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Cb Major
- Thread starter rarbass
- Start date
Well if they are going to call out the scales you should just know that Cb and B are enharmonic and it wont take any less practicing.. I was just comparing YOU saying Cb instead of B to using unnessisarily large words on an english paper.... it wont help any and it's just more work for yourself
I would pick a flat Key as well as sharp keys. Maybe Eb major, or just call C# major Db major... If you are being asked to learn both sharps and flats I would include at least one of each.
Again, it's generally a good idea to go with the key that uses less accidentals.
C# major or Db major? One has 7 sharps, the other 5 flats. I'd go with Db major here.
F# major or Gb major? One has 6 sharps, the other 6 flats. So in this instance I would say it doesn't really matter either way.
Just out of interest, do you have to only pick major scales?
In jazz Gb major is far more common than F# major. In classical, it's reverse. Go figure.
Keys like Cb only have relevance when they are in the broader tonal landscape of a composition. For example, when you are playing a composition in Eb minor, a key that isn't TOO uncommon (more common than Ab minor), and modulate to the major key based upon the sixth degree, you've modulated to Cb major. You can get into some weird keys this way. For example, if you're in the key of C# major and modulate to the dominant G#, you get a key which has 8 sharps - G# A# B# C# D# E# F##.
That's bizarre. I can see how in jazz that would be, as for instruments such as alto sax their concert pitch would be Gb, but written as Eb (I think it's alto, or maybe soprano. I get a little confused with this as I've never played woodwind) and these instruments tend to have lead lines, so if all charts are in a key with flats for the sake of consistency... yeah, there's a certain logic there I suppose. Still feels a little like splitting hairs though.
I remember coming across stuff like this when playing in a production band for West Side Story. That score gets pretty obtuse in the theory department, but works well to the ear.
I assume you're referring to A#maj?
Yeah that's what I was thinking.
And no, with every post I've meant to mention that I do have to play the relative minors (Harmonic and Melodic) of the major scales I pick. I just kept forgetting to mention it. Also, all these scales must be performed in 2 octaves.
There is no A# maj. All this thread is showing me is that you're trying to impress the teachers with doing a scale that you perceive to be difficult. As a teacher, I'd be much more impressed if you came in with Bb or Eb or D and nailed it rather than trying to do Cb or some other key.
Harmonic and melodic minor scales aren't relative to your standard major scale. That's what the natural minor is for.
When someone means the relative minor of, say, C major for instance, it means it contains the same notes, but has a different tonal quality when building from your tonic (difference between major and minor, obviously).
C major is: C D E F G A B
A minor is: A B C D E F G
A harmonic minor is: A B C D E F G# - the G# isn't present in the C major scale, therefore it isn't the relative minor, even though it's very close.
Same goes with the melodic minor: A B C D E F# G# - if anything A major is closer to this than C major, but it's still one note different (A major has a C# in addition to the F# and G#).
Sure, these scales can be used in conjunction with major scales, but seeing it's a test you're sitting, you should be very clear as to what a relative minor is in relation to a major scale.
minor...... i think havic can better explain this stuff,i just remember bits from school,many moons ago,but i do know there are valid reasons to spell scales appropriately,ie composition......it would probably be best to learn the correct way and not need it than to take short cuts and not have the "proper tools" later on should you need them
I posted a link to the Circle of Fifths in the first page. If you had read it you would realise there is no A# major key per se. If you were to write something in A# major it would have 10 sharps!! (A# B# C## D# E# F## G##)
You can write in A# minor, however again you're much more likely to see it as Bb minor, as the relative major is Db, and you're not going to see C# major nearly as often.
Again, look at the diagram to understand why.
You can write in A# minor, however again you're much more likely to see it as Bb minor, as the relative major is Db, and you're not going to see C# major nearly as often.
Again, look at the diagram to understand why.
in terms of bass guitar the actual correct thing to recognize is that not every note has a 'flat' of itself, and that those two notes are C and F. the flat of those notes is simply B and E respectively.
so if you say Cb you will in all probability be considered to lack that knowledge..which is fairly basic stuff to remember.
just freakin' say Bmaj.
that is all.
so if you say Cb you will in all probability be considered to lack that knowledge..which is fairly basic stuff to remember.
just freakin' say Bmaj.
that is all.
....if you reread havic's post it explains why ....... because it is the same on the fretboard does not make it correct to mix sharp and flat scales in a given key......i fully understand your point but its out of context here.....the op is being tested on theory,and while im sure that many shortcuts exist,it is the examiner who will grade him and he will probably want the formal conservatory version
Indeed, that's why I referred to the Circle of Fifths twice in the same post - A# isn't part of the circle, hence it isn't part of standardised theory. Likewise, Db is a key you're more likely to come across than C#, so again Db is more appropriate.
If you understood Havic5's post, you would also understand the concept outlined in regards to modulation. The OP has mentioned nothing of this, just the major scale in three different keys. So it sounds like the test isn't getting as theoretical as this discussion is, more likely they want to here a few different scales in a few different keys and probably the relative minor of one or two of them. I doubt they're going to be asking him to play A# major and name all the notes when they're telling him to pick his own scales.
Cb and Fb absolutely are "real" notes, just like B# and E# are real notes.
Theoretically, you could build a major scale on any of these notes.
These major scales are not commonly used, but they do "exist."
In terms of doing well on your assignment, if I were grading you, I would be most impressed if you showed a proper understanding of accidentals in the context of a scale. For example if you correctly identified G# melodic minor as having an E# and F## (double sharp). That would impress me more than knowing how to play a Cb major scale.
(edit) ps C# Major is not a "theoretical" key; check out Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier for example.
Theoretically, you could build a major scale on any of these notes.
These major scales are not commonly used, but they do "exist."
In terms of doing well on your assignment, if I were grading you, I would be most impressed if you showed a proper understanding of accidentals in the context of a scale. For example if you correctly identified G# melodic minor as having an E# and F## (double sharp). That would impress me more than knowing how to play a Cb major scale.
(edit) ps C# Major is not a "theoretical" key; check out Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier for example.
Well, I didn't read thru all the post but, I don't think I saw anyone mention the cycle of 4th's. The CO4th's starts on F, with one flat, and ends on Cb, with 7 flats. Cycle of fourths is F,Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,and ends with the OP'S Cb.
If this has been mentioned all ready in the thread sorry to duplicate.
If this has been mentioned all ready in the thread sorry to duplicate.
