Does this indicate that, when you count backwards to grab a ‘tone-Pitch’, below ‘Tonic, you enter into a different ( flat ) key?
C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb,-C- D, E, F, G, A, B, C.
8/1,2,3,4,5,6,7, ’1′, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8/1
No.
I can see some logic in the numbered form on the last line of your question, but not sure how you are making that conclusion?
We number (diatonic) scale degrees from 1 to 7. So in the key of C the notes and their associated numbers will be…
C(1), D(2), E(3), F(4), G(5), A(6), B(7).
That never changes. No matter what direction you go, 7 will always be “B”; 6 will always be “A” and so on… in the key of C that is.
In another key, the order of scale degrees will remain the same but the notes will change. E.g., key of G …
G(1), A(2), B(3), C(4), D(5), E(6), F#(7).
Considering that the ‘Bb, is a ‘whole-tone’ down from ‘Tonic, could it be the ‘Leading’ tone, or / Dorian – B-minor’7(b5)? / half-diminished?
Donn, you know how to make my brain hurt 🙂
I don’t think you’d call it a leading tone unless it’s a semitone. I’m not 100% certain, but fairly sure. It’s the reason the 7th degree is raised half step in the natural minor scale to create the harmonic minor so that the cadence is stronger.
The “Dorian . Bbm7b5 ” bit I don’t understand. This chord would not be in the key of Bb? Can you clarify a bit more?
I guess, I’m trying figure out the function of knowing the ‘Parent Major Scale. Going from C Ionian, to Dorian, ( the second degree counting back from C is a whole tone, Bb ), now what?
Do I play Bb Dorian? or do I find D and play Bb Major, while remaining in a compatible sounding key?
Hi again Donn.
I struggle to answer you with a valid answer because I still can’t quite figure out your way of thinking. Somehow, somewhere, you’ve got this mixed up, but I can’t figure out what it is.
Here’s where I’m confused. You are trying to find the parent major scale but I think you might be counting the same thing twice, if I understand you correctly.
Let’s look at the first part of you question, “going from C Ionian to Dorian” Do you mean going to “C” dorian, or “D” dorian?
If “D” then you already know the PMS, it’s C Ionian (C major)
If you mean C Dorian, then you’ve already figured out the answer, it’s Bb major / Ionian.
For some reason you are jumping from key to key and I can’t work out why you are doing so, or thinking that you should need to.
Your question suggests changing keys. I need to figure out why you are wanting to. Have you got a particular chord progression that you are trying to work out the key of?
Each of the modes and major scales have independent tonal / key centres. It seems to me that you are trying to combine them somehow when they don’t need to be. Unless a piece of music has key changes then you have no need to relate the different modes and scales to each other.
We need to get to the bottom of this confusion 🙂
The reason I ask is this concept of ‘finding the ‘Parent Major Scale ( PMS )…The second mode is Dorian. To figure out the Parent Major Scale (PMS) of C Dorian you have to ask “C is the second note of what major scale?”. The answer lies in our old Major Scale Equation: T T S T T T S – From that you should know that the second note of the Major Scale is one tone higher than the root note. To work out the mode we are doing it backwards…
C is the second note of (count back one tone)…. Bb Major Scale 🙂 .