Could this be simpler?

[Anonymous]

Hi William

Rather download this version where I have tried to explain it better.

http://www.tangram.co.za/musruler.pdf

You will see that the pattern repeats from left to right, flats to sharps.

We are actually looking at all the scales sequentially placed over each other.
If you have any questions please let me know and I’ll do my best to explain.

[Anonymous]

I’ve just added additional info to the PDF document, to explain how the ruler is helpful to music students.

Cheers

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys, I was going through Johnny’s Killer Blues course yesterday and realised yet another application for this ruler.

Looking at the circle of 5th’s on the ruler.

Fb – Cb – Gb – Db – Ab – Eb – Bb – F – C – G – D – A – E – B – F# – C# – G# – D# – A# – E# – B# – F## – C## – G##

C Major then is 4 – 1 – 5 – 2 – 6 – 3 – 7 which is => F – C – G – D – A – E – B and in order => C D E F G A B.
C Minor then is 6 – 3 – 7 – 4 – 1 – 5 – 2 which is => Ab – Eb – Bb – F – C – G – D and in order => C D Eb F G Ab Bb.

C Major pentatonic = 1 – 5 – 2 – 6 – 3 = C, D, E, G, A
C Minor pentatonic = 3 – 7 – 4 – 1 – 5 = C, Eb, F, G, Bb
C Blues scale just use the Minor pentatonic and add the extra note between 4 & 5.
So C blues scale is 3 – 7 – 4 – 1 – 5 = Eb – Bb – F – C – G then add the note between 4 & 5 = F# therefore = C, Eb, F, F#, G, Bb

To read the transposed notes for alto move 3 positions to the right.
Therefore the ‘concert’ Major pentatonic 5 notes become the ‘Eb alto’ Minor pentatonic 5 notes.

We can just read off these scales from the ruler!

[Anonymous]

Credits to you Jeff – the fact that you show a keen interest in music theory.

Anything that helps retain your theory knowledge is better than doing nothing at all.

I still keep your ruler handy, if i’m working on music sheets or looking through some theory books.
However when it comes to playing, i try and commit it to memory.

[Dazza]

When I started two years ago I was intent on learning the theory and had more xcel spreadsheets than you could imagine listing all the patterns known to man!. Recently I have been doing a little course I bought on line on improvisation with specifically the pentatonic scale and I realise now why so many people advocated LEARNING YOUR SCALES!

The relationships between the major, relative minors and vice versa are now so much easier to undertand and recall. As in the detail Jeff lays out if you know Eb major you instantly know the C minor by starting on the 6th and drop in the flat 5 and you know another scale. I wished I had spent more time last year/s becoming familiar with ALL scales and their degrees but at least now I realise the benefit and it is paying off now when you simply want to noodle over a tune or learn a tune with the pent scale. The course I am working on implores you to learn to play by ear and drop the dots as they say. This is fun to practice but you gotta hear your scale intervals in your head. I am astounded at how many tunes out there just use the pentatonic scale. Anyway, my main point I guess for beginners in the early years is to get ALL your scales imbedded because relative majors and minors of all keys will have you playing in those somewhat awkard keys so you gotta know them sometime!

[Anonymous]

If you’re into improvisation, you must at least practice playing the Seven modes in a Major scale –
I – Ionian (Major Scale)
ii – Dorian (starting on the 2nd degree)
iii – Phrygian (starting on the 3rd degree)
IV – Lydian (starting on the 4th degree)
V – Mixolydian (starting on the 5th degree)
vi – Aeolian (Minor Scale – starting on the 6th degree)
vii – Locrian (starting on the 7th degree)
If you take Any Major Scale, say F Major
which is
F-G-A-Bb-C-D-E

If you start on the 2nd degree of the
F Major Scale, you get the
G Dorian Minor Scale
1-2-3-4-5-6-7
G-A-Bb-C-D-E-F

Now If you take the 1/3/4/5/7 notes
of the G Dorian Minor Scale
you get the
G Minor Pentatonic Scale
1-3-4-5-7
G-Bb-C-D-F

Now if you take the G Minor Pentatonic Scale and add the 5th flattened to it,
you get the
G Blues Scale
1-3-4-5b-5-7
G-Bb-C-C#-D-F (C# is the same as Db)

Also If you know any Major Scale,
then if you take the 1/2/3/5/6 you
get the Major Pentatonic Scale,
so if you take G Major Scale
1-2-3-4-5-6-7
G-A-B-C-D-E-F#
you can derive the Major Pentatonic Scale
1-2-3-5-6
G-A-B-D-E

And the theory goes on and on, you can see how to build new scales from old.

The first thing you learn in Jazz improvisation, is take any major scale song, and just play up and down the major scale while playing the backing track – that believe it or not is called “improvising” !

The second step in jazz improvising is play the same backing track and play up and down the other six modes of the major scale – still classed as improvising!

Depending on the track, some modes sound better than others, and some sax notes in the scale sound better/worse at different places in the track.

The third step is to play up and down in the blues scale to the backing track – still classed as improvising.

The fourth step is to play up and down in the pentatonic scale to the backing track – still classed as improvising.

The fifth step is to play up and down the chromatic scale to the backing track – still classed as improvising.

At this stage then you pick any of the scales you’ve played above, and remove notes from the scale – eg you could play the arpeggios in the scale or you could play the 1/2/3/4/5/3/2/1 of a major scale.

The next step is to look at Chords for each Bar/Measure and play root notes, or chord arpeggios, or start each bar using the 3rd or the 5th note of the chord.

By doing all the above for year or so, you’ve built the foundation for flying up and down in the keys – then you can start working on simple riffs, phrases – if you lack artistic creation, then just start copying other peoples riffs etc. – the only problem with that is its not using your own creative talent, but theres nothing wrong with doing that.

A lot of people play safe by following theory rules ie don’t play this with that etc.. The fact of the matter is you can break the rules and come up with your own amazing stuff at the end of the day its down to how good it sounds.

Also in the early years where you lack the technical ability to play lots of keys fast mainly due to not enough scales practice – then stick to improvising with less notes, if you’re budding mozart or chopin genius then cram as many notes in the improvisation – the competition won’t be able to keep up with you as you’ll be in a different league of playing.

[Author]

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