We must
remind here the fundamental philosophy of musical composition and
improvisation.
Musical
improvisation is not a technical skill that one “learns to do.” It is a natural spontaneous process that occurs
first in the imagination. It is often a natural language of the soul, as we
have the language of words. But that is why it is understood by people that do
not even speak the same language of words
The main
goal of musical composition and improvisation is not the output musical piece,
but the EXISTENTIAL FUNCTION of the process of creating and listening the
musical piece.
We are accustomed to accept the concept of scale as a panacea in musical theory. But the practice of musical composition and improvisation, proves that the concept of scale has a serious disadvantage:
The scale
is defining its identity with notes only inside an octave , and then it is
assumed to repeat in higher or lower octaves. In other words it has a single
rule of repeating higher or lower than an octave, which may not be the desired
rule in proceeding to higher or lower octaves in improvisation or composition. But often in improvisation ,we follow a rule
to create a sequence of notes ascending or descending, which span more than one
octave and which locally (that is a few notes back or a few notes forward)
have great harmonic regularity, but when reducing all the notes inside one
octave, this harmonic regularity is lost. From the point of view of classical
musical theory, this would be a sequence of modulations. But the concept of
sequence of modulations is redundantly complicated as it involves a
sequence of scales, and thus most often a whole set of notes not at all
appearing and relevant while playing the regular sequence in the improvisation.
The regular sequence on the other hand is a real sequence of notes locally
harmonic, and with symmetric rule of repetition.
We must notice here that a musical scale by octaves in the classical sense is also a regular recursive sequence of notes. But a regular recursive sequence of notes, in general is not a musical scale in the classical sense as it is a more general concept.
For example repeating a "tetrachord" C, D,F,G by intervals of 5ths is a regular recursive sequence of notes (and rule of modulations) but it is not a scale in the classical sense repeated by octaves.
Another example is the alternation of minor and major intervals of 3rd (in semitones it is 3-4-3-4-3-4- etc 24 times in total). It is the basis in defining the 24-cycle of chords as in post 34. This long (generalized ) scale is also a rule of modulations which is by increasing by one sharp the number of sharps of the previous scale (F, C, G, D, A, E, B etc)
We must notice here that a musical scale by octaves in the classical sense is also a regular recursive sequence of notes. But a regular recursive sequence of notes, in general is not a musical scale in the classical sense as it is a more general concept.
For example repeating a "tetrachord" C, D,F,G by intervals of 5ths is a regular recursive sequence of notes (and rule of modulations) but it is not a scale in the classical sense repeated by octaves.
Another example is the alternation of minor and major intervals of 3rd (in semitones it is 3-4-3-4-3-4- etc 24 times in total). It is the basis in defining the 24-cycle of chords as in post 34. This long (generalized ) scale is also a rule of modulations which is by increasing by one sharp the number of sharps of the previous scale (F, C, G, D, A, E, B etc)
An
example is when we play a 2-string major triad on a string in the guitar and
then repeating it in the next string(an interval of 4th higher) and so one, but
going also backwards and utilize in melodic improvisation all the last note
played. This sequence locally resemble a diatonic scale, but as it goes one
with the same rule it alters some notes and in overall it is not a
diatonic scale. But still it can be defined as rule o produce successive
modulations of the initial diatonic scale. On the other hand while playing it
in the guitar or on an string instrument with strings tuned by 4ths ,such a
regular sequence of notes has a very symmetric rule of playing it. This regular recursive sequence
of notes is in fact
easier to play than the rule of a diatonic scale and is locally diatonic
while globally harmonically it is richer than a diatonic scale!
We define also here the concept of LONG SCALE.
ASCENDING LONG SCALE=it is an ascending sequence of notes, so that the first time the starting note repeats as name it is the end note of the long scale, but this end note is more than one octave higher than the first note.
The next sequence (successive distance in semitones) (434343434343434343434343) is a long scale , and when reduced with name=equivalent notes within an octave it is the 12-notes chromatic scale. We call this long scale the 12-notes HARMONIC LONG SCALE , because every 3 consecutive notes make a major or a minor chord!
The HARMONIC LONG SCALE is used to compose the harmonic parts of the melody in songs, as suggested in the present book, where such melodic themes are called HARMONIC THEMES.
Two different long scales may have the same reduction within an octave. E.g. the long scales (successive distance in semitones) (7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7) and (5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5) have also reduction within an octave the 12-notes chromatic scale, but they are different long scales!
We define also here the concept of LONG SCALE.
ASCENDING LONG SCALE=it is an ascending sequence of notes, so that the first time the starting note repeats as name it is the end note of the long scale, but this end note is more than one octave higher than the first note.
The next sequence (successive distance in semitones) (434343434343434343434343) is a long scale , and when reduced with name=equivalent notes within an octave it is the 12-notes chromatic scale. We call this long scale the 12-notes HARMONIC LONG SCALE , because every 3 consecutive notes make a major or a minor chord!
The HARMONIC LONG SCALE is used to compose the harmonic parts of the melody in songs, as suggested in the present book, where such melodic themes are called HARMONIC THEMES.
Two different long scales may have the same reduction within an octave. E.g. the long scales (successive distance in semitones) (7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7,7) and (5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5) have also reduction within an octave the 12-notes chromatic scale, but they are different long scales!
In the next video for example we see how with a
2-string major triad we can create such a regular recursive sequence of notes.
In the 2nd video we see a jazz player suggesting improvisation on
all 6 strings, and one or two successive frets which is a similar concept.
