Is there such a thing as an Augmented scale?

[RyRob813]

Are there only Augmented chords, or is there a scale that goes along with it as well?

If so, what's the pattern for the scale?

Thanks!

[Audiophage]

Whole Tone Scale.

[ProgRapture]

Nasty scale in my opinion. Good if you want constant major or augmented chords in your songs.

[ProgRapture]

Whoops, forgot the second part of the question.
It's pretty easy, no half tones. Or to dumb it down, a major scale with an augmented 4th, no 5th and an minor 6th(or augmented 5th and no sixth), and a minor 7th.

[DocBop]

I find it useful to view scales in terms of the 5's and 9's they contain. So the Wholetone is the tamest of the possible scales. Wholetone is a dominant scale that contains altered 5's and natural 9. In the extreme you could use the Altered scale (7th mode of melodic minor) it gives you altered 5's and 9's. I prefer to view scales by the colors/sounds they offer.

[HaVIC5]

Augmented chords take a whole tone scale usually. If you have an augmented chord with a major 7 on it, then yeah, there is such thing as an augmented scale, and you can use it on Maj7(#5) chords (as well as Ionian #5 and Lydian #5). Its a symetrical scale alternating minor thirds and half steps, so in the key of C its C D# E G G# B.

[RyRob813]

oooh so the whole tone scale DOES have some rationalization after all

Haha thanks, I never really put 2 and 2 together on that one before!

[mutedeity]

One of the main uses of wholetone is to destablise tonality. Since wholetone has an implied dominant that manifests at every degree it has a strong pull toward the relative 4th of each degree. Since the P4 is not present in the scale relative to any of the degrees it tends to leave the tonal centre unresolved. Nice mechanism for shaking things up before a keychange for example. Also wholetone is not modally transpositional.

[KayCee]

Often times an augmented or dom7(+5) chord will be written on a V chord (resolving to a major or a minor I chord).

I most often look to a Mixolydian (b13) scale here. The b13 is a conditional tension, meaning that you drop the P5 from the chord when you add the b13.

This scale sounds very "inside" due to the number of scale tones that it shares with the parent key.

[GoesThump]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

oooh so the whole tone scale DOES have some rationalization after all

Haha thanks, I never really put 2 and 2 together on that one before!

Well, I think Debussy would be rationalization enough, no?

GT

[RyRob813]

Originally Posted by KayCee

Often times an augmented or dom7(+5) chord will be written on a V chord (resolving to a major or a minor I chord).

I most often look to a Mixolydian (b13) scale here. The b13 is a conditional tension, meaning that you drop the P5 from the chord when you add the b13.

This scale sounds very "inside" due to the number of scale tones that it shares with the parent key.

ahhh the wonders of theory talk!!!

Thanks guys

[Mikey D]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

ahhh the wonders of theory talk!!!

Thanks guys

On that note...if you want to do deeper with me in the dark depths of George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organisation, and why would you want to do that? because it will explain what you can play over chords such as this (or any chord) in a very clear way.

My choice for this chord would be the Lydian Augmented (Lydian w/#5), the 3rd mode of Melodic Minor.

[WillBuckingham]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

Are there only Augmented chords, or is there a scale that goes along with it as well?

If so, what's the pattern for the scale?

Thanks!

You could try the 7th mode melodic minor (among many others). So over a C Aug you could play a Db melodic minor scale. Just keep in mind that scales are just a shortcut for getting you conveive of your lines as they relate to chord tones.

[mutedeity]

Originally Posted by Mikey D

On that note...if you want to do deeper with me in the dark depths of George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organisation, and why would you want to do that? because it will explain what you can play over chords such as this (or any chord) in a very clear way.

My choice for this chord would be the Lydian Augmented (Lydian w/#5), the 3rd mode of Melodic Minor.

That said, and I totally agree that looking into George Russell is a good idea, it should be pointed out that Russell's paradigm is one of many ways of thinking.

[RyRob813]

Originally Posted by Mikey D

On that note...if you want to do deeper with me in the dark depths of George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organisation, and why would you want to do that? because it will explain what you can play over chords such as this (or any chord) in a very clear way.

My choice for this chord would be the Lydian Augmented (Lydian w/#5), the 3rd mode of Melodic Minor.

Hey thanks for the reference I'll check that out.

Also thank you for making the best music geek statement I've heard for awhile. Much appreciated

[ryco]

OK. Just for fun I guess the C Totally Augmented Scale would be: C D# E# F# G# A# B

I've never seen or heard of this chord/scale, but sittin' here playing with it sounds pretty bluesy.

[Mikey D]

Originally Posted by RyRob813

Hey thanks for the reference I'll check that out.

Also thank you for making the best music geek statement I've heard for awhile. Much appreciated

It is not for the faint of heart...as it completely turns the theory you have probably learnt on its head.

All I will say is, search for 'Lidian Cromatic' on google. Not 'Lydian Chromatic' and check out the first listing.

[mutedeity]

Originally Posted by ryco

OK. Just for fun I guess the C Totally Augmented Scale would be: C D# E# F# G# A# B

I've never seen or heard of this chord/scale, but sittin' here playing with it sounds pretty bluesy.

Interesting scale. I think that would probably be used as some kind of modal mixutre of locrian. Here is why it sounds "bluesy" too; Check out the 3rd mode it has the degrees {1, b2, b3, 4, b5, bb6, b7} which is enharmonic to the blues scale with an added b2. Since the b2 gives a decending leading tonality and tension you could maybe call it the "superblues" scale. Now all we need is John Lee Hooker in a cape, rest his soul.

[cowsgomoo]

your choice of scale will be determined by the context in which the augmented chord functions... usually in otherwise fairly diatonic pop & rock music, an augmented chord will function as a passing chord... i.e.

C / / / C+ / / / Am / / /

that's the most obvious example, where you create chromatic movement from C to Am by grinding the G up to A via G#

so scales like whole tone or lydian augmented might not be appropriate, simply because the framework that surrounds the augmented chord is strictly diatonic, and using anything other than a regular C major scale with an augmented 5th might be inappropriate.

the beauty of augmented (and diminished) triads is that they're symmetrical... the C+ chord sounds the same as E+ and G#+ (they all have C, E and G# in there)... there's only 4 augmented triads... so you can use that symmetry as a gateway to modulate around in your piece... i.e. if C+ is the same chord as E+ you can take a left and resolve it acceptably to C#m instead of Am...

you can get some interesting & mysterious but still attractive music by chromatically slipping in & out of tension by augmenting & diminishing chord tones... augmented stuff isn't just about wacky disjointed effects and 'outside' playing

[Mikey D]

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

so scales like whole tone or lydian augmented might not be appropriate, simply because the framework that surrounds the augmented chord is strictly diatonic, and using anything other than a regular C major scale with an augmented 5th might be inappropriate.

Personally I feel that the major scale with the augmented 5th would be a more obscure choice than the lydian augmented because of the natural 4th. It would not sound in as great a unity with the chord as the lydian augmented scale.

But saying all this, the chromatic scale is the best choice. Play what you think sounds best.