[soyyo]

A superior method for working with scales it's simply learning the theory behind them.

For instance if you learn that a harmonic minor scale is made of 1 2 3b 4 5 6b 7 you can find the notes of that scale in any key very quickly, for instance Bb harmonic minor would be Bb C Db Eb F Gb A

However this requires that you understand what are 1, 2, 3b 4, 4#, etc, and have enough practice in translating it to notes to do it quickly.

Also if you learn this, then finding the chords that can be derived from any scale becomes super easy.

Now I understand that this a hustle for many people because of the initial effort that requires before is actually usable, and it's more easy to use tools such as the one presented, I just wanted you to know that there is something better albeit harder.

[4WIW]

It can be even simpler with intervals: 1 is a half-tone, 2 is a whole tone

Major scale: 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 Minor scale: 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 etc

They sum up to 12 (octave)

Now that you got the theory, practice playing them evenly from every note and make sure they sound right.

Fingerings are a separate story though.

[Kye]

I think it comes down to what motivates your music, and what you prioritize. My focus is sound design, so the quicker I can get melodies written, the better. Now you might reasonably think: "but if you memorize all this stuff, you won't need your handy app with an interactive circle of fifths!"[0]

And that's true! The trouble is, the last time I tried learning using techniques like this, I could never remember it with any amount of practice, and it made me so down about music that I quit for years. If I cared much about melodies, improvising, and/or performance, I might have the drive to invest effort past that hurdle, but I don't. I did have the drive for sound design--which is at least as complicated as foundational western music theory--because the whole thing fascinates me, so that's what I prioritize.

[0] Piano Companion Pro. Worth the lifetime purchase ($12). https://www.songtive.com/products/piano-companion

I come up with chord progressions in my DAW and use them as "ghost notes" to paint a melody over.

[hamburglar]

In my experience, learning the theory behind them helps you understand how to derive the scale in your head but it doesn’t actually help you get muscle memory for the specific patterns. This is like multiplication tables versus knowing how to multiply.

[zozbot234]

> For instance if you learn that a harmonic minor scale is made of 1 2 3b 4 5 6b 7 you can find the notes of that scale in any key very quickly, for instance Bb harmonic minor would be Bb C Db Eb F Gb A

It's even easier in many cases to learn harmonic minor as a natural minor w/ a sharpened 7th, borrowed from the parallel major scale. (This doesn't work so well for Bb minor, since its relative major is a pretty exotic Db major; in this case, it's in fact easier to start from the parallel major and find the actual scale degrees.)

[dwaltrip]

Do you have any good resources / links for a beginner who wants to understand the fundamental theory behind chords, scales, etc? Especially in a way that lets me easily re-derive stuff and not memorize as much.

E.g. I just learned from my roommates that I can form the major chord for any note by adding the keys that are 4 half-steps and 7 half-steps higher. And then swap out the 4 half-steps higher key for 3 half-steps higher to make the minor chord. Very cool :)

[soyyo]

sorry but I learnt this in a music school and using paid materials I don't know where you can find this well explained.

I've done a quick look and i've found this videos that I think are ok as starting point:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDD4q9xd8Ac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImFFi_QBnUs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWpXy57-mvc

Hope it helps

[dwaltrip]

Thank you! I will try those videos out.