Doom Metal Theory - The Four Intervals of Doom

Have you ever found yourself confused when trying to understand where the riffs are coming from in
some of your favorite stoner doom songs? Do you wonder why the notes seemingly ingly drift around
chromatically without sticking to a single scale? Or, oddly enough, why
hy many of atonal notes seem to
“work”? If so, please read on.

In music theory, an interval is the difference between two pitches. Throughout this guide we will refer
r
to intervals as being measured from the root note. The root note, or tonal center, is the note about
which a given song is based, forming the reference point for all remaining notes. Although it can vary
significantly, even within a single song, the most common tonal center in stoner doom is that of the
open 6th string, so that is what we will consider our tonal center for the remainder of this discussion.

I like to consider most stoner doom riff

riffs to be rooted in the 7-tone (diatonic)
diatonic) Natural Minor Scale, also
ajor 2nd), ♭3 (Minor
known as the Aeolian Mode, which contains the following intervals: R (Root) , ∆2 (Major
3rd), p4 (Perfect 4th), p5 (Perfect 5th) , ♭6 (Minor 6th) ,♭7 (Minor 7th).

The Natural Minor Scale

Note that the 5-tone

tone Minor Pentatonic Scale is a subset of this scale, achieved by removing the ∆2 and
♭6 intervals: R, ♭3, p4, p5,♭7.

The Minor Pentatonic Scale

In order to add further dissonance to the mix, we next need to consider what I call The
he Four Intervals of
Doom: ♭5, ∆7, ♭2, ∆3.

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♭5: The Diminished 5th (Tritone)

The♭5 interval is typically associated

ted with the 66-tone Blues Scale. The Bluess Scale is achieved by adding
the ♭5 to the Minor Pentatonic Scale
Scale: R, ♭3, p4, ♭5, p5, ♭7.

The Blues Scale

The ♭5 is a moderately dissonant interval that is fundamental to the stoner doom genre. In fact, if we
add it to the Natural Minor Scale we arrive at the 8-tone Minor Blues Scale: R, ∆2, ♭3,
3, p4, ♭5, p5, ♭6,
♭7.

The Minor Blues Scale

Countless songs across the entire genre can be constructed using th the above scale alone! Pick a Sabbath
riff and give it a go. Often times it will work, but if not, just keep reading—stick
stick with me here; I promise
I’m not trying to get you to memorize a bunch of scales.
th
∆7: The Major 7

Drawn from the Harmonicnic Minor Scale (R, ∆2, ♭3, p4, p5, ♭6, ∆7), this interval iss located a half step
below the root, producing another moderately dissonant tonality, and often used as a passing tone in
the stoner doom context. Notice that the Harmonic Minor Scale is simply the Natural Minor Scale with
the ♭7 interval raised a half step to the ∆7.

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 The Harmonic Minor Scale

♭2: The Minor 2nd

Drawn from the Phrygian Mode (R, R, ♭2, ♭3, p4, p5, ♭6, ♭7),, this interval located a half step above the
root is often considered
d the most dissonant in all of w
western music. The lack of resolution and
uneasiness produced are perfect for stoner doom. Notice that the Phrygian Mode is simply the Natural
Minor Scale with the ∆2 interval flatted a half step to the ♭2.

The Phrygian Mode (Scale)

rd
∆3: The Major 3

Typically viewed as a “happy” sounding interval associated with the Major Scale,cale, this interval sounds
unresolved and ugly in a pre-established
established minor context. The reason itt is ideal for doom is exactly the
reason we’re
’re told not to do it in classi
classic music theory: It sounds “bad”. If we raise the ♭3
♭ of the
Phrygian Mode a half step to the ∆3, we arrive at what is termed the Phrygian
Phrygian-dominant
dominant Scale:
Scale R, ∆2, ∆3,
p4, p5, ♭6, ∆7.

The Phrygian-dominant Scale

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If we combine thee Natural Minor Scale with tthe Four
our Intervals of Doom, we arrive at fret board that
looks like this: R, ♭2, ∆2, b3, ∆3, p4, ♭5, p5, ♭6, ♭7, ∆7.

The Natural Minor Scale with tthe Four Intervals of Doom

For completeness, we can also include the final interval, which is the Major 6 th (∆6). This interval is
taken from the Dorian Mode and is located a half step up from the Minor 6 th (♭6) producing a happier
sound. Typically
ypically used as a passing tone, this interval can be used to brighten up a riff on occasion,
usually in preparation for the additi
additional dissonance that lies ahead.

With that in mind, we arrive at the Chromatic Scale, which includes 12 intervals and covers the entire
fretboard: R, ♭2, ∆2, ♭3, ∆3, p4, ♭♭5, p5, ♭6, ∆6, ♭7, ∆7.

The Chromatic Scale

I tend to think of everything in terms of the Natural Minor Scale with intervals either subtracted out
(dropping down to the Minor Pentatonic Scale by subtracting o out the ∆2 and ♭6)6) or added in (including
the ♭5 from the Blues Scale
cale and the ∆3 from the Phrygian-dominant scale,, for example)
example and rarely in
terms of the other scales that have been discussed
discussed. I recognize, however, where the additional intervals
come from and why they make sense in the context of which they are applied.

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Does It Doom Steve Reis
Now I’m not advising that you attempt to cram the entire Chromatic Scale into every riff, but rather that
you base your riffs around the Natural Min
Minor
or Scale while freely employing any of the remaining intervals
for additional dissonance and color. The Natural Minor Scale will always remain the foundation about
which your riffs can be anchored and resolved
resolved. The important thing is to remember the relationships
re
between the intervals and the root / tonal center of the song or riff. The key is to understand that you
can mix and match these intervals in the construction of any riff and it will sound correct in the context
of the minor keys used in stonerr doom.

For an applied example of The Four Intervals of Doom, check out my in

in-depth
depth lesson on Baghdad by
High on Fire here: https://youtu.be/SiYqOBdnAbA

-Steve Reis

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Does It Doom Steve Reis
Here is a list of example Black Sabbath / Sleep riffs for several different interval combinations. Note that
each riff does not use every interval within each list, but typically some subset of those listed.
Oftentimes the Minor Blues Scale could be viewed as simply the Blues Scale with added intervals, but
the full list is included
ded for completeness.

Natural Minor Scale: R, ∆2, ♭3,

3, p4, p5 , ♭6 ,♭7

Iron Man, Snowblind, Children of the Grave, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

Sabbath, A National Acrobat

Minor Blues Scale: R, ∆2, ♭3, p4, ♭

♭5, p5, ♭6, ♭7

Electric Funeral, Black Sabbath,, Hand of Doom, Symptom of the Universe, Sonic Titan,, Holy Mountain

Minor Blues Scale w/ ∆6 : R, ∆2, ♭

♭3, p4, ♭5, p5, ♭6, ∆6, ♭7

Killing Yourself to Live, After Forever, Into the Void

Void, Under the Sun, Dopesmoker

Minor Blues Scale w/ ♭2: R, ♭2, ∆2, ♭3, p4, ♭5, p5, ♭6, ♭7

Cornucopia, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (breakdown)

(breakdown), Giza Butler, Dopesmoker

Minor Blues Scale w/ ∆3 : R, ∆2, ♭

♭3, ∆3, p4, ♭5, p5, ♭6, ♭7

Sweet Leaf,, Dopesmoker, Holy Mountain

Minor Blues Scale w/ ∆7 : R, ∆2, ♭

♭3, p4, ♭5, p5, ♭6, ♭7, ∆7

Dopesmoker

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Does It Doom Steve Reis