Question about scale

[MetalHead84]

I'm currently learning stuff about scale, root note, third, fifth, etc.
But I have a question about composing song.

Does a song is only in one scale, or you can use one scale for the chorus, another one for the verse, and so on.

Also, for solo, I've never really check in depth how solo are compose, but if my logic is correct, they probably follow a scale but with more note/note change ?

[FretlessMainly]

The simple answer to your question is that an entire song can be based on one single scale, but many typically have more than one.

An example of a song based on a single scale is Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone.
verse: CMAJ Dmin7 Emin7 FMAJ G7
FMAJ GMAJ FMAJ GMAJ
FMAJ Emin Dim CMAJ
chorus: CMAJ FMAJ G7

All of this is diatonic to CMajor. You can play a CMajor scale over the whole song. Certainly you might use different notes of the scale over the different chords, but it's CMajor all the way on that one.

Most songs involve some chords that are not diatonic to a key. Certainly you can do what ever you want to do as long as the end result sounds good!

You should look into learning some theory (as you have started by just asking this question!). There are some rules that maybe shouldn't be broken, but for the most part, there aren't too many hard and fast rules. Just try to connect chords in a way that's pleasing to the ears.

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by MetalHead84

I'm currently learning stuff about scale, root note, third, fifth, etc.
But I have a question about composing song.

Does a song is only in one scale, or you can use one scale for the chorus, another one for the verse, and so on.

Most songs are in just one scale, (look up the word key) http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/, however, nothing with music is cast in stone, so yes you could have the verses be in one scale (key) and then the chorus in another. Question that needs answering is why would you do that?

Begs the question how do you decide what scale to use? Couple of things to take into account.

1. Vocalists like to sing in a certain key and request the song to be played in that key. I like to sing in D, that means all my notes would be coming from the D scale. If I sing in D I can hit all the low notes and also get all the high notes. Is D the only key I can sing in? No, but, it's the one I'm comfortable with so given the choice it's the one I ask for.
   
2. Instruments like certain keys over others, fiddles like A, horns like the flat keys Bb, Eb, etc.
   
3. The C scale has no flats or sharps. The B scale has 5 sharps. If you were composing a song - with no vocalist in mind - which would you use?
   
4. Then we get into things like the minor scales tend to be sad and the major scales tend to be happy.
   
5. Normally pick one scale and then everyone involved with the song stay in that scale works best at first. As you know more of course you can deviate.

Also, for solo, I've never really check in depth how solo are compose, but if my logic is correct, they probably follow a scale but with more note/note change ?

Yes they would follow a scale, the number of notes used does not really enter into the picture. If I was doing the solo I'd want it to be in the key of D thus the D major scale notes would be used. Which ones? The ones that would sound good in a melody. Which ones would that be? The 1, 3, 5 and 7 would be good candidates. Those notes will be in the "basic" chords that will harmonize the melody. And as the melody line and the chord line to harmonize (sound good together) should share some like notes - because of this the 1, 3, 5 and 7 get used a lot. My old friend - the Major pentatonic scale is made of the 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 notes of the scale. You can write a pretty good melody using only those notes. The 1, 3 and 5 are chord tones found in just about all major chords, thus they harmonize and the 2 and 6 make safe passing notes.

OK ask specific questions - there is a lot more, but, let's digest this first.

[MetalHead84]

Thank you guys, that really help me understand a bit more or song are compose, and will probably help me to be more creative and to no be afraid to try some new things

[iriegnome]

Try lots of new stuff. Sometimes, scales (or Keys) can be very different in a single song. As well as modulate from Major to minor and back again. Different time signatures work well in some songs too! I am not overly skilled at my scales, but I go where it sounds good. Sure, I can't tell you if I am heading into Pentatonic or Myxilidian, but I know what sounds good. Go with that. As you learn, you can make your songs more complex.