Figuring out where the scale tone are if you know the root in the chord you are playing- long read-

frybaby
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Wed Feb 10, 2010 5:44 pm

Here's a system I developed to help me locate scale tones.
Not for the faint of hart, but fun to dabble with.
It’s rather simple, but some what hard to explain. It involves some basic knowledge about scales, and involves some memory work.

Basis Knowledge stuff:

First: Scale tones are numbered as 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-1(Octave), that in the scale of G for example G =1, A=2, B=3, etc.

Second: there is 1 whole step, or two half steps between each tone except for between B and C, and between E and F.
So to get from G to A would be 1 whole step, or it can be counted as two half steps: G to G# is (1) half step and G# to A is the second half step.

Third: There is only a half step between the tone B and C, and only a half step between E and F.
Thus A to B is one whole step or two half steps ( A-A#-B.)

Forth: In the Major scale there are whole steps ( or two half steps) between all tones, EXCEPT between tones 3 and 4 and, 7 and Octave.
Example: G to A equals 1 whole step, B to C however is only a half step.

This formula holds true for all major scales.

I remember the formula this way (1-1-1/2)- (1)-(1-1-1/2)

1
G A B C D E F# G
WholeStep WholeStep 1/2step WholeStep 1/2step WholeStep 1/2 step

Fifth: The strings of the guitar are separated by 5 half steps, all string that is EXCEPT between the 4th string (G) and the 5th string B. The G string and B string are separated by 4 half steps.
Example: Between string 6 (E )and string 5 (A), there are 5 half steps.
First half step- E to F (remember only a ½ step between E and F)
Second half step - F (string 6) to F#
Third half step – F# to G
Forth half step – G to G#
Fifth half step – G# to A(string 5)
Now for the exception: there is only 4 half step between string 4 (G string) and string 5 ( B string)
First half step: G (string 4) to G#
Second half step: G# to A
Third half step: A to A#
Forth half step: A# to B( string 5)

Now to my method for finding scale tones(ie tone 1, or 2 , or tone 3. Not note ( ie note G, or note
G# or note A).
If you are not totally lost at this point continue on, if totally confused log off and forget this whole mess.
Now for my system for finding scale tone. (which come in handy for building chords or of changing chord structure, say for example you are playing a chord and know which finger is holding down the root ( or #1 tone) and want to make it a 7th chord by flatten the 7th or make it a minor by flattening the 3rd ,or you may want to augment the chord by changing the 5th to a sharp 5)

Once the root is identified, if you move to the next string down ( ie string 5 to string 4) and staying in the same fret, you simply add the number 3 to the scale tone your are on to get the tone for that position. Notice that from root 1, the note below is always a 4 tone, unless you are going from string 4 to 5.

In that case (going from string 5 to string 4) you simply add 3 to get the tone number than flatten it (See Basic knowledge point 5 point of exception for the explanation.
Example notice that the note below root 1 is always a 4 unless the root is on string 5 in which case it is a 3 not a the forth tone.
The same can be seen if for example the starting point is tone 2, then the tone below is always the 5th tone ( remember 2 +3 is 5) that is unless the 2 tone fall on the 4th string, then the calculation is tone number add 3, the flatten) so it would be 2 to B5 5 tone

Early in the morning and with enough coffee you will be able to see the pattern develop in the fret board example below.

With more contemplation of the below you can develop a method form figuring scale tone number going up the string ( from 4 to 5, or from string 5 to 6, but like with counting down the string there is a tricky exception.


E||----1-------|----2-----|----3-----|----4----|-----5---|----6----|----7---|-----
B||----5--- ---|----6-----|----7-----|----1----|-----2---|----3----|----b5--|-------
G||---b3------|----4-----|----5-----|----b6---|----b7--|----1----|----2----|--------
D||---b7------|----1-----|----2-----|----b3---|---- 4---|----5----|----6----|-----------
A||----4----- -|-- -5-----|----6-----|----b7---|-----1---|----2----|---3-----|-------------
E||----1-------|----2---- |----3-----|----4--- -|----5----|----6----|----7----|---------------


d_dog
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Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:37 pm

Truly a dizzying intellect. Nice work!


sws626
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Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:02 am

Thanks for sharing your thought process with us. There are a lot of nice tricks like this that follow on from the basic architecture of the fretboard.

One point of possible confusion, though. You've numbered your strings in the opposite direction from what most readers would expect. I usually think of the low E as the 6th string and the high E as the 1st. Other than that, I found your description as clear as any I've seen.


frybaby
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Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:36 pm

roger on the 6th string being the high E. My mistake. Thank you.


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