IN THIS ARRICLE WE DISCUSS HOW STARTING FROM A DIATONIC SCALE
WITH CHORDS IN STEPS 1M-2m-3m-4M-5M-6m-7d-1'M WE PASS TO ALL THE 12-TONES SCALE (WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL PENTATONIC SCALE OF BLUE NOTES) BY A) CHANGING THE MAJOR CHORDS TO MINOR CHORDS AND VICE-VERSA B) BY ADDING MAJOR OR MINOR OR DIMINISHED CHORDS ON THE CHROMATIC OR BLUE NOTES: 2bM 3bM 5bM 6bM 7bM OR 2bm 3bm 5bm 6bm 7bm OR 2bdim 3bdim 5bdim 6bdim 7bdim
See also posts 153, 155 about re-harmonization ,harmonic personalities and perturbation of a diatonic scale of chords.
The concept of harmonic personality is a concept of chromatic tonal music and not a concept of multi tonal or atonal music. (See post 263 )
Triads of chromatic tonality that are often met and are based in one of the chromatic 7-notes scales the harmonic minor, the meapolitan and the double chromatic minor are the next
3M7-6m-2m (harmonic minor)
7M7-3m-6m (Neapolitian)
6M7-2m-5m (harmonic minor)
All the three above triads (double harmonic minor)
2M7-5m-1m
5M7-1m-4m
1M7-4m-7m
4M7-7m-3m
Chromatic shifts of them by an interval of 2nd are e.g. the next
7M7-3m-6m->
1M7-4m-7m
Or
1M7-4m-7m->
2M7-5m-1m
Or
6M7-2m-5m->
1M7-3m-6m
Etc
Cycles of 6 chords in harmonic relations are the next 7
1M7-4m-7m->
3M-6M-2M
2M7-5m-1m->
4M-7M-3M
3M7-6m-2m->
5M-1M-4M
4M7-7m-3m->
6M-2M-5M
5M7-1m-4m->
7M-3M-6M
6M7-2m-5m->
1M-4M-7M
7M7-3m-6m->
2M-5M-1M
According to musicologists of Jazz and Ethnic music (as appearing e.g. in music arrangement software like the music machines of Microsoft), the next scales of chords (that cover the steps of the chromatic 12-tone scale) correspond to the next harmonic personalities.
HARMONIZING ALL 5 BLUE NOTES OR CHROMATIC NOTES (2b 3b 5b 6b and 7b) which is in its own a pentatonic scale FROM THE 7 NOTES OF THE DIATONIC SCALE TO THE 12 NOTES OF THE FULL WESTERN MUSICAL (CHROMATIC) UNIVERSE
I BELIEVE THAT THE MAIN USE OF THIS CONCEPT IS IN JAZZ WHERE THE ROLE OF THE DIATONIC SCALE (TONALITY) IS RATHER LOOSE,IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS REQUIRED AT LEAST 50% OF THE TIME THE NOTES OF THE MELODY AND CHORDS TO BE IN THOSE OF THE DIATONIC SCALE AND THE REST OF THE TIME IN THE 12-NOTES FULL CHROMATIC SCALE. THUS THE TYPES OFTHE CHORDS WITH ROOTS ON THE REST OF THE NOTES OF THE 12-NOTES CHROMATIC SCALE COMPARED TO THE 7-NOTES DIATONIC SCALE IS SO AS TO APPLY FOR THE REST OF THE MELODY AND ITS CHORDS. E.G. THE SOFTWARE MIDI-GUITAR ALLOWS WITH AN ARPEGGIATOR TO ACCOMPANY AUTOMATICALLY ANY MELODY WITH CHORDS OVER THE MELODY'S NOTES, THAT IN PRACTICE ARE CHORDS THAT SOUND ONLY FOR THE CENTERS OF THE MELODY THAT ARE NOTES THAT SOUND LONGER. THERE ARE THOUGH OTHER USES OF THIS 12-NOTES SCHEME OF HARMONIC PERSONALITIES.
