Archive for the ‘scale’ Category

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Summary

Friday, April 24th, 2009

1.  Most songs utilize either major or minor scales — or one of several scale-like modes

2. Major scales almost always work with major keys and chords; minor scales work best wth minor keys and chords

3. Pentatonic scale works with both major and minor chords as well as with dominant 7th chords

4. Apply a single scale to an entire song, or play different scales for different chords within the song.

5. When you are playing a scale based solo, empahsize the tonic, third, and 7th of the scale and be sure to employ a mixture of step-wise and skip-wise motion.

Exercises:

1.  play a solow based on the underlying scale (G major) ued in the following chord progression:

G    Em   Am   D7

2.  play a solo based on the specific scales or modes identified with the individual chords in the following progression:

Gm7   C7   FM7  BbM7

3.  play a solo over the following chord progression using the pentatonic scale:

Eb    Fm   Gm    Ab  Bb7

4.  play a solo based on the specific scales or modes identified with the individual chords in the following progression:

Am   Dm  Gm  E7

5.  Play a solo based on the specific scales or modes identified with the individual chords in the following progression.

DM7   GM7   Em7  A7  GM7

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5. Improvising on Scales and modes

Friday, April 24th, 2009

How exactly do you use the scale to create a solo?

It is simple: just pick and choose between the available notes in the appropriate scle.

At its most asic — you can simply run the notes in the scale.

Remember: you don’t just play a single scale, you fit the scale to the type of chord.

  • eg. for Dm chord, you play the D melodic minor scale
  • for F chord, you play F major scale (not C major scale)
  • for G7 chord you play G mixolydian mode, otherwise known as the G dom scale.

C:  C D E F G A B C

Dm:  D E F G A B C# D

F: F G A Bb C D E

G7: G A B C D E F G

this in fact is a good way to practice your scales.

Identify the appropriate scale for each chord in a progression and run each scale up and down until you have mastered it.

This way, you will be familiar with the available notes when you encounter each chord type in the future.

But running up and down the scales is not the height of improvisational creativity.

There are other approaches you can use to construct a scale-based solo.

Emphasizing key scale tones

One of the imp things to know about scale-based solos is that not all notes of the scale are equally important.

In particular, there are 3 key scale tones:

  • emphasizing these notes to create more cohesive solos:
  • the 3 key degrees are:

1.  tonic: you can’t neglect the home tone of the scale. Start or partic. end your solo on the tonic note to lend a degree of finality to what you are playing.
2.  3rd: the 3rd degree of the scale defines its harmonic nature: that is , whether the sale is major or minor. Emphasize the 3rd to emphasize the color of the music.

3.  7th: the 7th degree of the scale is the leading tone:  this note positions you to a return to the tonic. It also, along with the 3rd, defines the major or minor (or dominant) nature of the scale.  Emphaszie the 7th to add tension toy our solo.

1 2  3 4   5  6   7 8

–empahsize these three key tones of the scale.

don’t forget the chord tones.

in any given scale, the scale tones used to create a chord are the most imp notes at that point in time.

Using step-wise and skip-wise motion

When you play the notes of a scale in your solo, move up or down the scale, start and end on any given note.

Remember those key scale tones.

You add interest to your solo by varying the intervals between the notes you play.

That is, you should employ a mixture of step-wise and skip-wise motion.

Step-wise motion is just as it sounds.

Move from one note to the next note one step away in the scale.

In the c major scale:  step-wise motion moves from C to D to E and so no.

Or go in another direction: from C to B to A and so  on.

When you run the notes of a scale, you employ step-wise motion:

C:  C D E F E

Dm:  F E D C# D

F:  C D E F G A Bb A

G7:  G F E F G

Skip-wise motion:

employs larger intervals.

Instead of moving in smooth steps, you skip from one note to the next, in intervals of a 3rd or more.

For eg. in C major scale: a step-wise solo might skip from C to E to G

or

from C to F to A

or

from C to G to B — up or down, or in some combination of directions.

C:   c  e  d  g  f  b  c

Dm:  d  c#  d  a  g   e  f

F:  f  c  Bb  a  c  e  f

G7:  g  b  d  g  f

step-wise solos are smoother than the skipwise.

skip wise solos are more angular.

vary your solo lines between step wise and skip wise motion to suit your own personal tastes.

