Originally Posted by: CSchlegel
It only seems mystifying because you aren't looking at the harmonic goal! You left out the end goal of those chords, the C major:

A min (vi) intermediate or substitute tonic
D min (ii) sub dominant
G7 (V) dominant
C (I) tonic

Ergo:

A min (vi) intermediate or substitute tonic - A aeolian
D min (ii) sub dominant - D dorian
G7 (V) dominant - G mixolydian
C (I) tonic - C ionian

Which is all just C major scale notes. However, you need to use them to emphasize the chords that are happening at the time in a way that matches your sense of melody.

Okay, so it looks like the main thing that I'm not quite understanding right now is the harmonic function of the chord progressions. Can you explain that a bit more? I'm kind of lost by what the term means and how it is applied.




And Douglas, I appreciate your input too. I definitely know that scales are only a tool rather than a focal point - my guitar teacher back home sometimes likes to make that painfully clear. He'll start playing a 4 bar progression, and just have me play over it - won't tell me the key or anything. And then, just as I'm starting to figure out what sounds good, he changes the chords so that I have to alter the scale I'm using! It can be frustrating, but it's a good lesson. I'm just trying to learn this specific tool with the scales so that I can at least have some starting ideas on where to go. :)