Tutor profile: Nathan W.

What is a VLOOKUP formula used for?

A vertical lookup or VLOOKUP formula is used for finding data in a given range by row. For example, say a table contains two columns. Column A contains a list of Student IDs for an incoming class of college students. Column B contains each corresponding student's name. If an excel user has a subset of these students' Student IDs and needed to retrieve that subset of students' names, they could use the Student ID as a the lookup value, and then return the corresponding student name with the VLOOKUP formula. This eliminates the need to search for each student's name manually. Note that this formula is not necessarily accurate if the lookup value is not unique.

What is a chord-scale relationship in jazz harmony?

Chord-scale relationships describe a scale or set of scales that are commonly used when improvising over a given chord. Virtually every chord has several scales that can be used to improvise over it, and these scales change based on the harmonic context that the chord occurs within. For instance, over a ii-V-I, the most common chord progression in jazz, the basic scale to use over the ii chord would be a dorian mode starting on the root of that chord. However, there are several other scale options available to the improviser in this context. For the purpose of this example, let's say that this ii-V-I is in the key of C major, so the ii chord is d minor 7. In this case, other scales available to the improviser could be the d harmonic minor scale, the d melodic minor scale, an altered scale staring on the root of the V chord (G), or the major blues scale starting on the tonic (C). Although the possibilities are endless, understanding these basic options gives a musician a palette of sounds to express themselves with.

What is a major triad and how is it constructed?

A major triad, commonly referred to as a major chord, is a common three-note harmony found in western music. In its most basic form it is comprised of the first, third and fifth degrees of a major scale. These three pitches are referred to as the "root", the "third" and the "fifth". Measured in intervals, the root is a major-third (four half-steps) below the third, and the third is a minor-third (three half-steps) below the fifth.