Tip: you don’t have to limit yourself to intervals of a third or less.

Feel free to introduce larger leaps in your lines: 4ths, 5ths, 6ths or 7ths.

It’s even ok to include the occasional jump of an octave or more.

Remember — the larger the leap, the more distinctive it sounds; the more attention it does to itself.

Use large leaps for dramatic effect — and to mark your own personal style.

Play patterns

When you are picking and choosing scale notes to play, it’s not the notes themselves that are important,it’s the patterns they form.

When you have all 8 notes of the scale to play with, you can create lots of interesting melodic patterns.

when you’ve mastered your scales and are ready to use those scales to form both short and long patterns, there’s more in later sessions.

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4. Using scales and modes within a solo

Friday, April 24th, 2009

There are 2 different approaches to improving on scales and modes.

You can choose scale/mode that fits within the entire song (based on the key of the song) or you can play different scales and modes for each chord inthe song.

Fitting scales to a song’s key:

First approach is te easiest as you only have to worry about a single scale (unless the song changes key somewhere in the middle).

It’s quite simple: identify the key of the song and play the major or minor scale to the key

For eg. if you are playing a song in F major, you base your solo on the F major scale.

this scale works with all diatonic chords.

I  IV  V7 progression

You can play the notes of the F major scale agaist the F, Bb and C7 chords.

Even if the song has a more complex chord progression:

I  vi ii V7  — the F major scale still works.

The same technique applies if a song is in a mionr key.

You will know its’ minor by the chord changes.

For eg. if key signature is F — but the chords: Dm Gm Am — the song is actually in the key of Dm.

Play a solo based ont he Dm scale and you are ready to roll.

Fitting scales to a songs chord

The 2nd approach is more difficult.

It also results in mor sophisticated improvisation — base your solo on the scales that fit the individual chords of a song.

This means playing different scales for each chord in the progression.

It also means playing scles that often include different notes than the scale that goes with the underlying key whichis sometimes a little difficult to get used to.

But even though it takes more work to learn all the diffeent scales, you end up with a lot more notes you can choose from for your solos.

Which scales go with which chords?

On the most basic level — major scales go with major scale chords

minor scales go with minor chords.

Dominant 7th — V7, play the notes of the mixolydian mode.

Let’s say you are playing a song in the key of C:

C major scale:  C D E F G A B

You now come across an F major chord:

Instead of playing C major scale, you play  F major scale:  F G A Bb7  C D E

— while most of the notes are the same, that Bb definitiely isn’t in the C major scale

— but when you employ the scale – to -chord approach, you play the Bb.

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3. Understanding Pentatonic scales

Friday, April 24th, 2009

Understanding Pentatonic Scales

It is a 5-note scale hence the name penta-five.

The cool thing about the pentatnoic scale is thatit can be used with almost all chord types, which makes it an easy scale to fall back on in just about any solo situation.

There are 2 different pentatonic scales: major and minor


Major pentatonic scale

this is the most familiar one.

the intervals between the notes in the major pentatonic scale:

W  W  W+H  W  W+H

C  D  E  G  A

If you play the major pentatonic scale can be had by playing all the black notes on a piano starting with Gb.  It is a Gb pentatonic scale.

The resulting sound is a trifle oriental.

If you alter the order of the notes, you get a very versatile tool chest to use in your solos.

for this reason, the pentatonic sale is one of the secret weapons of skilled improvisers, it can be used in any number of  musical situations.

You can play pentatoinc scales with major chords, minor chords, and dominant 7th chords — and they all sound great.

Here’s something cool about the major pentatonic scale.

In any major key — there are actually 3 major pentatonic scales you can employ in your solos

— starting on the tonic, 4th, and 5th of the key.

For eg.  In C major, you can play:

  • C major pentatonic:  C D E F A
  • F major pentatonic:  F G A C D
  • G major pentatonic:  G A B D E

Each of these pentatonic scales has a much different feel when played against the underlying key; try soloing on each of the 3 pentatonic scales to hear the differences.

Tip:  I prefer the sound of the major pentatonic scale that starts on the 5th of the underlying scale; it fits well with both the I and the V chords.

Minor Pentatonic Scale

Even though this 5-note scale is used less frequently than the major pentatonic scale, it is still a useful tool.

