Playing better with certain scale/tuning

I always feel like I play better when I solo in E flat with the "blues scale" anyone else feel like this?

Scales have feel? They all feel the same to me. Tunes may feel different, and tunes in different keys may feel different, but scales don't.

Scales have feel? They all feel the same to me. Tunes may feel different, and tunes in different keys may feel different, but scales don't.

:confused:

The OP says that he feels differently not that the scales feel different.

And why wouldn't different scales feel different if, as you say, different keys can feel different? If the key of Eb feels different than E why wouldn't an Eb blues scale feel different than an E blues scale?

I think its common to enjoy the sound of keys that arent so familiar when it becomes accessible to you. I love playing in Bb - its my favourite key for Jazz standards and I love the unusual bunch of open string voicings (yes there are some!) that it lends itself to - mainly because you dont hear it so much I guess - it still feels pretty fresh!

On a standard tuned, equal tempered A=440 guitar I'm particularly enamored with Ab and F - seriously.
There's a darkness there that I like.

*I don't have issues with the other keys I just happen to really dig Ab and F.

As to the OP and Eb ... I have no idea. It's a personal thing - key and the feel of it.

On a standard tuned, equal tempered A=440 guitar I'm particularly enamored with Ab and F - seriously.
There's a darkness there that I like.

*I don't have issues with the other keys I just happen to really dig Ab and F.

As to the OP and Eb ... I have no idea. It's a personal thing - key and the feel of it.

Ab is my favourite key as well. It feels ... cool to me. There some 19th century list that describes all the keys (googles) Found it (http://www.wmich.edu/mus-theo/courses/keys.html):

C Major
Completely Pure. Its character is: innocence, simplicity, na�vety, children's talk.

C Minor
Declaration of love and at the same time the lament of unhappy love. All languishing, longing, sighing of the love-sick soul lies in this key.

Db Major
A leering key, degenerating into grief and rapture. It cannot laugh, but it can smile; it cannot howl, but it can at least grimace its crying.--Consequently only unusual characters and feelings can be brought out in this key.

C# Minor
Penitential lamentation, intimate conversation with God, the friend and help-meet of life; sighs of disappointed friendship and love lie in its radius.

D Major
The key of triumph, of Hallejuahs, of war-cries, of victory-rejoicing. Thus, the inviting symphonies, the marches, holiday songs and heaven-rejoicing choruses are set in this key.

D Minor
Melancholy womanliness, the spleen and humours brood.

Eb Major
The key of love, of devotion, of intimate conversation with God.

D# Minor
Feelings of the anxiety of the soul's deepest distress, of brooding despair, of blackest depresssion, of the most gloomy condition of the soul. Every fear, every hesitation of the shuddering heart, breathes out of horrible D# minor. If ghosts could speak, their speech would approximate this key.

E Major
Noisy shouts of joy, laughing pleasure and not yet complete, full delight lies in E Major.

E minor
Na�ve, womanly innocent declaration of love, lament without grumbling; sighs accompanied by few tears; this key speaks of the imminent hope of resolving in the pure happiness of C major.
F Major
Complaisance & Calm.

F Minor
Deep depression, funereal lament, groans of misery and longing for the grave.

F# Major
Triumph over difficulty, free sigh of relief utered when hurdles are surmounted; echo of a soul which has fiercely struggled and finally conquered lies in all uses of this key.

F# Minor
A gloomy key: it tugs at passion as a dog biting a dress. Resentment and discontent are its language.

G Major
Everything rustic, idyllic and lyrical, every calm and satisfied passion, every tender gratitude for true friendship and faithful love,--in a word every gentle and peaceful emotion of the heart is correctly expressed by this key.

G Minor
Discontent, uneasiness, worry about a failed scheme; bad-tempered gnashing of teeth; in a word: resentment and dislike.

Ab Major
Key of the grave. Death, grave, putrefaction, judgment, eternity lie in its radius.

