This week we explore an interval that is central to our conception of "western music" and "Jazz" especially.
Unless you are a big fan of McCoy Tyner, listening to him exclusively, most of the music you hear in "the west" (from the 1600's to the present) is based on Tertian Harmony--that is, scales and chords based on 3rds.
There are two different Thirds. The minor third and the Major third. [If it isn't a convention in western music to capitalize Major and keep minor lowercase, it is in this course]
The interval of a minor third is the same as one whole and one half step.
W + H = m3 (whole step plus half step= minor 3rd)
C - D (whole step) D - Eb (Half Step)
and so
The distance from C to Eb is the interval known as a minor third. So is the distance from D to F (and so on)
The interval of a Major third is the same as two whole steps.
W + W = M3 (whole plus whole = Major 3rd)
C - D (whole step) D - E (whole step)
and so
The distance from C to E is the interval known as a Major third. So is the distance from D to F#.
Getting back to the real world, your first task is simple, but not easy. Become fluent in playing notes a minor and major 3rd apart from one another!
Material: Minor Thirds!
Progression: Half steps
All four ways !
1. "up and up" C - Eb ... C# - E ... D - F ... Eb - Gb ... E - G and so on --
2. "down and up" Eb - C ... E - C# ... F - D ... and so on
3. "up and down" Eb - Gb ... D - F ... C# - E ... C - Eb and so on
4. "down and down" F - D ... E - C# ... Eb - C ... D ... F and so on
guess what comes next?
Material: Major Thirds!
Progression: Half Steps
All four ways !
1. "up and up" C - E ... C# - F ... D - F# and so on
2. "down and up" E - C .... F - C# .... F# - D ... and so on
3. "up and down" C - E ... B - Eb .... Bb ... D .... and so on
4. "down and down" E - C ... Eb - B .... D - Bb .... and so on
Can you put the same material through last week's progression? Do you remember last week's progression?
Material: Minor Third
Progression: Whole Steps
All four ways! And both scales!
1. "up and up" C - Eb ... D - F ... E - G ... F# - A and so forth
C# - E ... D# - F# .... F - Ab and so forth....
2. "down and up"
3. "up and down"
4. "down and down"
Material: Major Third
Progression: Whole Steps
1. up and up
2. down and up E - C ... D - Bb .... C - Ab ... and so forth
F - Db ... Eb - B .... Db - A ...
3. up and down
4 down and down
remember: the aim of the game is first to memorize, then to play by reflex--without thinking, but by muscle memory. that takes practice. Hundreds upon hundreds of hours of practice.
Now, what happens when we make a progression made of minor thirds? We get this
1. C - Eb - F# - A - C
we also get
2. C# - E - G - Bb - C#
we also get
3. D - F - Ab - B - D
we also get
(1.) Eb - F#....but wait, that's a repeat of the first one!
In sum, there are three progressions by minor third, all of which you must master--and by "master" I mean successfully run ALL the collected material thus far through these three progressions. Because there are only three, you will do this in no time at all.
for example
C - B - C ... Eb - D - Eb ... F# - F - F#
and so forth, all four ways, starting on C# and D as well.
then there was our ol friend
D - C# - C .... F - E - Eb .... Ab - G - F#
and, more to the point, there was this one
B - C .... D - Eb .... F - F# ... G# - A ... B - C
hold up...that's exactly like the H - W - H - W - H - W scale from last class! We will talk more about this amazing coincidence in a later class.
In "Jazz" you might hear people use the word "vocabulary". You might also hear people use the phrase "Music (Jazz included) is a language"
This material moved through this progression can be heard all through the history of Jazz, from the 40's (at least) to the present. John Coltrane made handy use of this harmonic convention.
certainly you remember
"note, down a half step, note, up a half step, note, up a whole step, note, down a whole step"
C - B - C - D - C
put that material through all three minor third progressions.
Then there was this one
C - D - C - B - C
put that material through all three minor third progressions
Now...and this is not easy...some new material that utilizes the minor third!
D - B - C F - D - Eb (etc)
D - (down a minor third) - B - (up one half step) C
Analysis: We started a whole step above (D) our "target" (C) then we moved down a minor third (a whole step and a half step) to (B).
As well as putting that material through all progressions hitherto explored, make a special effort and put this material through all three minor third progressions
This isn't easy either
B - D - C ..... D - F - Eb (etc)
Put that material through all three minor third progressions
Now, consider this by now familiar progression: C - Eb - F# - A - C
what if we did this
D - C .... F - Eb..... B - A .... D - C ..... G# - F# ..... B - A .... F - Eb ..... G# - F#
Our next Progression is made up of minor thirds, but they aren't in the usual sequence.
1st D - C ....... F - Eb
2nd B - A ... D - C
3rd G# - F # ....... B - A
4th F - Eb.... G# - F#
5th D - C..... F - Eb
Can you play it? It sounds RAD!
Let's analize.
1. note - down a whole step -
2. note - up a minor third...from the previous (first) note
3. note - down a whole step
4. note - down a minor third...from that first note
We will continue to explore this one for weeks going forward.
Now we must turn our attention to the effects of playing minor and major triads one after another.
Triads!
That the combination of Major and minor 3rds are what make triads is a great reason to make sure you have your 3rds under control on your instrument...and by under control I mean all progressions, all 4 ways, without mistakes.
moving on.....
A "triad" is any three note chord (notes played at the same time.) Horn players can also play triads, but they must play them in the form of an "arpeggio" --one note after another.
For now, we are going to concentrate on four types of triads.
1. Diminished. minor 3 + minor 3
(or m3 + m3)
((or note - whole step plus half step - note - plus whole step plus half step - note))
C - Eb (minor third) or [C - whole step - D - half step - Eb]
Eb - Gb (minor third) or [Eb - whole step - F - half step - Gb]
thus and so, a C diminished triad i.e. with C as the Root = m3 + m3 = C Eb Gb.
"C dim" = C Eb Gb
Using this formula (or better yet, your EAR) play, learn, and internalize all 12 diminished triads.
2. minor. minor3 + Major 3
C
C up one m3 = Eb (C to D to Eb)
Eb up one M3 = G (Eb to F to G)
thus, a C minor triad = C Eb G
"Cmin" or "C-" = C Eb G
memorize, internalize. Totally and completely essential foundational stuff.
3. Major. Major + minor 3
Does anyone else find it interesting that construction-wise, the Major triad is the opposite of the minor triad...
Major = M3 + m3
Minor = m3 + M3
...especially so because minor and Major are thought to evoke opposite "feelings" in the listener. Music in Major keys is"happy" while music in minor keys is "sad".
In any event,
C
C + M3 = E
E + m3 = G
"C maj" = C E G
know it like you know your own name, in all progressions, in all directions.
4. Augmented. M3+M3
Just minor and Major have opposite constructions, so does diminished and Augmented. Does the diminished scale and the Augmented scale sound like "opposites" to you?
C
C + M3 = E
E + M3 = G#
"C aug" or "C+" = C E G#
NOW! Are you ready for this one? What if I told you triads are also their own "progressions"?
Check it! C B C .... E D# E ..... G F# G ....C.
Analysis: Very early "material" put through a major triad progression!
Try putting all material, through all triads (48)!
If this is dizzying, don't worry. We are going to go over all this (and more!) next week!
until then, can you hear any of our materials and progression on this fantastic album?
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