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Changing scales during a song- or stay with one scale?

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Posted by DCO (from: ) on April 30, 2002 at 08:18:21:

I've learned the 7 modes of the major scale, and I use them now and then for forming chords or playing leads, and I also like the harmonic minor. And ofcourse the blues/minor pentatonic.
But knowing scales and knowing how and when to use then are two different things. Lately instead of playing standard chords then using a seperate scale to play fills, I've been thinking in terms of just the scale, meaning- I build chords out of the scale, then use surrounding notes to create melodic fills - you can't go wrong. Its been allowing me to play things similar to "Little Wing" by Hendrix, which sounds like the chords and fills are just one continuous flow and not separate.
But I'm confused about something.I'll be playing this way and it'll sound good (very melodic and flowing) but then I can't seem to make a "change" - meaning even if I use the scale and go to the IV or V(or some other progression) it doesn't sound like a change, it just sounds like I'm still playing the I (root). Do I need to shift the whole scale to a different key for every chord change?
First of all, I'm not talking about playing a specific song, but just jamming/composing/adlibing (which I think is important to be able to do.)
I just figured that if a song is in a certain key, then according to music theory, all the chords are usually derived from the key scale anyway. So I try to just stay in one scale and chose the right notes (and build the right chords) everytime I want to shift/change the progression. I keep experimenting but I seem to be on the wrong track. When it comes time for a shift or change (like from I to IV) do most advanced players shift to a whole new scale?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. This is a rut I'm in and I can't seem to get past it.
Thanks, DCO

Follow Ups:

Re: Changing scales during a song- or stay with one scale? Vladimir 03:47:17 5/01/02 (1)
- Re: Changing scales during a song- or stay with one scale? me 23:18:06 5/02/02 (0)

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: I've learned the 7 modes of the major scale, and I use them now and then for forming chords or playing leads, and I also like the harmonic minor. And ofcourse the blues/minor pentatonic. : But knowing scales and knowing how and when to use then are two different things. Lately instead of playing standard chords then using a seperate scale to play fills, I've been thinking in terms of just the scale, meaning- I build chords out of the scale, then use surrounding notes to create melodic fills - you can't go wrong. Its been allowing me to play things similar to "Little Wing" by Hendrix, which sounds like the chords and fills are just one continuous flow and not separate. : But I'm confused about something.I'll be playing this way and it'll sound good (very melodic and flowing) but then I can't seem to make a "change" - meaning even if I use the scale and go to the IV or V(or some other progression) it doesn't sound like a change, it just sounds like I'm still playing the I (root). Do I need to shift the whole scale to a different key for every chord change? : First of all, I'm not talking about playing a specific song, but just jamming/composing/adlibing (which I think is important to be able to do.) : I just figured that if a song is in a certain key, then according to music theory, all the chords are usually derived from the key scale anyway. So I try to just stay in one scale and chose the right notes (and build the right chords) everytime I want to shift/change the progression. I keep experimenting but I seem to be on the wrong track. When it comes time for a shift or change (like from I to IV) do most advanced players shift to a whole new scale? : Any advise would be greatly appreciated. This is a rut I'm in and I can't seem to get past it. : Thanks, DCO

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