Harmonized Major Scale

[Hexxor]

Hello everyone!

I have a question.

I learned that in the harmonized Major Chord scale it goes like this:

1. Maj
2. Min
3. Min
4. Maj
5. Dom
6. Min
7. Min7 flat 5

I just learned a couple of jazz standards. And I recognized those patterns of chords. Now my question is:

Does it always work like that? Or are there any alternatives to this?

Greetings

Hexxor

[m78w]

For a harmonized major scale you can do it with triads, three note chords, or four note chords, 7th's.

So it could be:

C maj
D min
E min
F maj
G maj
A min
B dim

or

Cmaj7
Dmin7
Emin7
Fmaj7(#11)
G7
Am7
Bm7b5

MW

[Hexxor]

Ok thanks!

So is there anything like a Harmonized Minor scale or someting?

[m78w]

Yep, you can harmonize the melodic minor scale like so:

Cm
Dm
Ebaug
F maj
G maj
A dim
Bdim

or

CminMaj7
D7susb9
Ebmaj7#5
F7#11
G7b13
Am7b5(#9(
B7alt

or the Harmonic Minor scale like so:

Cm
Ddim
Ebaug
Fm
G maj
Ab maj
B dim

or

CminMaj7
Dm7b5
Ebmaj7#5
Fm7
G7b9,b13
Abmaj7#11
Bdim7

MW

[Hexxor]

Hey that's really good to know!
I'm definitly going to experiment with that!

So is it still comen to play a ii-V-I in Melodic Minor or Harmonic Minor?

[keith]

Can the minor 7 be harmonized similiar to the major 7 a whole step below ?( ie starting the Bb maj7 harmonizing on the Cmin7 and progressing as in Bbmaj7 )

[m78w]

Absolutely Keith! That's what is called "modal" harmony in the theory world.

And to answer the other question above, a ii-V in a minor key looks like this in it's simpliest form.

iim7b5-V7alt-imMaj7-vim7b5

MW

[Goofsus4]

Yep. Any scale can be harmonized into chords. It's a really great exercise to sit down and harmonize any scale you pick and see what chords are derived. It can give some really good insight into how songs are constructed and also give you some ideas for song writing of your own.

If you've never done it before, just sit down and harmonize the major scale yourself, i.e. take each scale degree and construct a 7th chord from it using only the notes available to you in C major. Each chord will have to contain the exact same notes, but will give a very different kind of sound when those notes are assembled in different ways. For instance, with C Major 7, you have CEGB (1,3,5,7). But for the next scale degree D, try to make a major chord out of it, i.e. D,F#,A,C# (1,3,5,7). Wait a minute, it's not going to sound good, i.e. harmonize with the C major scale because the D major contains notes out of the scale. So, you have to construct the chord using only C major scale notes, so you change it to D,F,A,C (or 1,b3,5,b7). So, to make it harmonize, with C major, a chord constructed from the second degree of the scale, D, has to flat the 3rd and flat the 7th, i.e. a Dm7. That's why the in major scale harmony, you have the ii7, and not the II7.

Anyhoo, you may have already known all of that, and if so, please excuse me. But if that's new information to you, then sit down and work out the entire major scale for yourself. It will be a major eye opener for you. I know it was an "ah ha" moment for me.

[Hexxor]

Originally Posted by Goofsus4

Yep. Any scale can be harmonized into chords. It's a really great exercise to sit down and harmonize any scale you pick and see what chords are derived. It can give some really good insight into how songs are constructed and also give you some ideas for song writing of your own.

If you've never done it before, just sit down and harmonize the major scale yourself, i.e. take each scale degree and construct a 7th chord from it using only the notes available to you in C major. Each chord will have to contain the exact same notes, but will give a very different kind of sound when those notes are assembled in different ways. For instance, with C Major 7, you have CEGB (1,3,5,7). But for the next scale degree D, try to make a major chord out of it, i.e. D,F#,A,C# (1,3,5,7). Wait a minute, it's not going to sound good, i.e. harmonize with the C major scale because the D major contains notes out of the scale. So, you have to construct the chord using only C major scale notes, so you change it to D,F,A,C (or 1,b3,5,b7). So, to make it harmonize, with C major, a chord constructed from the second degree of the scale, D, has to flat the 3rd and flat the 7th, i.e. a Dm7. That's why the in major scale harmony, you have the ii7, and not the II7.

Anyhoo, you may have already known all of that, and if so, please excuse me. But if that's new information to you, then sit down and work out the entire major scale for yourself. It will be a major eye opener for you. I know it was an "ah ha" moment for me.

Hey! That's a wonderfull idea! That way I can really practice all the Chords that come out of the Major, the Harmonic Minor, and the Melodic Minor scales! Thanks a lot!

Hexxor

[Claudi]

Hi, chaps!
Hexxor, I did the list you wrote before but with all the intervals and in every scale some weeks ago. It's easy to write it down. You'll always sound correctly but now for me the goal is to achieve that my ear gets used to the different kind of chords I play when improvising them so that in the end I can choose better the chords.
Working this out can lead us to make our own chord progressions.

[sekeri]

I am sure you will like this lesson:
Harmonized Scales for Guitar