#CHROMATIC MUSIC DEFINITION FULL#

The scale construction starts to get interesting when you look at different patterns built from the chromatic scale. The chromatic scale’s construction isn’t difficult to analyze. The categories I’ve been using in my other jazz scales articles to describe how each scale is constructed and applied in music don’t quite fit with this scale. It also contains the building blocks for all other scales. But, it definitely has its place in jazz and improvisation. It has no particular or obvious function. Some would call the chromatic scale a non-scale. So, now I’ve written about several scales used in jazz: the diminished scale, the whole tone scale, the altered scale, the blues scale, the augmented scale, the pentatonic scale, and the bebop scale.

The chromatic scale is a scale that takes some time to understand and appreciate. Many years later, I have a very different opinion of the chromatic scale. It seemed to have no relevant applications. Basically, it felt like a test that simply showed how good I was at playing the chromatic scale. This is essentially what the chromatic scale meant to me back when I was a young musician. The C-C and F-F chromatic scales feel very different under your fingers.

#CHROMATIC MUSIC DEFINITION FULL#

The options for the chromatic scale on saxophone were either to play it full range (Bb-F) or to play it two octaves starting on a provided note (C-C, D-D, F-F). The chromatic scale always stressed me out. They were always posted on a list on a wall in a large auditorium. You didn’t know what the selected scales were going to be until the day of the audition. The scales category, if I remember correctly, consisted of a few selected major scales (I believe full range, both slurred and tongued) and the chromatic scale. Your overall score was made up of three categories: a prepared solo piece, scales, and sight-reading. I remember back in middle school and high school preparing for regional band auditions.

Chromatic music definition