Melody Chord Playing: Harmonized Major Scale

[Tom Bahder]

I have a question about melody chord style playing on guitar. In this style of playing, the top notes of the chords are the melody notes of the song.

I was looking at the book: Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method, volume 3. On p. 13, of this book is shown the harmonized C major scale, in first inversion. (The harmonized C major scale is shown as the top line on the page.) The harmonized C major scale consists of triads in the first inversion---where the C scale notes are on top of each triad. By first inversion, I mean that the first inversion of the chord (notes are written bottom to top) C E G is E G C, where the C was put on top.

On p. 13 in the book Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method, volume 3, the 6th scale degree of the C major scale has the triad (notes written bottom to top) as C F A. For a harmonized C major scale, the 6th scale degree would consist of the triad A C E in root position ( A minor chord). The first inversion of this triad is C E A. I believe that the Mel Bay book on the 6th degree of the harmonized C major scale should have the triad C E A.

But Mel Bay has the triad C F A, which is an F major chord. This is not a typo, because in other parts of the book, on the 6th scale degree, Mel Bay has a major chord for the harmonized F major scale and for the harmonized D major scale.

Any suggestions about what is going on? Can Mel Bay be wrong?

[ksjazzguitar]

Originally Posted by Tom Bahder

By first inversion, I mean that the first inversion of the chord (notes are written bottom to top) C E G is E G C, where the C was put on top.

Just to be clear, inversion refers to the bottom note. It is the E on the bottom that makes it first inversion regardless of where the other notes are or in what octave. If the triad is in closed position (all within an octave) then yes, the C will be on top.

Originally Posted by Tom Bahder

On p. 13 in the book Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method, volume 3, the 6th scale degree of the C major scale has the triad (notes written bottom to top) as C F A. For a harmonized C major scale, the 6th scale degree would consist of the triad A C E in root position ( A minor chord).

I don't have the book. Is it possible it is in the key Am? It has the same key signature and F would be the VI chord, although it is in 2nd inversion if the C is on the bottom.

Also, are they harmonizing the scale or harmonizing a melody? If you are harmonizing a melody and encounter a 6 in the melody, a IV chord is a common harmonization.

It's hard to say without seeing it. If no one has it, maybe you can scan the page and send it to my email (don't post it), available at my web page below.

Peace,
Kevin

[M-ster]

Originally Posted by Tom Bahder

... Any suggestions about what is going on? Can Mel Bay be wrong?

What do you perceive as "wrong"? I'm with Kevin on this. If the task at hand is to "harmonize a major scale with the scale tones on top," why is harmonizing the 6th scale degree with a IV chord wrong? It's just one of the available options. (There is no "wrong.")

OTOH, no one is infallible. In that sense, yes, Mel Bay could be wrong.

[Tom Bahder]

The scale is a harmonized C major scale, with triads in first inversion -- not an Am scale.

Kevin, I sent a pdf file to your email of the scale.

Tom

[ksjazzguitar]

OK, having looked at the book. It is clearly a CMaj harmonized scale.

Why use the IV chord to harmonize the 6th scale degree? Perhaps he feels that the IV is a stronger sound and is a better harmonization of that note. But then it is odd that he doesn't substitute for other "weak" chords like the iii.

I guess that would be a puzzle to me too. I would look in the sections before to see if there is a note as to why he did this (unfortunately, at book3, you've got a lot of checking to do.) I suppose it could be a mistake, but he does it several times on the same page and gives the correct fingering, so I'm inclined to assume that it is what he wanted.

So, this is as harmonization of the CMaj scale, just not with 1st inversion chords, or with the top note as the root.

Sorry, I couldn't give a more satisfactory answer. I'm curious now so if I find a copy I'll try to look it up.

Peace,
Kevin

[Tom Bahder]

Kevin,

In volume 3, on different pages, Mel bay has a major IV chord for harmonized D major and F major scales, so I believe it is not a typo.

Thanks for the comments.

Tom

[ksjazzguitar]

As I said, I think that it is probably not a mistake. Realize that "harmonizing the scale" can mean two different things. It can mean building a chord with each scale tone as a root, or it can mean choosing one of the 3 possible chords for any given scale tone. With the sixth scale degree, you have the choice of vi, ii, or IV. Perhaps he felt IV sounded better, stronger. (But it is odd that that is the only one where he deviated - if that is the case, I would have expected him to use the I, IV, or V for all the scale tones.) Like I said, if you look around you may find that it is explained why earlier. But without more info, that is my best guess. If I get a chance, I'll try to track down a copy.

Peace,
Kevin

[Tom Bahder]

As you stated, "harmonizing the scale" can mean two different things---building a chord with each scale tone as a root, or, choosing one of the 3 possible chords for any given scale tone. I did not think of it as "choosing one of the 3 possible chords for any given scale tone". But that makes a lot of sense to me because it provides more harmonic freedom.

BTW, there is no place in the Mel Bay book or in his series of books that explains why Mel Bay made the IV chord as the choice on iv scale step.

[bako]

Adjacent diatonic triad pairs (with no common tones) will harmonize 6 out of 7 scale tones.
I found it useful to practice these.

C Dm
EGC/FAD/GCE/ADF/CEG/DFA

Dm Em
FAD/GBE/ADF/BEG/DFA/EGB

Em F
GBE/ACF/BEG/CFA/EGB/FAC

F G
ACF/BDG/CFA/DGB/FAC/GBD

G Am
BDG/CEA/DGB/EAC/GBD/ACE

Am Bdim
CEA/DFB/EAC/FBD/ACE/BDF

Bdim C
DFB/EGC/FBD/GCE/BDF/CEG

There are many possibilities to harmonize a scale with it's component triads.
Here's a list of common tones and the 3 triads that share it
C: C Am F
D: Dm Bdim G
E: Em C Am
F: F Dm Bdim
G: G Em C
A: Am F Dm
B: Bdim G Em