Jump to content
Why become a member? ×
  • advertisement_alt
  • advertisement_alt
  • advertisement_alt

I'm told this wont work...


krth1985
 Share

Recommended Posts

Putting a bass line to one of our original songs:

Verse:
Em D Cmaj7

Now the way I wanted to play it was like this:

On the Cmaj7, I would play Root, 3,4,5 of the maj scale - which then enables me so slide nicely up to the A and on 'D' string for the breakdown. But the guitarist says that wont work, because the song is in Em. I am not really big on theory, I know the major, minor, and pent scales but just kind of work by ear to see which one I can apply to said song. So i'm just wondering, does that not work? and why?

Edited by krth1985
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess he's thinking because the 4th of C major is an F natural, which could clash with the F# of the key signature. If he's playing a Cmaj7 chord that's not the case though. I can't see it making a big difference to the tonality just tell him its a passing note if he tries to argue. :)

Remember, theory is descriptive, not prescriptive. Its a way of describing what you're doing, not restricting what you can do. Ultimately, if it sounds good, it is good!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='887410' date='Jul 6 2010, 03:30 PM']I guess he's thinking because the 4th of C major is an F natural, which could clash with the F# of the key signature. If he's playing a Cmaj7 chord that's not the case though. I can't see it making a big difference to the tonality just tell him its a passing note if he tries to argue. :)

Remember, theory is descriptive, not prescriptive. Its a way of describing what you're doing, not restricting what you can do. Ultimately, if it sounds good, it is good![/quote]



it won't sound very normal, and your friend is right. if you're in e minor (of which the relative major is g) then they key signature has an F sharp as opposed to an F in it. Therefore the the Cmaj7 implies the C lydian mode: C D E Fsharp G A B C.

obviously it's not necessary to always stick to signatures, but it will definitely sound distinctive if you put an f natural in.

EDIT: so you can go 3 4 5, but as you're in the lydian mode, the 4th is sharp as I described above.

Edited by jj1234
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I'd have to hear the tune to be sure, I'd be inclined to go with the F# rather than F natural. Not only because F# is in the key of the tune, as others have suggested, but playing the fourth in a major chord tends to clash with the third - in this case you would have F against an E, a very dissonant sound unless separated by a substantial number of octaves.

F natural could work as a passing note in this context, but will generally only function correctly in this case as part of a descending figure, i.e. F going to E works because you are moving chromatically from dissonance to consonance, but going from F to G is not chromatic and therefore the change does not have the same "gravity" and obvious resolution, as it were.

A couple of other possibilties: C, E, G, G# (then to A) - G# is the passing note.

Or if you could add an extra note: C, E, F, F#, G

Jennifer

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, I have edited the post to say "On the Cmaj7, I would play Root, 3,4,5 of the maj scale" - I dont know if thats what you understood me to mean anyway... :)

Thanks for your advice guys, I didnt want to just say "ok" and not know why!! :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...