Ab Minor
Grumbler, heart squeezed until it suffocates; wailing lament, difficult struggle; in a word, the color of this key is everything struggling with difficulty.

A Major
This key includes declarations of innocent love, satisfaction with one's state of affairs; hope of seeing one's beloved again when parting; youthful cheerfulness and trust in God.
A minor
Pious womanliness and tenderness of character.

Bb Major
Cheerful love, clear conscience, hope aspiration for a better world.

Bb minor
A quaint creature, often dressed in the garment of night. It is somewhat surly and very seldom takes on a pleasant countenance. Mocking God and the world; discontented with itself and with everything; preparation for suicide sounds in this key.

B Major
Strongly coloured, announcing wild passions, composed from the most glaring coulors. Anger, rage, jealousy, fury, despair and every burden of the heart lies in its sphere.
B Minor
This is as it were the key of patience, of calm awaiting ones's fate and of submission to divine dispensation.

Whoa, that guy is morbid.

Ab Major
Key of the grave. Death, grave, putrefaction, judgment, eternity lie in its radius.



That shouldn't surprise anyone that reads my posts :mrgreen:.

:confused:

The OP says that he feels differently not that the scales feel different.

And why wouldn't different scales feel different if, as you say, different keys can feel different? If the key of Eb feels different than E why wouldn't an Eb blues scale feel different than an E blues scale?

He feels like he plays better when playing Eb blues scale. I perfectly understand what you're saying and I agree, but I got from his post that he feels better because of the scale. I missed the distinction, you are right.

Nonetheless, we should play equally well in all keys so that we don't necessarily feel we play better in one than in others.

I like flat keys too.

Just so folks don't think that I'm completely the spawn of Lucifer ... Like most guitar players I do have quite a penchant for G as well.


G Major
Everything rustic, idyllic and lyrical, every calm and satisfied passion, every tender gratitude for true friendship and faithful love,--in a word every gentle and peaceful emotion of the heart is correctly expressed by this key.


*This weekend I will be primarily playing in Bb, Eb and Cm.
(and capo'd most of the time too)
So a lot of love, though some unrequited(?).
I don't know, my wife and kid will be with me so ...

Just so folks don't think that I'm completely the spawn of Lucifer ... Like most guitar players I do have quite a penchant for G as well.



*This weekend I will be primarily playing in Bb, Eb and Cm.
(and capo'd most of the time too)
So a lot of love, though some unrequited(?).
I don't know, my wife and kid will be with me so ...

Gentle and peaceful. Idyllic and lyrical. That's Ken in a nutshell.

A and D for me! :)

In my own defense, I am lyrical.

In my own defense, I am lyrical.

I believe you Ken. :mrgreen:

Ab is my favourite key as well. It feels ... cool to me. There some 19th century list that describes all the keys (googles) Found it (http://www.wmich.edu/mus-theo/courses/keys.html):

C Major
Completely Pure. Its character is: innocence, simplicity, na�vety, children's talk.

C Minor
Declaration of love and at the same time the lament of unhappy love. All languishing, longing, sighing of the love-sick soul lies in this key.

Db Major
A leering key, degenerating into grief and rapture. It cannot laugh, but it can smile; it cannot howl, but it can at least grimace its crying.--Consequently only unusual characters and feelings can be brought out in this key.

C# Minor
Penitential lamentation, intimate conversation with God, the friend and help-meet of life; sighs of disappointed friendship and love lie in its radius.

D Major
The key of triumph, of Hallejuahs, of war-cries, of victory-rejoicing. Thus, the inviting symphonies, the marches, holiday songs and heaven-rejoicing choruses are set in this key.

D Minor
Melancholy womanliness, the spleen and humours brood.

Eb Major
The key of love, of devotion, of intimate conversation with God.

D# Minor
Feelings of the anxiety of the soul's deepest distress, of brooding despair, of blackest depresssion, of the most gloomy condition of the soul. Every fear, every hesitation of the shuddering heart, breathes out of horrible D# minor. If ghosts could speak, their speech would approximate this key.

