This week, we hop on the subway of our minds and get off at 1-2-5 St., where we'll hang out with a couple of three note groups, co-mingling to form a min7 (11) chord. We don't even need a token (remember those?), except possibly, a token of your appreciation.
Specifically, we're talking C-D-G (1-2-5 in C), as the first basic group; then Bb-F-Eb (5-2-1 in Eb). Together, they form a C-7 11, six note chord (C-Eb-G-Bb-D-F).
These two groups were chosen because there are no repeating notes, which means they form a hexatonic (6 note) scale (C-D-Eb-F-G-Bb), which can also be viewed as the triad pair of C min. and Bb Maj.
Specifically, we're talking C-D-G (1-2-5 in C), as the first basic group; then Bb-F-Eb (5-2-1 in Eb). Together, they form a C-7 11, six note chord (C-Eb-G-Bb-D-F).
These two groups were chosen because there are no repeating notes, which means they form a hexatonic (6 note) scale (C-D-Eb-F-G-Bb), which can also be viewed as the triad pair of C min. and Bb Maj.
In bar 2 the pattern repeats up a tritone and covers the other six notes of the chromatic scale.
The modal quality of this pattern is decidedly either Dorian or Aeolian, as the sixth degree (A or Abin C) has been omitted. The exercise can be extended by working the inversions (2-5-1 & 5-1-2), and changing direction, eg. (5-2-1, etc.) of the basic groups and then combining them in all ways possible.
Kind of like changing trains.
The modal quality of this pattern is decidedly either Dorian or Aeolian, as the sixth degree (A or Abin C) has been omitted. The exercise can be extended by working the inversions (2-5-1 & 5-1-2), and changing direction, eg. (5-2-1, etc.) of the basic groups and then combining them in all ways possible.
Kind of like changing trains.
B. Stern
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