WITH CHORDS IN STEPS 1M-2m-3m-4M-5M-6m-7d-1'M WE PASS TO ALL THE 12-TONES SCALE (WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL PENTATONIC SCALE OF BLUE NOTES) BY A) CHANGING THE MAJOR CHORDS TO MINOR CHORDS AND VICE-VERSA B) BY ADDING MAJOR OR MINOR OR DIMINISHED CHORDS ON THE CHROMATIC OR BLUE NOTES: 2bM 3bM 5bM 6bM 7bM OR 2bm 3bm 5bm 6bm 7bm OR 2bdim 3bdim 5bdim 6bdim 7bdim
See also posts 153, 155 about re-harmonization ,harmonic personalities and perturbation of a diatonic scale of chords.
The concept of harmonic personality is a concept of chromatic tonal music and not a concept of multi tonal or atonal music. (See post 263 )
Triads of chromatic tonality that are often met and are based in one of the chromatic 7-notes scales the harmonic minor, the meapolitan and the double chromatic minor are the next
3M7-6m-2m (harmonic minor)
7M7-3m-6m (Neapolitian)
6M7-2m-5m (harmonic minor)
All the three above triads (double harmonic minor)
2M7-5m-1m
5M7-1m-4m
1M7-4m-7m
4M7-7m-3m
Chromatic shifts of them by an interval of 2nd are e.g. the next
7M7-3m-6m->
1M7-4m-7m
Or
1M7-4m-7m->
2M7-5m-1m
Or
6M7-2m-5m->
1M7-3m-6m
Etc
Cycles of 6 chords in harmonic relations are the next 7
1M7-4m-7m->
3M-6M-2M
2M7-5m-1m->
4M-7M-3M
3M7-6m-2m->
5M-1M-4M
4M7-7m-3m->
6M-2M-5M
5M7-1m-4m->
7M-3M-6M
6M7-2m-5m->
1M-4M-7M
7M7-3m-6m->
2M-5M-1M
According to musicologists of Jazz and Ethnic music (as appearing e.g. in music arrangement software like the music machines of Microsoft), the next scales of chords (that cover the steps of the chromatic 12-tone scale) correspond to the next harmonic personalities.
HARMONIZING ALL 5 BLUE NOTES OR CHROMATIC NOTES (2b 3b 5b 6b and 7b) which is in its own a pentatonic scale FROM THE 7 NOTES OF THE DIATONIC SCALE TO THE 12 NOTES OF THE FULL WESTERN MUSICAL (CHROMATIC) UNIVERSE
I BELIEVE THAT THE MAIN USE OF THIS CONCEPT IS IN JAZZ WHERE THE ROLE OF THE DIATONIC SCALE (TONALITY) IS RATHER LOOSE,IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS REQUIRED AT LEAST 50% OF THE TIME THE NOTES OF THE MELODY AND CHORDS TO BE IN THOSE OF THE DIATONIC SCALE AND THE REST OF THE TIME IN THE 12-NOTES FULL CHROMATIC SCALE. THUS THE TYPES OFTHE CHORDS WITH ROOTS ON THE REST OF THE NOTES OF THE 12-NOTES CHROMATIC SCALE COMPARED TO THE 7-NOTES DIATONIC SCALE IS SO AS TO APPLY FOR THE REST OF THE MELODY AND ITS CHORDS. E.G. THE SOFTWARE MIDI-GUITAR ALLOWS WITH AN ARPEGGIATOR TO ACCOMPANY AUTOMATICALLY ANY MELODY WITH CHORDS OVER THE MELODY'S NOTES, THAT IN PRACTICE ARE CHORDS THAT SOUND ONLY FOR THE CENTERS OF THE MELODY THAT ARE NOTES THAT SOUND LONGER. THERE ARE THOUGH OTHER USES OF THIS 12-NOTES SCHEME OF HARMONIC PERSONALITIES.
