Theory Question About Modulation Or What Ya Call It... Options

[Tuubsu]

Yeah so I'm not the big theory wizard, so I'd like a little help please.

I'm composing a piece, A LONG piece for the classical guitar, inspired by Paganinis Grand Sonata. Against my usual preferences I'm using scales nowadays. So I have this scale, see, C# minor scale, I believe it's called the notes are:
A,B,C#,D#,E,F#,G#

As I noticed Paganini in his Grand sonata used many different scales and chromatics. And at this point I would need some other scales to spice the piece up a little bit. I mean similiar scales but with a little different sound, maybe a little more exotic or not. So... What are my options and how can I find out my options in a similiar but different occasion?



Thanks in advance!

[fatb0t]

Well you can take the Aeolian mode and raise the minor 7th interval to a major 7th to get the Harmonic minor...it has a totally different feel to it, and it often utilized in classical tunes.

C# Aeolian: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 -or- C# D# E F# G# A B
-----------------------------------------------------------------
C# Harmonic Minor: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 -or- C# D# E F# G# A C

Also you can modulate to a different key...You'll want to pick a new key that has similiar notes...

This post has been edited by fatb0t: Sep 8 2008, 03:13 PM

[Tuubsu]

hey thanks!

Harmonic minor sounds great, it's the ony scale I've ever used before, but that was some other key.
those different keys umm... was that about the "circle of fifths"? and if I were to change the key to let's say F#, could it be as easy as F# Aeolian(from C#)? or does it really matter, or do I just have to do little research to get the sound I want?

I guess I should spend some time studying these things more.

[fatb0t]

I'm not sure what you mean, you want to modulate to F#?

Some of the notes are similar, this would be an interesting key to modulate to. Give it a shot, go by ear....

[Ivan Milenkovic]

Related keys to E major are D major, B major and F# major so any modulation in that sense could be good if properly done.

[kjutte]

hey thanks!

Harmonic minor sounds great, it's the ony scale I've ever used before, but that was some other key.
those different keys umm... was that about the "circle of fifths"? and if I were to change the key to let's say F#, could it be as easy as F# Aeolian(from C#)? or does it really matter, or do I just have to do little research to get the sound I want?

I guess I should spend some time studying these things more.

Circle of fiths is just relative modes. Don't pay much attention to it.
Anyway, I can't really answer you without knowing the chord progression.

This post has been edited by kjutte: Sep 9 2008, 07:19 PM

[Andrew Cockburn]

Circle of fiths is just relative modes. Don't pay much attention to it.
Anyway, I can't really answer you without knowing the chord progression.

Relative keys actually, not modes - its useful for picking out keys to modulate too, check out my lesson on it here!

[kjutte]

Relative keys actually, not modes - its useful for picking out keys to modulate too, check out my lesson on it here!

Yeah, that's why I said relative modes.

[Ivan Milenkovic]

You mean you said because you still haven't checked out Andrew's lesson? Quickly now for some theory reading, shame on you