B3Burner
Dominant 7th #9
Registered: 10-2003
Posts: 2200
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The Gypsy Scale
What did Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore use to get those "Bulgarian Radio", middle eastern sounding riffs in MIJ's "Space Truckin'" as well as many other places?
The Gypsy Scale, which is a full expansion of the harmonic minor scale.
What makes this scale so unique is the 1 1/2 step jump from the 2nd to 3rd degree, and the 6th to 7th degree. Standard major and minor scales that we are taught always have whole and half step combos, but NEVER one-and-a-half steps. This one however, does.
Also, with this scale, the first four degrees run in perfect parallel motion to the last four degrees.
For example, gypsy scale in the key of E (my favorite key, so easiest for me to picture in my head as I type), goes:
E, F, G#, A,...then...B, C, D#, E. Notice the pattern of the top 4, mimicks the pattern of the bottom 4, only a parallel perfect 5th above.
Run both left and right hand over those parallel phrasings back and forth in unison, and a very nice "middle eastern" riff is created.
The scale written out numerically would be:
root - b2 - maj3 - P4 - P5 - min6 - maj7 - octave/root
This thing WAS the essence of Jon Lord's Space Truckin' solos in early Mark II days.
***Note one tricky exception to the above, and JL used it in the Space Truckin' solo on the Deep Purple in Concert Album:
The first four notes follow the aforementioned pattern in the key of E (E-F-G#-A), but then the last four notes drop a whole step into the key of D, and go A-Bb-C#-D. So the full scale can be a "variation" borrowing from more than one key on the way up. Man, that Jon Lord keeps us on our toes!
Last edited by B3Burner, 13/12/2003, 8:16
--- John O'Flaherty
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"It's got a weight and a gravitast to it. It's a Hammond Organ! And...you can't just be kinda' pussy-footin' around with this thing....you got to control it."
-Jon Lord
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30/10/2003, 7:37
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B3Burner
Dominant 7th #9
Registered: 10-2003
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Re: The Gypsie Scale
CORRECTION:
What I had termed "The Gypsie Scale", is actually supposed to be called the "Double Harmonic Scale".
There's a cool website that I discovered last night, that discusses this.
Check out my next post, I'll give the address.
--- John O'Flaherty
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"I met a guy last week who could open a CD in less than three hours." -Ian Gillan
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18/11/2003, 6:15
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Dr Jimmy
Purple fan
Registered: 11-2003
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Re: The Gypsie Scale
Phrygian Major is: 1 b2 3 4 5 b6 b7 and is the fifth mode of the Harmonic Minor scale, this is a scale that Ritchie uses quite often (and sounds great over most dominant or altered dominant chords).
Double Harmonic is: 1 b2 3 4 5 b6 7 and is the fifh mode of the Hungarian Minor scale. This sounds nice over Major-type chords (esp. with a b6 or b9).
Hungarian Gypsy is: 1 2 b3 #4 5 b6 b7 and is the fourth mode of the Neapolitan Minor scale. This sounds good over m7 chords, #9 chords, #11 or b13 chords (try it over a diminished chord too).
Just a guitarists .02!
--- "I'm listening to the F***ing song!"
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3/12/2003, 21:09
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B3Burner
Dominant 7th #9
Registered: 10-2003
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Re: The Gypsie Scale
Dr. Jimmy, thanks. I'll have to give these a shot.
Sounds like your music theory rooting is even more advanced than mine. Just goes to show that no matter how old we get, there's always more we can learn from music.
Last edited by B3Burner, 4/12/2003, 6:46
--- John O'Flaherty
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"I can smoke the pipe of a sweet and better life, and trust in the strength of the shield."
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4/12/2003, 5:52
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Dr Jimmy
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Registered: 11-2003
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Re: The Gypsie Scale
Nah, just 8 years of Jazz guitar lessons all of which I use playing guitar in my Who tribute band!
--- "I'm listening to the F***ing song!"
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4/12/2003, 13:33
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B3Burner
Dominant 7th #9
Registered: 10-2003
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Re: The Gypsie Scale
Dr Jimmy,
Keep up the good work, because I have the utmost respect for people who can take the mind boggling details of theory, and apply it to music in an imprompteau setting, without getting too wrapped up in it.
A lot of folks who mire themselves in theory, get "deer in the headlight"-ish about it, and it can actually work against them psychologically. If you've found a way to amass all that knowledge in a non-distracting, non-obsessing way, then my hat's off to you. You're a better man than I.
I love theory, but to get really into it, I have to drop everything else I'm doing (including eating) for about 10 hours straight.
--- John O'Flaherty
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"I can smoke the pipe of a sweet and better life, and trust in the strength of the shield."
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13/12/2003, 6:03
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Dr Jimmy
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Registered: 11-2003
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Re: The Gypsie Scale
Thanks for the kind words, I hope you can apply some of it to your playing, it's always nice to have some new sounds handy.
I was actually being a bit sarcastic with my earlier post, I did indeed have 8 years of jazz lessons but really use next to none of it with the Who tribute (primarily pentatonics there)
Of course since RB is a big influence on my playing, I had to delve into the scales/note selections he uses, and that's what opened my eyes up to a new world of altered modes and scales etc...
Enjoy!
--- "I'm listening to the F***ing song!"
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13/12/2003, 15:04
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