Major Minor Question Options

[Phil66]

Hello folks,

I know when you play a major scale and its relative minor they sound different, major sounds happy, minor sounds sad but I do think the happy/sad thing is more apparent with chords.

What I don't understand is that when I'm improvising they can both sound happy or sad, to me anyway.

Can someone explain please.

Thanks

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

[Phil66]

I always wondered about it because let's say we play just guitar, no backing, no rhythm, just solo. How would the person listening know if you were playing A minor or C major???

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

[Todd Simpson]

Even played exactly the same, I'd say one could tell the difference. At least I certainly can.
Todd

I always wondered about it because let's say we play just guitar, no backing, no rhythm, just solo. How would the person listening know if you were playing A minor or C major???

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

[Phil66]

I don't understand. How can you tell if it's major ir the relative minor if you play exactly the same notes in exactly the same way?

Thanks

Even played exactly the same, I'd say one could tell the difference. At least I certainly can.
Todd

Thanks Ben,

I'll check it out

Marty Friedman explains this in relation to an actual solo, if I recall correctly. It's in his Melodic Control instructional video.

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

[Storm Linnebjerg]

I don't understand. How can you tell if it's major ir the relative minor if you play exactly the same notes in exactly the same way?

Thanks




Thanks Ben,

I'll check it out

But in itself, they are not played the same. The distance and relation between the notes themselves are different - that's what makes it either one or the other.

Now, without going into physics, off the top of my head, an A4 is 440 hertz, where a C4 is around 260 Hz. They have different wavelengths too.

But how would you play the two scales the same though? If you started both scales from C, they'd both be C major, of course, but if you start one from A and one from C, they'd be relatively A minor and C major because of the relations and distances between the notes.

However, if you start both scales from C and play them on either an A minor chord or a C major chord, they would sound what they are in relation to the chord below, and they would more so reveal their colour, because the chord below offer some guidance, direction and relation to the notes of the scale.

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

This post has been edited by Caelumamittendum: Oct 29 2018, 10:48 AM