Scales - Elektron favourites 2

The Elektron Syntrakt has some scale presets.

Its a good excuse to explore them and brush up on some music theory.

Unless otherwise stated, the root note is C

It's good to focus on the root note and make it clear which scale you're working on.

Starting or finishing on the root note is useful (though not essential).

There are 7 different modes in music:

Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian.

(I've discussed Ionian & Aeolian in a past post).

• DORIAN

(a less "sad" minor scale)

T S T T T S T

I think its really good for deep & progressive house.

C Dorian

E- Dorian 

(Doors" riders on the storm)

A- Dorian

Bassline of Around the world, Daft Punk

D Dorian

New Order - Blue Monday

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• PHRYGIAN 

S T T T S T T

C Phrygian

A# Phygian - - Favourite of Apex Twin

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• LYDIAN

T T T S T T S

• MIXOLYDIAN

T T S T T S T

• LOCRIAN

S T T S T T T

Probably the least often used of the 7 modes.

Björk's "Army of Me" 

It is the darkest and most minor mode due to so many of its notes being flattened.

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The Major & Minor Pentatonic scales are very popular for writing melodies.

These both just consist of 5 notes that I think sound good together.

• PENTATONIC MINOR

C- Minor Pentatonic

A Minor Pentatonic = A, C, D, E, G

• PENTATONIC MAJOR

C- Major Pentatonic

 C, D, E, G, A

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• HIRAJOSHI

This scale just sounds great.

The Aeolian pentatonic scale, also known as Hirajoshi scale.

has 5 tones

tonic (1), second (2) minor third (b3), fifth (5) and minor sixth (b6).

(This is a fav of my mate Mitch)

C, D, D#  ---- G, G# 

I like this variation:

C, D, D#  ---- F, G, G# - A#

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• MELODIC MINOR

• HARMONIC MINOR 

“Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics (key of C)

  C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B

“Smooth” by Santana feat. Rob Thomas

“Gangstas Paradise” by Coolio

• WHOLE TONE

• BLUES

• COMBO MINOR

• PERSIAN

• IWATO

• IN-SEN

• PELOG

• PHRYGIAN DOMINANT

• WHOLE-HALF DIMINISHED

• HALF-WHOLE DIMINISHED

• SPANISH

• MAJOR LOCRIAN

• SUPER LOCRIAN

• DORIAN b2

• LYDIAN AUGMENTED

• LYDIAN DOMINANT

• DOUBLE HARMONIC MAJOR

• LYDIAN #2 #6

• ULTRAPHRYGIAN

• HUNGARIAN MINOR

• ORIENTAL

• IONIAN #2 #5

• LOCRIAN bb3 bb7