 (8=1 being the octave). In a major key, Play the chords using the scale as the root. #2 & #6 are the relative minors to that key (keeping it simple). i.e. Key of C, a(min) and d(min) are relative. This also touches on modal theory...

As JumpingJackFlash mentioned, there's only one relative for a key (if you want to make things very clear, you can call the key a "tonality", that's probably its most specific synonym), being it major or minor. The relation between C major and D minor is just one of closely relatedness, being related of grade 1 (because there's one perfect fifth between Cm and Fm, which is the major relative of Dm - relatives are related of grade 0).
I'm not sure how this touches modal theory; In a mode, all of its elements are of equal "importance", unlike in functional tonality, exception being the final (the ending note of the musical work) and sometimes the reciting tone (which is approximately what we call a dominant in tonal theory). There are no relatives in modalism.

As for scales and keys, scales are simply rows of notes going up or down (in tones and semitones), while keys are systems that incorporate ideas such as a tonic, a dominant, a subdominant, and many other functions for each note that belongs to their respective keys.

[jancivil]

'minor scale in a major key' I think is basically going to serve to confuse people, while there doesn't seem to be a real compelling reason for the phrase.

it's only going to be true for the relative minor anyway, isn't it? why bother with it. 'scale of A natural minor in C major' is not so useful.

[tapper mike]

The aeolian mode has two counterparts. The melodic minor and the harmonic minor.

The practice of modes is for both muscle memory and for cultivating awareness. If you are going to play "popular" music you'll find that chord progressions can also be built on modes. Progressions revolve around the relationship of the mode more so then the relationship of the originating key. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolian_harmony

Knowing your modes and developing the muscle memory will help you more easily navigate the changes makes it much easier to....
...Transcribe works
...Perform works
...Embrace the concepts of the modal system for developing your own musical ideas.