This concept also can be considered as chromatic wheels of chords or chord-scales as described in post 83. They can be considered either as 12-cycle of chords or only as 7-cycles of chords. Such 12-steps scales of chords can be considered also as scales of chords derived by perturbation a diatonic scale of chords (see also post )
It gives also a system to create chords that cover any scale ( but not necessarily belong to it too ) , including of course the diatonic scale modes.
But it is also a system to adopt and re-harmonize a song from its original chord progression to another that has the particular personality (as we may change a song from a minor mode to a major mode and vice-versa) or asit it ususal in swing Jazz and Gypsy Jazz to re-harmonize songs.
HOW IT APPLIES TO SONGS
RE-HARMONIZATION TO AN PARTICULAR HARMONIC PERSONALITY
RE-HARMONIZATION TO AN PARTICULAR HARMONIC PERSONALITY
1) The way that the table below can be used on an existing song with melody written say on a known particular diatonic scale and mode (at least in its musical score) is the next.
2) Take the known chord progression of the song, and substitute, each chord of it with root R with the corresponding chord of root R in the table below.
3) The step 2) applies to all possible roots R in the 12-notes chromatic scale, and in the 7 tone scale of the song too (covering the case of chords outside the 7-notes scale in the case of multiple modulations to different scales during the song). We may consider the 12-notes redundant and use only the 7-notes. But if we would start from a song not written on single diatonic scale, but in many scales with modulations, and still inside the 12-notes scale, the step 2) can still apply. Notice that the this re-harmonization is not a 1-1 correspondence of chords , and two different chords with the same root at different times may result to the same chord of the 12-notes personality scale of chords.
4) The result is that there is a change in the "personality" of the sound of harmony of the song. By changing the chord-type we may need to change some of the notes of the melody to fit in the new type chord as it was flitting to the old type of chord. This is in accordance to our philosophy which in general defines the harmony of a song not through a single scale but throughout chord progression (see post 49)
3) The step 2) applies to all possible roots R in the 12-notes chromatic scale, and in the 7 tone scale of the song too (covering the case of chords outside the 7-notes scale in the case of multiple modulations to different scales during the song). We may consider the 12-notes redundant and use only the 7-notes. But if we would start from a song not written on single diatonic scale, but in many scales with modulations, and still inside the 12-notes scale, the step 2) can still apply. Notice that the this re-harmonization is not a 1-1 correspondence of chords , and two different chords with the same root at different times may result to the same chord of the 12-notes personality scale of chords.
4) The result is that there is a change in the "personality" of the sound of harmony of the song. By changing the chord-type we may need to change some of the notes of the melody to fit in the new type chord as it was flitting to the old type of chord. This is in accordance to our philosophy which in general defines the harmony of a song not through a single scale but throughout chord progression (see post 49)
For the definition of the chords see e.g. www.all-guitar-chords.com, or the internet.
M symbolizes major, m symbolizes minor, dim=diminshed, aug=augmented.
For example C63=CEA, C65=CGA, C42=CDFG, C43=CEFG, C7#9=CEGBbD#, Cm7b5=CEbGbBb, Cm11=CEbGBbDF, Cdim9=CD#F#A#D, C9#11=DF#CEBb , Cm67=CEbGAB
C2=CDEG,
One particular more familiar way to utilize this table for a song already written in one of the scales major, minor, harmonic minor, or the modes Mixolydian, Phrygian, Dorian , so as to give it the corresponding jazz personality, is to alter a major or minor chord of the song and at any root, with the attributes below (dim, ,7, 63, 65, 9, 11, 7#9 etc) and making it thus sound with a different personality. This concept is based on tonality but it is actually beyond one only scale and tonality, it is different than the substitutes the concept of modulation, it is re-harmonization and is based rather on the concept of covering sets of chords of all possible steps of any melody.
