Three Little Birds - trying to work out how it works!

[Walker]

Hello,

Today I was trying to play along with Three Little Birds, so I found the chords (A, D, E) and started to try and improvise using bits of scales rather than just looking up the tab (I'm trying!)

Sometimes notes from the major scale worked and sometimes I needed to go minor to make it work

So my question is, how do you tell if you should be using major or minor - is it just listen and try to find what works?

Sorry if this is a dull question - I thought I had it sussed when I found out the song was in A major!

Chris

[chris_b]

When you're more experienced and your ear is better developed you'll be able to tell the difference between major and minor by the sound of the notes.

Work it out and you'll start the learning process.

[EssentialTension]

18 minutes ago, Walker said:

... is it just listen and try to find what works?

That's good practice and with thirds sometimes the major third 'works' but also the flat third 'works' even under a major chord and you'll need to choose which 'works' best in any particular case.

I haven't listened to it in some time but for Three Little Birds I'd probably be expecting major thirds.

[Walker]

Thank you, both.

There was me hoping there would be some easy, foolproof rule!

[Steve Woodcock]

A, D and E are chords I, IV and V in the key of A major. They are all major triads.

Chord I is  built from the root, third and fifth notes of an A major scale:  A  B  C#  D  E  F#  G#

Chord IV is built from the root, third and fifth notes of a D Lydian scale (the fourth mode of the A major scale):  D  E  F#  G#  A  B  C#

Chord V is built from the root, third and fifth notes of an E Mixolydian scale (the fifth mode of the A major scale):  E  F#  G#  A  B  C#  D

[EssentialTension]

9 minutes ago, Steve Woodcock said:

A, D and E are chords I, IV and V in the key of A major. They are all major triads.

Chord I is  built from the root, third and fifth notes of an A major scale:  A  B  C#  D  E  F#  G#

Chord IV is built from the root, third and fifth notes of a D Lydian scale (the fourth mode of the A major scale):  D  E  F#  G#  A  B  C#

Chord V is built from the root, third and fifth notes of an E Mixolydian scale (the fifth mode of the A major scale):  E  F#  G#  A  B  C#  D

The blues, often, has major triads, A, D, E, but nonethless a flatted third (and seventh) can be and often are used.

[Steve Woodcock]

16 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

The blues, often, has major triads, A, D, E, but nonethless a flatted third (and seventh) can be and often are used.

Yep, but let's not confuse the OP at this early stage!

[EssentialTension]

18 minutes ago, Steve Woodcock said:

Yep, but let's not confuse the OP at this early stage!

Yes let's not confuse by introducing lydian and mixolydian modes ... when they aren't necessary. Or so it seems to me.

[Walker]

I've taken a look at what you've said above and I can just about make sense of it. Thank you.

I had some notes from a lesson a while back and when combined with this info, it's starting to fall into place!