The intervals between the notes int he minor pentatonic scale:

W+H    W   W   W+H   W

1  b3  4   5  b7

C  Eb  F  G  Bb

Interestingly, the minor pentatonic scale contains the same notes as the major pentatonic scale starting a minor 3rd up.

So C minor pentatonic scale contains the same note as the Eb major pentatonic scale — and the A minor pentatonic scale is reserved for use with minor chords and on occasion, dom 7th chords.

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2. Understanding Modes

Friday, April 24th, 2009

If a scale is a combination of 8 successive nots (with that 8th note an octave above the first), do any 8th notes make a scale?

Not necessarily.

Some 8-note combinations are called modes.

Modes date back to the medieval church and Gregorian chant and were first called church modes.

The name of each mode is based on the final note of the mode, in Latin.

There are 7l different modes:

  • each of which can be thought of as a starting on a different degree of the major scale
  • you stay within the relative major scale
  • you just start on different notes
  • for eg. the Dorian mode: like starting on the 2nd degree of a major scale
  • the Phrygian mode — start on the 3rd degree of a major scale
  • the Lydian — the 4th
  • the Mixolydian: the 5th
  • Aeloian — 6th, same as the natural minor scale
  • Locrian — 7th

Not all modes are common in popular and jazz music.

The most used modes are:

Dorian, Mixolydian, and Locrian

The Ionian and Aeolian are also popular, but that’s because they are identical to the major, and natural minor scales respectively, so there is nothing new to learn.

Dorian Mode

Dorian mode can be thought of as starting on the 2nd degree of a major scale.

It sounds like a natural mionr scale but with a raised 6th.

eg Scarborough Fair — composed entirely in Dorian mode.

The intervals between the ntes in the Dorian mode:

W H WWWHW

1  2  b 4   5   6   b7

The dorian mode is apprpriate to play with mnor 7th chords.

Mixolydian Mode

the mixolydian mode can be thought of as starting on the 5th degree of the related major scale.

It’s essentially a major scale with a lowered 7th, b7.

Cuz it fits so well with dominant 7th chords, the mixolydian mode is sometimes called the dominant scale.

Intervals are:

W W H W W W H W

In relation to the major scale: the scale degrees go:

1  2  3   4   5   6  b7

C D E F G A Bb C

Cuz of the b7, the mixolydian mode is very approprite to play againt a dominant 7th chords.

Locrian Mode

Starts on the 7th degree of the related major scale.

It’s probably the weirdest sounding of all the modes cuz all the leading notes are in all the wrong places.

It is often used in jazz improvisation.

Intervals between th notes in the Locrian mode go like this:

H  W  W  H  W  W  W

In realtionship to a major scale, the scale degrees go:

1  b2  b3  4   b5   b6  b7

The locrian mode is appropriate to play with half-diminished 7th chords (a minor 7th chords with b5)

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Soloing on Scales and Modes

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

1.  Making sense of major and minor scales

2.  Get acquainted with the 7 different modes

3. Work with pentatonic scales

4. Use scales and modes within a solo

5. Improvise on scales and modes

In the earlier sections, yo learned how to create solos based on the notes of a sno’gs chods.

Playing only chord tones can be somewhat limiting and in the wrong hands, can result in solos that sound more or less like arp exercises.

If you were to open up yur improv, you need to go beyond this chord based approach to embrace entie scales.

Key to playing scaled based solos: know your sales.

All of them.

Backward and forward and inside out.

Know which scales to play against which chords.

This section provides an intro to basic scale theory — how to construct the most common scales and use these scales to create great sounding solos.

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Soloing on chords

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Need to:

1. understand basic chord theory

2. working with extended chords

3. play altered, altered bass, and compound chords

4. improvising on chords

Earlier, we learned about creating solos based on a song’s existing melody.

This type of soloing certainly requires creativity but it is not pure improvisation.

True Improvisation:

–you throw out the melody and compose an entirely new melodic line based on the song’s underlying chords

–it requires an incredible amount of skill to improvise in this manner as you need a thorough understanding of chords and scale theory

This section deals with this type of from the ground up improvisation, starting with chord-based improvisation.

All songs are composed of one or more chords, on top of which flows a melody.

The chords define the harmonic structure of the song.

It is this harmonic structure that forms the basis for your improvised solos.

