Forming a Tonal Center

Tonality in Western Music How do we establish 1 of the 12 notes in western music as the most important note or tonal center? Here is the way it happens!

Jazz Everyone...!

Free Lesson, Page 1

When the pitch goes higher, the interval of a 4th is the result When the pitch goes down, the interval of a 5th is the result

The 12 notes in music can be equally divided

C F Bb Eb Ab Db F# B E A D G
G D A E B F# Dd C F Bb Eb Ab

Jazz Everyone...!

Free Lesson, Page 2

The Importance of Rhythm in Tonality

Beats are sounds that occur in time and space. If they occur in regular intervals they create a pulse. This pulse is called a BEAT... it can be slow or fast. A steady beat creates natural accents that result in the formation of rhythm patterns, measures and all types of basic song forms.

There are 2 kinds of beats

UP BEATS DOWN BEATS

If the note at 11:00 on the circle is played on the up beat, followed by a note at 12:00 on the down beat, the note at 12:00 sounds like the most important note or a TONAL CENTER when it is repeated.
12:00 11:00

D A

Jazz Everyone...!

Free Lesson, Page 3

This page shows you how to... ...play the roots and 5ths of Tonal Center around the Circle of 4ths/5ths without mistakes. ...improvise creatively around the Dominant 7th circle using a variety of rhythms with roots and 5ths.

Establishing Tonal Centers Around Circle of Fourths

. . . .
Free Lesson - Track 1

4 &4
5

Concert Instruments

&

b b b b b

Willie Thomas

& b. & b.

b. b. b. b. b.

b. b. b. b. b. . . .

13

b b b b

b b b b

b b b b

17

& b. & b.

21

25

& b. & . .

29

. . .

33

&

37

& . &

41

. .

. w

45

& .

Jazz Everyone...!

2008 Willie Thomas

Free Lesson, Page 4

This page will show you... ...how to form a major scale. ...how Roman numerals are used to identiy chords and their function in a scale. ...how to form and number a Dominant 7th scale.

Concert Instruments

F Major Scale
Willie Thomas

1. Letters of the Alphabet, Arabic numbers and Roman numerals are used to name notes 1 4 &b 4 I

II

III

IV

C
5

6 VI

7 VII

8 I

2. Chords may be formed on any note of a scale by playing every other note at the same time

&b

G
7 5 3 1

D
7 5 3 1

3. The C Dominant Seventh scale is renumbered

&b

b7

Jazz Everyone...!

Free Lesson, Page 5

Some Facts About the Blues Form

The Blues is 12 bars long The Blues is a 3 part song A-B-C The I7-IV7-V7 are basic blues chords The Blues Pentatonic scale is basic traditional blues vocabulary When repeating the blues form, the V7 is usually used in the final measure Slashes show the number of beats a chord is played in a measure.

Jazz Everyone...!

Free Lesson, Page 6

Playing the Blues with roots and 5ths of the I7, IV7 and V7

Basic B Flat Blues

C Instruments - Treble Clef

b 4 &b 4 b E 7 b . &b b . b &

F7

b7 .. .
B

Free Lesson - Track 2

b7 .

b7 .

b7 .

b7

b7

b7

F7

b7 .

b7 .

Thomas

..

Jazz Everyone...!

Free Lesson, Page 7

Formation of the minor scale and the blues pentatonic

Minor Scale ... Blues Pentatonic

Willie Thomas

Concert Instruments

&c

(C )

b
1

b3

b
4

D Flat Major Scale

(G ) 4

b7

b
1

B
6

(C ) 7

Minor Pentatonic Scale

&

Pentatonic Blues scale

b
1

b
b3

b
4

b7

b
1

10

&

I7

b7

Blues Patterns Formed on Tonal Centers

f

11

b & 4 &b 4

C Instruments b E 7 IV7

Basic Blues Scale b a in Concert B Flat

Free Lesson d - Track 2

bb b 1 b
F7 c

b b b b b
e
b3 b3

b7

b b b b 4
e f
4

b
1

V7 Jazz Everyone...!
12

&

Free Lesson, Page 8

Minor Scale ... Blues Pentatonic

Yo Dude Blues
Concert Instruments
Free Lesson - Track 2
C Version - Treble Clef

Willie Thomas
Willie Thomas

b7 b 7 Flat Major Scale b b E D B 7 B 7 b b b 4(C) D b. > b b > b B b ( b > F ( G b b > ) ) B E A C D b & 4 b 1 . 2 5 1 4 6 3 7 b b b b b b 7 & c Eb7 b E 7 b B B 7 b b ^ > b b b7 b . 1 b3 4 5 1 b b b & > > 5 Minor b Pentatonic Scale B b b F7 E 7 B 7/f ^ b > > b > b b b .. b b Pentatonic Blues & scale > > 9 b b b b b
B
6

&

b
1

b
b3

b
4

b7

b
1

10

& & &

I7

b7

Blues Patterns Formed on Tonal Centers

f

IV7

b7

5
1

11

b
c

b
d

b b b b
e
b3 b3

b7

b
1

b b
e
4

V7

F7

12

2008 Willie Thomas

Jazz Everyone...!

2008

Free Lesson, Page 9

Concert Instruments

Forming Pentatonic Pairs

Willie Thomas

Three Major Pentatonic Scales can be formed in every major scale.

- Major Pentatonic scale formed on the Tonic Major Scale (C)

4 &4
f

(1)

C
5

G
5

C
1

- Major Pentatonic scale formed on the Lydian or 4th Scale step (F)

& &

(1)

G
2

D
6

G
2

- Major Pentatonic Scale formed on the Mixolydian or 5th (dominant) Scale step (G)

11

(1)

D
5

G
1

A
2

Major Pentatonic Scales started on the 2nd scale step create Pentatonic Pairs that can be connected around the circle of 4ths
F Maj Pentatonic.................................G A C Maj Pentatonic......................D E G A G Maj Pentatonic........... A B DE GA CD CD FG

Pentatonic Pairs create melody chains that connect series of diatonic chord changes

16

&

Amin7

Dmin7

G7
2008 Willie Thomas

CMaj

Jazz Everyone...!

Free Lesson, Page 10

Use the circle to help you visualize the formation of a MELODY CHAIN as the pentatonic pairs move around the circle of 4ths.

G A E

C D

F G C

Bb

A B E F
#

b E F

Bb
#

G# F# Pentatonic Pairs Around the Circle of Fourths

Jazz Everyone...! Free Lesson, Page 11

C B

Eb Dd

Ab

Pentatonic Pairs Around Circle of Dominant 7ths

&4 4 N
5 6 1
C Instruments

C7

F7

Free Lesson - Track 1

Thomas

& &

b7

b B 7

b # # # #

6 1 2 1

13

b b b b
D

b b b A 7 b b b

19

& b b b # # # # & # #
F

b7

#7

# # # # # # # #
B7

25

# # # # # # # #
E7

31

& # #
A7

# # #
D7

37

&

# #
G7

43

&

w
Free Lesson, Page 12

Jazz Everyone...!

2008

Use your FREE LESSON vocabulary now to develop jazz patterns in the blues and around the dominant circle with fixed rhythms.

Rhythm Drill

4 &4 & & &

1 2 3 4

k k > v

. . k .

Free Lesson - Track 2

Willie Thomas

k .

&

1 2 3 4

J k k v

J k k

11

& & &

J > J k

k k k

. . .
Free Lesson, Page 13

13

15

2008 Willie Thomas

Jazz Everyone...!