All right, so here we are with the final chapter of this DVD. We are going to talk about harmonizing the major scale. This is a group of chords that are built from the notes of the diatonic major scale. The major scale has seven notes so we can build seven chords, one beginning on each scale step. And we do this by stacking thirds, playing every other note together. If we do this in the key of G, the first chord we get is a G major chord.
So, the one chord in the key of G is a G major chord. The next note in the G major scale after G is A. If I play every other note, every third note from A but stay within the notes of the G major scale, I get an A minor chord. These are all triads that we are playing.
So, the second chord in the key G major is A minor. The third chord is B minor, fourth chord is C major, fifth chord is D major, sixth chord is E minor and the seventh chord is F sharp diminished as one we have not done yet. That contains F sharp, A and C. At an F sharp diminished triad.
We are back to G, one octave above where we started. So, let us review that. The one chord is G, the second chord in G major is an A minor chord, three chord is B minor, four chord is C major, five chord is D major, six chord is E minor, seven chord is F sharp diminished and then we have an octave above where we started is G major.
So you may ask, why bother? What is the point of doing this? Well, this has huge advantages if you are familiar with the chords of the harmonized major scale. Let us say we have a song that has G, D, and C in it. For example, Knocking on Heaven’s Door.
All right, well let us say someone says, “I need a great solo over these chords?” What are you going to do? Are you just going to go by ear in trying to find your way around and hope that you do not hit a sour note? Or knowing the chords of the harmonized major scale, are you going to say to yourself G will be the one chord, the first chord in the key of G, D major is the five chord in the key of G, C major is the four chord in the key of G. All these chords are built from the notes of the major scale. I can therefore use the G major scale when soloing over these chords.
So now, with confidence, you can know what scale to use when soloing. So this has huge advantages. So, you have to memorize the order of the chords in the diatonic harmonized major scale and that is major, minor, minor, major, major, minor diminished. So, you have to say that in your sleep, major, minor, minor, major, major, minor diminished. You need to know that without thinking too much about it. What if we have a song that has G, D, and A minor?
Once again, we go to the same process. We can start just by guessing. The first chord is often the key that we are in. So if we guessed that G is the first chord and we are in the key of G, then you have to ask yourself, “Does D major fit in the key of G.” D is the fifth of G, major, minor, minor, major, major, the five chords in the key of G is the major, yes it fits. A minor is the second note in the key of G, minor is the second chord. Therefore, A minor also belongs in the key of G. So, I played one, five, two in the key of G so I can use the G major scale to solo over these chords.
Musicians also talk in numbers. So, if someone says to you, play a one, four, and five in the key of G. What would you do? Would you panic and say, “I do not know what you are talking about” or knowing this information now, you can play, one in the key of G would be a G major chord, the fourth note in the G major scale is C, one, two, three, four. The fourth chord, major, minor, minor, major, is a C major chord and the fifth chord that you know now is D major. So, if someone says to you, play a one, four, five in the key of G, you would say, “Ah no problem, G, C, and D.”
All right, we will follow this information as new for you. I have probably been talking pretty fast but that is the beauty of the DVD here. It is that you can just rewind and absorb this information at your own pace. But, knowing the chords of the harmonized major scale can really help you out a lot. Not o
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