CHORD THEORY:

— to improvise over ason’gs chord, you have to understand all there is to know about chords.

— need to know how chords are formed, what notes they contain, how to base a solo on those chord tones

–at its most basic: a chord is a series of 3 notes stacked one above the other, spaced at an interval of a third apart.

  • first note is called Root of the chord
  • middle note: either a major or a minor above the root — this is called the third
  • top note: a perfect 5th above the root

The basic form is called a TRIAD, cuz of those 3 notes.

Easiest way to envision this basic triad is to look at the white keys ona piano.

  • place your first finger on any white key
  • skip a key to the right
  • place your next finger on the third white key up from the fist key
  • skip another key to the right and place your 3rd finger on the 5th white key up

No matter where you started, you are now playing a chord.

Depending on the precise intervals between the 3 notes, you have 4 different types of chords:

–major

–minor

–diminished

–augmented

You need to learn all 4.

MAJOR CHORDS

a MAJOR chord is defined by themiddle note of the triad.

the middle note is a major 3rd above the root

C E G — root position

E G C — 1st inversion

G C E — 2nd inversion

An inversion is simply a different way to arrange the notes of a chord.

When the root of hte hcod is at the bottom, this is called the root inversion or root positoin.

In the 1st inversion, the 3rd is on the bottom and the root is on the top.

In the 2nd inversion, the 5th is at the bottom, with the root in the middle and the 3rd on the top.

It is imp for you to learn chords in each inversion so that you can vary the order of the  notes you play in a chord based solo.

1 – 3 – 5

The major hord is a very imp chord.

Chord based on the tonic, the 4th and the 5th tones of every major scale are all major chords.

Many rock songs use only major chords, typically I-IV  or  I -IV – V progression.

MINOR CHORDS

A minor chords is identical to a major chord except for the 3rd.

A minor chord — the middle note is a minor 3rd above the root.

Top note still perfect 5th above root.

I  b3  5

C minor chord:

C  Eb  G — Root

Eb G C — 1st inversion

G  C  Eb — 2nd inversion

the minor chord is almost as imp as the major chord.

Chords based on the 2nd, 3rd and 6th of every major scale are all minor chords.

You find minor chords in many common chord progressions including:

I ii  IV V

I vi IV  V

In these progressions, the minor chords are subsidiary chords with the song eventually resolving to a major chord. Obviously minor chords are more imp when playing in minor keys.

DIMINISHED CHORDS

A diminished chord is like a minor chord with a b5. The middle of the triad is a minor 3rd above the root while the the top notes is a m3 above that — a tritone above the root.

1  b3  b5

A tritone is a flatted 5th or raised 4th interval.

Using a C dim chord:

C  Eb  Gb  — Root

Eb Gb C  — Ist inversion

Gb  C  Eb — 2nd inversion

Diminished chords are not frequently used in popular music although they sometimes pop up in jazz tunes.

The chord based on the the 7th of the major scale is always a diminished chord.

AUGMENTED CHORDS

Our final type of triad is the augmented chord.

An augmented chord is like a major chord with a raised 5th.

The  middle note of the triad is a major 3rd above the root, while the top note is a major 3rd above that — an aug 5th above the root.

1 3 #5

Like the diminished chord, augmented chords are rarely used in popular music.

there is no scale tone in the major scale from which you can naturally build an augmented chord.

WORKING WITH EXTENDED CHORDS

If you are familiar with reading music, chords can be built with more than 3 notes.

When you get above the basic traid, the other notes you add to a chord are called EXTENSIONS.

The chords themselves are called EXTENDED chords.

Chord extensions are typically added in 3rds above the basic triad.

Triad is composed of Root, 3rd, 5th, the first extension to add is the 7th, then 9th, and 11th, 13th.

Extended chords sound more hamronically sophisticated than basic traids which is why many composers like to use them. They provide more notes for you to use in a chord-based solo.

Think about it.

If you are soloingon triads only, you only have 3 notes you can play.

If you are soloing on 7th chords — you have 4 notes to work with.

If you are soloing on  9ths — you ahve 5 notes you can use.

Tip:  While it is imp to eventually learn all these types of extended chords, if necessary, you can simplify the music and play a solo based on the basic triad of an extended chord.

SEVENTHS

The most common chord extension is the 7th.

It’s so common to be expected in most jazz tunes.