The set of chords of a personality, is indeed based on tonality, but only at the level of the chords. Not at the level ofthe melody. The melody need not be within a diatonic scale. The fact that personality chords are defined even for steps outside a diatonic scale makes it clear.
The set of chords of a personality, is indeed based on tonality, but only at the level of the chords. Not at the level ofthe melody. The melody need not be within a diatonic scale. The fact that personality chords are defined even for steps outside a diatonic scale makes it clear.
COMPOSITION IN A PARTICULAR HARMONIC PERSONALITY
Another way to utilize it, is to compose songs regardless of scale, but utilizing the chords of a particular personality , and as the chords of a personality have roots all the 12 notes, one has all possible roots for chords of the song over a melody with all possible notes. This concept resembles tonality but it is actually beyond one only scale and tonality. It substitutes the concept of modulation and is based rather on the concept of covering sets of chords of all possible steps of any melody, creating so composite chord-melodies (see also post 11).
ALTERNATIVELY, the table below can be used as a guide of the kind of chord we would choose in the maximal correspondence of each note of a melody with a chord with the root on it before we simplify the chord progression to one with fewer chords.
Still, ALTERNATIVELY we may use the corresponding chord types as in the table when the underlying note of the simplicial sub-melody (see post 65 ) is the one in the corresponding position in the full 12-notes scale.
Steps of the chromatic scale/Harmonic Personality
|
1
|
1#
|
2
|
2#
|
3
|
4
|
4#
|
5
|
5#
|
6
|
6#
|
7
|
|
Righteous(Major)
|
M(ajor)
|
Dim7
|
m(inor)
|
Dim7
|
m
|
M
|
Dim7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
m
|
4,2
|
Dim7
|
|
Honest (major)
|
M
|
Dim7
|
m
|
Dim7
|
m
|
M
|
Dim7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
|
Hopeful (Mixolydian)
|
M
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
M
|
m
|
m
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
|
Serious (Phrygian)
|
m
|
M
|
6,3
|
M
|
6,3
|
m
|
6,3
|
dim
|
M
|
6,5
|
m
|
6,5
|
|
Upbeat(Mixolydian)
|
M
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
M
|
M
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
|
Searching(Dorian)
|
m
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
M
|
dim
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
M
|
dim
|
|
Lonely (major)
|
7
|
Dim7
|
m7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
|
Funky(Mixolydan)
|
7#9
|
7
|
m7
|
9
|
m7
|
9
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
m7
|
6,3
|
7
|
|
Sad(minor)
|
m7
|
M
|
6,3
|
M7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
M7
|
6,5
|
M
|
6,5
|
|
Romantic(major)
|
M
|
6,3
|
m7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
M7
|
6,3
|
9s
|
6,3
|
m7
|
M
|
m7b5
|
|
Boogie(major)
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
|
Noble(major)
|
M
|
6,3
|
m
|
6,3
|
6,3
|
M
|
6,3
|
M
|
4,3
|
6,3
|
4,2
|
6,3
|
|
Bittersweet(Harmonic minor)
|
m
|
6,5
|
m7b5
|
M
|
Dim7
|
m
|
Dim7
|
7
|
M
|
m7b5
|
M
|
dim7
|
|
Adventurous(H-minor)
|
m
|
M
|
6,3
|
M
|
6,3
|
m
|
6,3
|
m
|
M
|
6,5
|
M
|
6,5
|
|
Striving(minor)
|
M7
|
M
|
6,3
|
M7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
M7
|
6,5
|
M
|
6,5
|
|
Sophisticated(major)
|
6,9
|
Dim7
|
m11
|
Dim9
|
m7
|
M9#11
|
Dim7
|
13
|
Dim7
|
m11
|
9#11
|
Dim9
|
|
Miserable(mixolydian)
|
13
|
Dim7
|
m11
|
Dim9
|
m11
|
13
|
Dim7
|
13
|
Dim7
|
m11
|
9#11
|
Dim9
|
|
Complex(major)
|
2
|
6,3
|
m11
|
Dim7
|
m6,7
|
2M7
|
6,3
|
9s
|
2M7
|
6,3
|
2
|
6,3
|
|
An alternative way of course would be to correspond personalities only to the 7 modes, and then besides the 3-notes chords with roots one every note of the 7-tone mode, add all the other notes to make 12-notes of the chormatic scale, and extend, the triads to 4-notes chords making sure the added note (that would be of the melody) is always the highest. In this way 5 mores composite chords (for chord-melodies) are added to the mode which is now the chromatic 12-tone scale.
