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Introducing the Harmonic Major scale I: Following the Melodic.
Now when I say introducing, I am referring to the art of placing it into a piece of music. The Harmonic Major scale is a slightly more...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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Melodic Truths V: Combining Melodic with Harmonic minor.
Hopefully you remember that rule 2 states that the Melodic can change Major to the parallel minor and rule 3 modulates to the minor key...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20241 min read
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Melodic truths IV: mixing rules II and III
Now that we have seen that the Melodic scale can lead to the parallel minor and the minor key on degree II of the Major scale, we can...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20241 min read
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The Ultimate Scale Workout
Those of you who have read M3 (Modal Method of Music) are familiar with The U.S.W. For those of you that haven't I shall lay out the...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20241 min read
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Melodic minor truths III: Modulating to the key on degree II
So, after truth number I: the Melodic doesn't change its form when descending but the scale itself changes and 2: The parallel minor key...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20241 min read
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The Harmonic minor and the IV minor chord.
One of the fundamental uses for the Harmonic minor scale is to add a IV minor chord into a Major key. In C Major it is F minor (from A...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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Using Hungarian minor in a Major key.
I have always found playing in a Major key dull, especially over the V - I. In C Major, G7 - C Major. So then I started playing the...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20241 min read
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What is the function of the b5 in a Blues scale?
Thinking about this recently, I came to this conclusion. In an A minor blues, the A blues scale is A C D Eb E G (1 b3 4 b5 5 b7). Looking...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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Melodic minor truths II: Parallel minor modulations
So now we all know that the Melodic minor scale doesn't change its form when descending (see Melodic truths I), let's move on to one of...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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Say hello to the Enigmatic scale
The Enigmatic scale (1 b2 3 #4 #5 #6 7) is actually mode II of another scale but has gained notoriety for being difficult to use. That is...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20241 min read
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8 note scales in Baroque music?
Yes you read that correctly. I have come across two examples of the use of 8 notes in pieces from the baroque period and wondered if...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20241 min read
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Bach's Prelude and Fugue in B minor
I was recently asked to analyse this piece from the WTC I as it had been mistifying a pianist friend of mine for years. I thought it...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20244 min read
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Harmony without chords?
I recently had a conversation with someone about music for a single line instrument such as a flute. Their argument was that because only...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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A comparison of Preludes I from WTC I and II
Bach wrote the WTC I preludes and fugues covering all keys to show how the well tempered system excelled all others. But why do it all...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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The hidden complexity of Bach's flute partita in A minor BWV 1013
This little piece for flute is rarely heard and often dismissed as a mere trifle, being six pages in length and comprised of four...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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Demystifying Lute suite II: Sarabande BWV 997
The otherworldly feel of this movement comes from the scale choices Bach used, which are as follows: Major, Harmonic minor, Melodic,...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20241 min read
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Fugue for Guitar BWV 1000
This fugue is standard repertoire for guitarists. The scales Bach used in it are as follows: Major, Melodic, Harmonic Major, Harmonic...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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Prelude in C Major from WTC Book I
This most famous of piano pieces by J. S. Bach is more subtle and complex than it is given credit for. It contains harmonies from seven...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20241 min read
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Demystifying Lute suite II: Fugue
Not as complex as the prelude but still uses: Major, Harmonic minor, Melodic, Neapolitan Major, Neapolitan minor, Neapolitan Major b5,...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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Five ways to modulate to the relative minor
It is a really basic change, the key of C major to the key of A minor, but so many of my students didn't know how to so I have made a...
rbedwell3
Mar 30, 20242 min read
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