Unlocking Your Scales Part 1

Hi folks!

Welcome to the first in a series called "Unlocking your scales". This series is designed to create an awareness of the various permutations a scale can have, and, also to give you something to add to your scale practice vocabulary. As improvisers, it's very important to find new ways to approach scales and learning licks is one way. Another is to find different ways to sequence the notes in a scale.

Today we are looking at how we can derive many triads from our "A" Dorian scale. As you can hear, it sounds a little less predictable and more intriguing to the ear than just running up and down the scale.

I have added no extra notes to the scale. All these triads are locked inside you scale waiting to be discovered! There are so many permutations of the scale and its really important as an improviser to delve into some of them.

The process you take to make a triad would be to take a starting note. In this case "A", play it. Skip a note, play, skip a note, play... This gives us R 3 5. And from A we get R b3 5. Making an A minor triad.vWe then repeat the same process starting on the second note of the scale, "B". We get a B minor triad. Then the same from the 3rd note etc. etc.

Well I really hope this triggers some interest and be sure to apply these to your improvisations.

Take care!
Nick