You create a 7th chord by adding another 3rd on top of the 5th of the basic triad:  1 3 5 7 structure — the equivalent of playing every other note in the scale.

4 Basic types of 7th chords:

  • major
  • minor
  • dominant
  • half-diminished

Major 7 & minor 7 — are sweet sounding

Dominant 7 and half-diminished 7th — have their own internal tension.

Dominant 7ths

–sometimes called the 7th chord

–takes a major triad and adds a minor 7th on top.

–1 3 5 b7

–the 5th tone of the scale is called the dominant tone, which is where the dom7th chord gets its name.

The dom7th chord is esp imp — frequently used — extension in both jazz and popular music.

When you build a 7th chord from a 5th tone of the major scale, that chord is always a dom 7.

Dom 7 chord — with its mix of major triad and m7 introduces tension to a song and helps lead the chord progression back to the tonic chord I.

Major 7ths

Maj 7th chord takes a standard major chord and adds a maj 7th on top of the existing triad.1 3 5 7

Minor 7ths

Min 7th chord takes a standard minor chord and adds a minor 7th on top of the existing 3 notes.

The 7th is actually a minor 3rd above the 5th of the chod.

1  b3  5  b7

Half diminished 7ths

–takes a dim chord and adds a m7 on top of the existing 3 notes.

–7th is actually a minor 3rd above the b5 of the chord.

— 1  b3  b5  b7

C half diminished 7 chord — Cm7 (b5)

When you add a 7th to the dim chord that falls on the 7h tone of the major scale, you always form a half-dim 7 chord.

Half dim 7 chords are seldom used in popular music but are often found in jazz.

Sixths

All chords are based on notes a third apart from each other but there is one exception to that rule: the 6th chord.

A 6th chord: basic triad with an extension added a major 2nd above the 5th of the chord — ie. a 6th above the root.

If you add a 6th to a maj chord, you have a maj 6 chord.

If you add a 6 to a minor chord, you have a min 6 chord.

The notes of maj 6 are: 1 3 5 6

min 6 — 1 b3 5 6

Ninths

A 9th chord adds another note a 3rd above the top note of the 7th chord.

–5 individual notes, each a third apart.

–you can have 9th  chords based on both major and minor triads with both a maj and min 7ths.

Maj 9th:  1 3 5 7 9

Min 9th:  1 b3 5 b7 9

Dom 9th: 1 3 5 b7 9


Elevenths

An 11th chord adds another note a 3rd above the 9th for 6 notes.

When you are adding an 11th to a major or dom chord, the 11th is almost always sharped #11, esp in jazz.

When you add an 11th to a minor chord, 11th is natural note of the underlying scale.

Major 11th — 1 3 5 7 9 #11

Minor 11th — 1 b3 5 b7 9 11

Dominant 11th — 1 3 5 b7 9 #11

C Maj 11 — C E G B D F#

C min 11 — C Eb G Bb D F

C11  —  C E G Bb D F#

Thirteenths

A 13th chord adds yet another note a 3rd above the 11th for 7 notes in total.

Major 13th:  1  3  5  7  9  #11 13

Minor 13th:  1  b3  5  b7  9  1 1  13

Dominant 13th:  1   3    5   b7   9   #11  13

C Maj 13:  C  E  G   B  D   F#  A

C min 13:  C  Eb  G   Bb  D  F  A

C 13:  C  E  G   Bb  D  F#  A

WORKING WITH ALTERED, ALTERED BASS AND COMPOUND CHORDS

Chords can not only be extended they can be altered in a number of ways.

Altered chords

It’s possible to use flas and sharps to artificially lower or raise any of the notes of a chod.

Chords modified in this fashion are called altered chords.

You find a lotof them in jazz.

Altered notes are typically indicated by a + (for a raised note) or a  b (for a lowered note).

Lowered notes are typically enclosed in parentheses.

Cm7 (b5) — this is altered chord in the form of the half – dim 7th

You can also alter a chord by adding or subtracting notes.

To add a note to a chord (typically an extension several notes above the basic traid) the added note is included within parentheses, accompanied by the word ‘add’.

For eg. to add a 9 to a basic C minor chord — Cm(add9)

To subtract a note from a chord (that is, to not play a particular note), the unwanted note is preceded by a minus sign (-).

