Minor scales and chords in Bradbury

[Jody Stecher]

Smooth sailing through the G major pages and most of Sidewalks of New York. The two measures beginning with C natural and G sharp together gave me pause at first until I realized it was a partial E augmented chord. 

Then I came to the E minor studies. Just as with the earlier A minor studies only 2 of the many types of minor scales are taken up: the harmonic minor and melodic minor. No mention of the natural minor, or the Dorian and Phrygian modes whose thirds are no less minor than the ones mentioned and which comprise the basis for a large portion of the melodies of the world, though not frequently in the banjo repertoire of the subculture of classic banjo.  More puzzling was the statement in the A minor section that says or implies that melodic minor music is not harmonized.  That is silly and wrong. All minor scales may be harmonized and have been.  Even the scale of Raga Multani has been harmonized (1 2b 3b 4# 5 6b 7).  I expect that Bradbury did not know about this.

Next is the page with The Caissons Go Rolling Along in a well-designed arrangement that allows the student to apply newly acquired skills.  At the top of the page a new chord form is introduced. It's the 441 chord which can function either as a dominant seventh (or any kind of 5 chord with a flat 7) or as a diminished chord. In The Caissons it is used as a diminished chord.  I found it surprising that there was no discussion of this. Up till this point Bradbury tells us the type of each new chord being introduced. This contrasts with Grimshaw. In his basic tutor book he gives a wealth of chord formations but does not tell us their musical identity.  He is so through in other aspects of his teaching. I don't know why that information is withheld. 

I also don't see the advantage of fingering this new chord with 4th and 1st fingers. Instead of 441, I  been fingering this chord as 431 for as long as I can remember.