E Major
Noisy shouts of joy, laughing pleasure and not yet complete, full delight lies in E Major.

E minor
Na�ve, womanly innocent declaration of love, lament without grumbling; sighs accompanied by few tears; this key speaks of the imminent hope of resolving in the pure happiness of C major.
F Major
Complaisance & Calm.

F Minor
Deep depression, funereal lament, groans of misery and longing for the grave.

F# Major
Triumph over difficulty, free sigh of relief utered when hurdles are surmounted; echo of a soul which has fiercely struggled and finally conquered lies in all uses of this key.

F# Minor
A gloomy key: it tugs at passion as a dog biting a dress. Resentment and discontent are its language.

G Major
Everything rustic, idyllic and lyrical, every calm and satisfied passion, every tender gratitude for true friendship and faithful love,--in a word every gentle and peaceful emotion of the heart is correctly expressed by this key.

G Minor
Discontent, uneasiness, worry about a failed scheme; bad-tempered gnashing of teeth; in a word: resentment and dislike.

Ab Major
Key of the grave. Death, grave, putrefaction, judgment, eternity lie in its radius.

Ab Minor
Grumbler, heart squeezed until it suffocates; wailing lament, difficult struggle; in a word, the color of this key is everything struggling with difficulty.

A Major
This key includes declarations of innocent love, satisfaction with one's state of affairs; hope of seeing one's beloved again when parting; youthful cheerfulness and trust in God.
A minor
Pious womanliness and tenderness of character.

Bb Major
Cheerful love, clear conscience, hope aspiration for a better world.

Bb minor
A quaint creature, often dressed in the garment of night. It is somewhat surly and very seldom takes on a pleasant countenance. Mocking God and the world; discontented with itself and with everything; preparation for suicide sounds in this key.

B Major
Strongly coloured, announcing wild passions, composed from the most glaring coulors. Anger, rage, jealousy, fury, despair and every burden of the heart lies in its sphere.
B Minor
This is as it were the key of patience, of calm awaiting ones's fate and of submission to divine dispensation.

Whoa, that guy is morbid.

I can truly say it's not just talk in the wind, but still i play in the keys that my voice can take, and play instrumentality in the other ones.

When i wright string quartets, and things in that part of the woods i try to think like that gloomy German, but that's another forum.

Looking at that list again, I *am* Bb minor.

Looking at that list again, I *am* Bb minor.

Big Daddy you need to get yourself to a pharmacy immediately and buy yourself a large bottle of D major. You can probably get your methadone at the same time. I'm worried for ya.

Big Daddy you need to get yourself to a pharmacy immediately and buy yourself a large bottle of D major. You can probably get your methadone at the same time. I'm worried for ya.

Ha, with enough wine I can modulate from Bb minor to Db major.

That list is an interesting insight into the 18th century mind. Does anyone still think like that?

D# Minor
Feelings of the anxiety of the soul's deepest distress, of brooding despair, of blackest depresssion, of the most gloomy condition of the soul. Every fear, every hesitation of the shuddering heart, breathes out of horrible D# minor. If ghosts could speak, their speech would approximate this key.

Good lord, that explains the last gig. Glad I made it out alive.

Ha, with enough wine I can modulate from Bb minor to Db major.

That list is an interesting insight into the 18th century mind. Does anyone still think like that?

Self-modulating is a dangerous game my friend.

Self-modulating is a dangerous game my friend.

:cool:

This key includes declarations of innocent love, satisfaction with one's state of affairs; hope of seeing one's beloved again when parting; youthful cheerfulness and trust in God.

That explains 'Wild Thing!



Bb Major
Cheerful love, clear conscience, hope as inspiration for a better world

Yeah Im getting less convinced with this by the minute - arent we talking A332 in the 18th century? Thats got to make a difference surely? Bb is the key of irony - for any guitarist at least.