Still an alternative and simple way is to consider the above table only at the 7 steps of a diatonic scale, and use it to adopt the chord progressions of single diatonic scale harmony songs , to a new one (the roots of the chords are kept the same) but the harmony of the song changes and possible and some of the notes of its melody.
Such personalities therefore is a generalization of the 7 modes of the diatonic scale , to any scale of any number of notes and in a different way..
Still an alternative and simple way is to consider the above table only at the 7 steps of a diatonic scale, and use it to adopt the chord progressions of single diatonic scale harmony songs , to a new one (the roots of the chords are kept the same) but the harmony of the song changes and possible and some of the notes of its melody.
Such personalities therefore is a generalization of the 7 modes of the diatonic scale , to any scale of any number of notes and in a different way..
We may compare the above method of personalities with the Personalities of the modes of the as it was traditional to define in older music but which cannot be played anymore in the 12-equal semitones of Bach. .
Each mode of the diatonic scale can be grasped from the central triad 5-1-4 (in steps) of it thus a triad of chords as center of an harmonic personality, which blends in various proportions minor and major chords (see also post 222)
Various interpretations of the "character" imparted by the different modes have been suggested. Three such interpretations, from Guido of Arezzo (995–1050), Adam of Fulda(1445–1505), and Juan de Espinosa Medrano (1632–1688), follow:
Name
|
Mode
|
D'Arezzo
|
Fulda
|
Espinosa
|
|
Dorian
|
I
|
serious
|
any feeling
|
happy, taming the passions
|
|
Hypodorian
|
II
|
sad
|
sad
|
serious and tearful
|
|
Phrygian
|
III
|
mystic
|
vehement
|
inciting anger
|
|
Hypophrygian
|
IV
|
harmonious
|
tender
|
inciting delights, tempering fierceness
|
|
Lydian
|
V
|
happy
|
happy
|
happy
|
|
Hypolydian
|
VI
|
devout
|
pious
|
tearful and pious
|
|
Mixolydian
|
VII
|
angelical
|
of youth
|
uniting pleasure and sadness
|
|
Hypomixolydian
|
VIII
|
perfect
|
of knowledge
|
very happy
|
In modern times the names are somehow reserved but the exact frequency structure of the modes has been lost. Here is the modern version
| Mode | Tonic relative to major scale | Interval sequence, T=tone, s=semitone | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionian | I | T-T-s-T-T-T-s | C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C |
| Dorian | II | T-s-T-T-T-s-T | D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D |
| Phrygian | III | s-T-T-T-s-T-T | E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E |
| Lydian | IV | T-T-T-s-T-T-s | F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F |
| Mixolydian | V | T-T-s-T-T-s-T | G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G |
| Aeolian | VI | T-s-T-T-s-T-T | A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A |
| Locrian | VII | s-T-T-s-T-T-T | B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B |
See e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_(music)
CHROMATIC TONAL MUSICAS CONTRASTED TO MULTI-TONAL MUSIC OR ATONAL MUSIC.
CHROMATIC TONAL MUSICAS CONTRASTED TO MULTI-TONAL MUSIC OR ATONAL MUSIC.
