Newbie question

This is more than embarrassing, but I'm confused about what scales to use and why composers use specific scales.

I play guitar and I've been interested in composing some of my own stuff. I know how scales work and their intervals, but what confuses me is how to start straight out on composing a piece of music whether it's a riff or a chord pattern.

Majors are happy, minors are sad, and there's the C,E,F,G etc. of scales to choose from and the accidentals, and there are the modes! I think I'm confusing you too as I am myself...

What I'm trying to say is, how do you choose the scale you want and why would a composer write in say a G# scale? :whistling:

Thankyou for reading this odd post.

You wouldn't write in G#. You would write in Ab.

Jus sayin'

There are probably many reasons why composers use different scales!

a) to achieve polytonality, for one

b) because different scales sound more ideal for different instruments (transposing instruments like saxophone are not really great with, for example, B major scale)

c) to achieve different COLOR with their music (different composers each have their own sense of color, somewhat based on keys. Scriabin, for one.)

d) modal music (Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, etc.)

etc. etc. These are just the ones that I can think of...

Also, majors are not necessarily happy and minors are not necessarily sad. Prokofiev wrote rather happy music in a minor key!

You choose a scale based on how you want the music to sound, or how the music goes in your head. If for some reason it plays out in G#, then write it out in G#! (You meant Ab, right? :P)

Hope I could help...

why that, Dominus Vobiscum?

why that, Dominus Vobiscum?

Hes being sarcastic when he says "only" but those keys have open strings as prominent tones. When you are getting into the flat keys you start knocking off all the open strings (EADGBE) and it ends up being very limiting. Its mostly of concern with solo guitar works when you are accompanying yourself. Without those open strings you have to use a ton of very awkward fingerings if you are doing anything elaborate.

Thanks for the replies guys, does help out :)

Another quick question :P

There's an instrumental that is in F major, and starts off on D. Does this simply mean it's based on the F major Dorian mode? The piece later changes to E major so how is that possible? :whistling:

Thanks for the replies guys, does help out :)

Another quick question :P

There's an instrumental that is in F major, and starts off on D. Does this simply mean it's based on the F major Dorian mode? The piece later changes to E major so how is that possible? :whistling:

do you mean an instrument that is Keyed in F?

The only instrument that I know of that is in F is the French Horn (though there might be more to I cant think of right now). That has nothing to do with the key. That is merely a transposing instrument.

English Horn is also in F

The old "Trumpet in F" was in F but has not fallen out of use.

There's an instrumental that is in F major, and starts off on D. Does this simply mean it's based on the F major Dorian mode?

I think you mean the key signature is "F" (i.e. 1 flat) , but the first note is a "D" or it appears to be in D-minor? (Which, by-the-way wouldn't be Dorian ;) )

...

*shrug*

Thanks for the replies guys, does help out :)

Another quick question :P

There's an instrumental that is in F major, and starts off on D. Does this simply mean it's based on the F major Dorian mode? The piece later changes to E major so how is that possible? :whistling:

If a piece is labeled one flat (F major) and has a tonality focused on D its most likely in D minor (D minor is the relative minor of F major). It sounds like you don't understand basic theory, so start there. There are many resources for this, books, internet, private teacher, classes.. etc

Try not to take theory lessons from guitar websites, (ultimate-guitar..) most of these articles are written by people who barely comprehend the basics. Also guitar teaching massively overemphasizes the modes and often does not explain them properly. When you see modes being taught in guitar methods its usually in the context of thinking about chord tones during improvisation (jazz theory uses this) but guitar players often get confused and think that harmony is built upon them and this happens often because of all the horrible teaching material on the net.

I have contributed my knowledge on the subject here, feel free to read: [[Key signature]]

It's the wiki, so if you know something good I don't, don't be afraid to put it in.