- a scale step sounds different depending on the chord it's
played over
- play scale step 1 over (at the same time as) the 1
chord, then over the 4 chord, then over the 5 chord
- notice how different the scale step sounds when you
change the chord under it
- it's very similar to the effect of one color on another
- a pink scarf or tie looks different depending on what
other colors you're wearing
- when you play the 7 scale steps one at a time over a chord,
some scale steps sound calm and some sound tense
- when you change the chord, a scale step that sounded calm
may now sound tense
the 7 scale steps over the 1 chord (scale steps in the 1
chord: 1, 3 & 5)
- play the 7 scale steps one at a time over the 1 chord,
noticing how they each sound
- notice that the scale steps that are in the chord - steps
1, 3 & 5 - sound the most calm
- play scale steps 2, 6 & 7 one at a time over the 1
chord
- they sound less calm but (to me, at least) not very
tense
- play scale step 4 over the 1 chord
- it sounds very tense to most people
step tension
1 lowest (it's in the chord)
3 lowest (it's in the chord)
5 lowest (it's in the chord)
6 low (think of the first "you" in Sam Cooke's "You Send Me")
2 medium
7 medium
4 very high
the 7 scale steps over the 4 chord (scale steps in the 4
chord: 4, 6 & 1)
step tension
4 lowest (it's in the chord)
6 lowest (it's in the chord)
1 lowest (it's in the chord)
2 low
5 medium
3 medium
7 high
the 7 scale steps over the 5 chord (scale steps in the 5
chord: 5, 7 & 2)
step tension
5 lowest (it's in the chord)
7 lowest (it's in the chord)
2 lowest (it's in the chord)
4 low (it's in a commonly used chord, called the 5 seventh chord)
6 medium
3 medium
1 very high