IN SUMMARY BOTH EARLY WESTERN AND EASTERN (GYPSY) JAZZ MAY MAKE THE NEXT 7 TEMPORARY CHANGES IN THE CHORDS OF THE DIATONIC SCALE DUE TO THE 4 FIRST BLUE NOTES
3m becomes 3M
7dim becomes 7M
5M becomes 5#dim
2m becomes 2M
6m becomes 6M
4M becomes 4m or 4dim
1M becomes 1#dim
Obviously not all of these changes occur necessarily simultaneously in a single song. maybe only few of them. And usually at least 50% of the time the chords are the normal of the diatonic scale. Other ways to organize them and perceive them are as triads of harmonic pairs of chords (see post 215 IMPROVISATION OVER A PAIR OF CHORDS . TRIADS OF HARMONIC PAIRS OF CHORDS. ). This awareness of these alterations of the normal chords of a diatonic scale (by blue notes) allows for a consistent and rich system of harmony for composing and improvising early jazz type of jazz.
There are musicians that consieve these changes as modulations say from the C major scale to th Fmajor scale and/or to the A major scale. But the above approach based on the harmonic minor and double harmonic minor seems more correct.
1ST CHROMATIC TONALITY 7-CHORD-SCALE OR 7-CHORD CYCLE
THEREFORE IT IS A VERY COMMON IN WESTERN JAZZ GYPSY JAZZ CLASSICAL MUSIC ANDEAN MUSIC ETC THE NEXT CYCLE OF CHORDS OR SCALE OF CHORDS THAT CAN BE CALLED 1ST CHROMATIC TONALITY 7-CHORD-SCALE OR 7-CHORD CYCLE THE NEXT
6m->2m->5M->1M->4M->7M->3M->6m
or with 7nths in Jazz
6m7->2m7->5maj7->1maj7->4maj7->7M7->3M7->6m7
There are even pocket chord-harmonicas (e.g. tombo pocket-chord harmonica) designed to play exactly this cycle of chords
AS WE MAY NOTICE THIS SYSTEM OF HARMONY WITH THE FIRST 4 BLUE NOTES (AND 5TH BLUE NOT 6#=7b MAY BE ADDED) IS ESSENTIALLY A METHOD TO PLAY SOONER OR LATER IN THE MELODY ALL THE 12 NOTES OF THE FULL CHROMATIC SCALE STARTING FROM THE 7 NOTES OF THE DIATONIC SCALE AND RETURNING TO THEM AGAIN.
CONVERSELY ANY MELODY WHICH STARTS AS MELODY OF A DIATONIC SCALE AND THEN EVOLVES WITH ANY TURN AND ANY MOVE INSIDE THE 12-NOTES FULL CHROMATIC SCALE CAN BE COVERED OR ACCOMPANIED WITH THE NEXT ALTERNATIONS OF THE CHORDS OF THE DIATONIC SCALE. IN WESTERN JAZZ IT IS CONCEIVED AS ALTERATIONS DUE TO THE BLUE NOTES WHILE IN EASTERN JAZZ AS ALTERATIONS DUE TEMPORARY CHANGE OF THE NATURAL MINOR TO ONE OF THE CHROMATIC MINORS (HARMONIC, DOUBLE HARMONIC , NEAPOLITAN , PARACHROMATIC MINORS ETC) THIS MAY BE CALLED CHROMATIC TONAL MUSICAS CONTRASTED TO MULTI-TONAL MUSIC OR ATONAL MUSIC.
Steps of the chromatic scale/Harmonic Personality
|
1
|
1#
|
2
|
2#
|
3
|
4
|
4#
|
5
|
5#
|
6
|
6#
|
7
| |
JAZZ PERSONALITY
|
1M(ajor) or 1m
|
1#Dim or 6M
|
2m(inor) or 2M(ajor)7
|
7M
|
3m or 3M(ajor)7
|
4M or 4m or 4Dim
|
2M7
|
5M7 or 5m
|
5#Dim or 3M7
|
6m or 6M7
|
5m
|
7Dim or 7Major7
|
