To me, you’re trying to understand the problem from the wrong end. The problem with music theory is that you will see 10 different ways to explain the same thing. It is sometimes hard to visualize something that abstract. I ll try.
Now, let’s go back to your video.
It is confusing. There is no such thing as a C minor 7 scale.
He is playing every 12 chromatic notes of the natural minor scale (C, then C#, then D etc).
What he means is that Cm7 is the chord to play on top of that part of the song, just like my CADG example above.
Cm7, is 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 or C E flat G B flat. The musicians know they can play a 7th (B flat), it will not sound off. But they don’t have to
That was fun to write. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong somewhere or disagree with my way to visualize music theory.
- In the western culture, the sound is divided in 12 notes. We call them together the chromatic scale. They are all equally spaced (one semi tone).
- Out of those 12 notes, there are countless of smaller scales called diatonic scales, composed of 7 notes. The most popular ones are the major scale, the natural minor scale, then the harmonic minor and melodic minor scales, the pentatonic scale, the blues scale, and many more.
- In a diatonic scale, the distance between the 7 notes form a pattern.
- That pattern will define the musical color of the given scale. Thinking of the notes arranged as a pattern allow you to understand that the starting note is not important. You can start a major scale on E, B or C#, it will always be a major scale if the pattern between each note is Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone. That’s the pattern associated with the major scale. Each scale has its own pattern.
- Most pieces of music are written with a given scale in mind, and with a center note, the key. When you read somewhere "This song is written in C major", it means we are using the major scale and the starting note is C. C is then called the first degree of the scale of C major.
- The C major scale and its 7 degrees are : C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.
- As you know, pieces of music don’t stay in one note all the time. You don’t get to play C during 3 minutes. The progression will be written in degrees of the scale in roman numerals, for example : I vi ii V, in other words, the main mood of this part of the song will revolve around C, then around A then D and finally G.
- Now you know we’ll play C,A,D,G, you can stick to these 4 notes. Then you’re playing the root notes, it is safe to only play them as a bassist, but you might want to have fun. For every of these notes, you can play chords, which means playing multiple notes at the same time that still make you feel like you’re playing around the center note.
- If you want to create a chord, you want to assemble different notes that relate to the one you want to revolve around, let’s say A. Now comes the tricky part. it is not easy to grasp, but it’s relatively easy to play, especially on the fretboard using geometrical patterns. If I want to revolve around A, look at the A major scale and look at each degree : the second, third, fourth, fifth sixth and seventh degrees of your scale. Yes, we identify what the degrees are based off the major scale pattern even though the music you’re playing is not in major. This is why chords are like tools or colors at your disposal, they’re not immediately related to the music you’re playing.
- Each degree will add some color : 2, 4 and 6 add some level of tension. The 3 tells you if your chord is minor (3♭) or major. The 5 gives you some stability. etc
- You can easily remember a chord with its formula : 1 3 5 is a major chord (whatever the note, it is ALWAYS 1 3 5). 1 3 5 ♭7 is a 7 chord, etc.
- When the notes from a chord are played one after another, instead of altogether, we call that an arpeggio.
- Careful : Chords are not related to the scale you’re playing ! This is why sometimes a chord will sound odd, out of the melody or it will sound awesome, at home.
- Last point on chords, when a chord is major (3), it is written with capital roman numeral. When it is minor, (3♭) it is written in small roman numerals.
- Let’s go back to our example. You’re in a I vi ii V chords progression, which means the main musical mood is Major I, minor 6, Minor 2, Major V, starting from C, which means C Major, A Minor, D Minor and G major. This is what you have to play.
- Now you know what you have to play, you are allowed to play any chord that fits. When you have to play A minor, you can’t play Amaj7 (1357) because it is a major chord (look at the third). But you can play Am7 (1 ♭3 5 ♭7) or Am Maj7 (1 ♭3 ♭5 7) for example.
To go further : - Chords progression following the scale order often get boring. Chords are being substituted from modes, which are derived scales. Too complex for now but that is what made Radiohead popular for example. Or the Beatles.
- Chords can be reversed : the root (1) doesn’t always have to be the lowest note.
- You can explore various scales, substitute the chords with other ones from derived scales, and have thirds or fifths played as the lowest note. Everything is possible, but now you are in jazz territory ahahah.
Now, let’s go back to your video.
It is confusing. There is no such thing as a C minor 7 scale.
He is playing every 12 chromatic notes of the natural minor scale (C, then C#, then D etc).
What he means is that Cm7 is the chord to play on top of that part of the song, just like my CADG example above.
Cm7, is 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 or C E flat G B flat. The musicians know they can play a 7th (B flat), it will not sound off. But they don’t have to
That was fun to write. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong somewhere or disagree with my way to visualize music theory.
