Difference between chords and scale

T

Tasmani

Guest
Right now i'm learnin' some piano theory : but i'm little confused . I really don't know the difference between chords and scale ?. can you explain that , please.

thanks .
 
A scale can be any number of notes, so can a chord. Maybe the only real difference is how the are used. But a scale can be used like a chord, and a chord used like a scale. Any chord or scale with more notes can envelope more chords within it, so any can be your key. So chord=scale. Thats my take on it anyway. Maybe someone with a music degree can give you a proper answer.
 
hmmm, of course scale doesnt equal chord, otherwise there just wouldnt be any need to name it differently, would it ;)

What do we call a scale - a number of notes with defined relationship between them. By relationship we mean the distance (measured in semitones) between notes of the scale. Say, we are considering major scale, the relationship for the major scale would be the following: Tone-Tone-SemiTone-Tone-Tone-Tone-SemiTone.
Thus we have C major scale:
C<-T->D<-T->E<-ST->F<-T->G<-T->A<-T->B<-ST->C
or, for ex., D major scale:
D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D
For different scales there are, naturally, different relationships...

Now, what regards chords:
A chord is three notes (usually, though it may be four or five notes or more) played together and the distance between the neighbouring notes of the chord should equals a third interval ( not in all cases tho...but for now it`ll be enough ). Now, look, there are two kinds of thirds - minor third = 3 semitones and major third = 4 semitones.
Thus we can construct different types of chords:
Major Third + Minor Chord = Major Chord
C <-4ST-> E <-3ST-> G = C Major chord.
Minor Third + Major Third = Minor Chord
C Eb G = C Minor Chord
Major Third + Major Third = Augmented Chord
Minor Third + Minor Third = Diminished Chord... These are basics.

You can also construct chords basing on the given scale, for ex.
Lets take C Major Scale:
C (1st degree of the scale) D(2nd)
E(3d) F(4th) G(5th) A(6th) B(7th)

1+3+5 = C E G = C Major Chord
2+4+6 = D F A = D Minor Chord
3+5+7 = E G B = E Minor Chord
4+6+1 = F A C = F Major Chord
5+7+2 = G B D = G Major Chord
6+1+3 = A C E = A Minor Chord
7+2+4 = B D F = B diminished chord

Well, Id better stop here, cause this is just the very top of the iceberg called music theory. Hope you got the gist tho, and for detailed explanation I`d recommend you get some book on music theory ;)
 
Well many 5 and 6 note chords have alternate scale names. The number of notes used in a chord or scale always makes a difference, but for me thats the only difference. And the formulas are different where scale intervals are shown in succession(2nds) and chord intervals are shown in 3rds, but thats just academic. In practice I haven't made any big distinctions between them.. or should I. Im just not convinced by any text book definitions that a chord shouldn't also be used to define the key of the moment.
 
the key of the moment...hmmm...
well, say we have this chord progression:

Em7 Am7 H7 Em7

It may be a part of minor blues composition or whatever. What matters that it is in the key of E. You may play blues scale with the root of E throughout this progression, or you may play different scales depending on a chord...the simplest choice, since its blues, would be to play blues scale with the root of A when Am7 chords sounds, but all this wouldnt change the "general" key of the composition...Well, it`s explained better elsewhere, Im not a music teacher. If you feel comfortable making no distinction between scales and chords - well, what matters is that you feel comfortable ;-)
 
chords are based on scales

what defines chords and therefore

scales is usually :
the root
the third
the fifth

common additions to chords :
the root one 8ve higher
the 7th,9th,13th

Cmaj chord comes from a Cmaj scale.

F#min chord comes from a F#min scale.

what makes a chord maj or minor is the 3rd.


diminshed chords mean you flatten the note :

so diminished 7th has a flattened 7th.


Augmented chords mean you sharpen the note :

so augmented 7th has a sharpened 7th.

a major scale has a maj 3rd and a sharpend 7th called a leading note- it leads to the root.

melodic minor is like a major scale on the way up only has min 3rd , on the way down you flatten the 7th and the 6th.

harmonic minor has minor 3rd and min 6th.

these three are the most common scales in western harmony they are constucted to avoid the tritone or augmend 5th- maj3rd on a maj3rd.



other common scales:

pentatonic-all the black keys on the keyboard.

wholetone-whole tones.

blues scale- pentatonic plus augmented 5th from the root.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Oh, and hey! easy guys, haha, he doesnt really know the difference between chords and scales and you use that level of theory to explain it.

Basically,
A chord is a series of notes played simultaneously...with some variations.

A scale is a series of notes (with relevancy) played in succession (individually).
 
pretty interesting if i do say so my self, makes me want to grab a book on music theory... :)
 
Good thread guys, I can actually understand what your saying! :cheers:
I'm new to music theory also, but can I ask one thing? What is a semitone and a tone?

I really need to buy a book.
 
B-iLL Le said:
Good thread guys, I can actually understand what your saying! :cheers:
I'm new to music theory also, but can I ask one thing? What is a semitone and a tone?
Click to expand...

Semitone - interval between a black key and a neighboring white key on the piano (or B-C, or F-G), can be referred to as a minor second.

Tone (contrasted with semitone) - an interval of two semitones. Sometimes referred to as an interval of a second.

Minor Third - an interval of three semitones.

And so on... Check links from the resuorces here, and you'll find plenty of links to keep you busy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top