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name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 11:18 am
by johnrfeeney
hi everyone

haven't heard from me for awhile but that doesn't mean i have given up - actually never missed a day of practicing since around june of last year

mainly have stuck with all the scales and the fretboard not songs just jet - theory and the neck

today i am stumped

the F minor blues pentatonic scale : remember the notes are taken from the A flat major scale and the numbers used would be

1 3 4 5 7 to get the F minor notes and then add a flatted 5th note to get the blues pentatonic

here is the rub : name the 1 3 4 flat5 5 7 notes

all I can come up with is G flat flat, A flat, B flat, C flat, D flat flat, E flat

Is this correct?

Re: name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 1:46 pm
by jayswett
I cannot answer your question, but I look forward to the day that I actually understand the question. As it is now, I barely recognize what your are asking, not because it was poorly asked, but because my theory knowledge remains so pathetic. I suspect Neil or someone else can answer your question.

Re: name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 1:58 pm
by johnrfeeney
thanks - can't wait to get the input

you see the problem is - is that you can only use one letter of the alphabet in the scale once

ie you can't have a B and a B flat in the same scale

the F minor scale has notes numbered 1-7 and they are F, G, A flat, B flat, C D flat, E flat

now to make it a pentatonic scale that is minor ie Fmin Pentatonic you only use the 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 note.

now you have F, A flat, B flat, C and E flat

to make it a blues pentatonic scale you have to add one note, you add a flatted 5th
but a flatted 5th would be C flat and we already have a C in the scale and you can't sharpen any of the notes because they come from the A flat scale and that scale has four flats and no sharps

Re: name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:36 pm
by reiver
John

I'm afraid theory isn't a strong point of mine but I'd say that if it's an F minor pentatonic scale, then the first note - 1 - should be F and not G flat flat.

This would make the remaining notes Ab Bb C Eb

I am happy to be corrected though

Stuart

Re: name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:39 pm
by johnrfeeney
but i want the notes in an F minor blues pentatonic scale where the flatted 5th needs to be added

Re: name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 3:02 pm
by reiver
Then I'd try F G# A# B C Eb - although it appears that your pentatonic scale now has six notes!

I thought that the intervals for the blues scale were 1 3b 4 5b 5 7b - but I'm not sure. Scales aren't really my thing but I do enjoy a puzzle!

Re: name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 3:51 pm
by Chasplaya
How about

F - Ab - Bb - Cb - Eb - F

Not sure though

Re: name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 5:33 pm
by TGNeil
Hi Gang,

A somewhat simple answer- as soon as you call something 'Blues', conventional naming rules are thrown out with traditional harmonic analysis as well. The introduction of consecutive half steps (4, #4 or b5, 5) means it is fine to have Bb, B, and C as part of the F Blues Scale.

Same thing is true in a diminished scale, which alternate whole steps with half steps making a total of 8 different notes, or even a chromatic scale, which includes all 12 tones of our musical universe.

Neil

Re: name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 5:59 pm
by haoli25
It makes perfect sense when explained by the Master. Thanks Neil

Re: name those notes

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 6:47 pm
by neverfoundthetime
jayswett wrote:
I cannot answer your question, but I look forward to the day that I actually understand the question. As it is now, I barely recognize what your are asking, not because it was poorly asked, but because my theory knowledge remains so pathetic. I suspect Neil or someone else can answer your question.
I'm with Jay. I think I'll just put my dunce's hat on and sit in the corner.....