For eg. C7-5 :  you play a C7 chord but don’t play the 5th


Altered Bass Chords

Don’t confuse altered chords with altered bass chords.

In an altered bass chord, all notes of the chords are as normal but the chord is played over a different bass note. This is typically indicated by the chord followed by a slash followed by the bass note.

For eg. to indicate a C7 chord with an F in the bass –>  C7/F

Compound chords

There’s the concept of the compound chord.

A compound chord is actually 2 chords combined, played one on top of the other.

compound chords are notated like a fraction with the higher chord on top and the lower chord on bottom.

For eg. F Maj 7 chord on top of a C Maj chord:  FM7/C

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Music Terms Appendix

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Intervals

  • an interval consists of 2 notes that an occur successively ( a melodic interval) or simultaneously (a harmonic interval)
  • names for intervals consist of 2 parts: a prefix such as perfect, major, minor, augmented or diminished followed by a number indicating the distance between the 2 notes. If that number is less than 8, the interval is called a simple interval. If the number is 8 or more, the interval is a compound interval.
  • simple intervals have compound equivalents. For eg. a 2nd plus an octave is called a 9th; a 4th plus an octave is called an 11th and a 6th plus an octave is called a 13th.
  • in major scale, the intervals from the tonic to the 4th, 5th, octave or their compound equivalents are referred to as perfect; they are diminished when contracted a half step and augmented when expanded a half step.
  • the intervals from tonic to the 2nd, rd, 6th, 7th and their compound equivalents are called major.
  • they are called minor when contracted 1/2 step, diminished when contracted a whole step and augmented when expanded a half step.
  • when intervals have he same number of half steps but are spelled differently, they are referred to as enharmonic.
  • develop your ability to recognize these intervals by playing them on the piano.

Modes of major scale:

  • C major
  • D dorian
  • E phrygian
  • F lydian
  • G mixolydian
  • A aeolian
  • B locrian

Modes in melodic minor scale

  • C melodic minor
  • D dorian b2
  • E lydian augmented
  • F lydian Dominant
  • G Hindu
  • A locrian #2
  • B altered

Diatonic 7th chrods in Major keys

  • chords are formed from scales by stacking in 3rds on each scale degree, every other note in the scale
  • chords that are derived from the same parent scale are called diatonic chords
  • in any major scale, the chords built on the first and forth scale degress (notated as IM7 and IVM7 ) will always be major 7th chord
  • the chords built on the 2nd, 3rd, 6th scale degrees — ii7 iii7 vi7 are minor 7th chords
  • the chords built on the 5th scale degree (V7) will be a domianant 7th chord
  • the chord built on the 7th scale degree will be called half-diminished.

Diatonic 7th chords in minor keys

  • the pirmary diatoic 7ths chords are derived from either the natural minor or aeolian scale
  • i7  ii half dim 7,  IIIM7,  iv7,  VIM7
  • or the harmonic minor scale (the V7, vii half dim 7 chos)
  • on rare occasions, the v7 and bVII7 chords from natural minor, the iM7 from harmonic minor and the IV7 and #vi half dim 7 from melodic minor may also be used.

Cm7  — D half dim 7 — EbM7 —  Fm7 —  G7  — AbM7 —  B dim 7

i7        iihalf dim7            IIIM7      iv7         V7       VIM7       vii dim 7

Chords and their relationship to scales

Below is a list of all chords commonly encountered in jazz improv.  After the chord name is the name of the scale or scales that maybe used in improvising over the chord

1.  Major 7th, major 6th,  major 9th

  • scales: major, lydian, major pentatonic, major pentatonic a perfect 5th above the root

2.  Major 7thb5; M7#11,  M13#11

  • lydian, major pentatonic a major 2nd above the root

3.  M7#5

  • lydian augmented

4.  m6, m13

  • dorian, minor pentatnoic a major 2nd above the root, mino/added 6th pentatonic

5. minor 7th, minor 9, minor 11

  • dorian, aeolian, minor pentatonic, minor pentatonic a perfect 5th above the root, minor/added6th pentatnoic

6.  minor (major 7)

  • harmonic minor, ascending melodic minor

7. minor 7b5; half dim 7

  • locrian, minor pentatonic a perfect 5th above root, minor pentatonic a major 2nd below root, locrian #2, minor/added 6th pentatonic a minor 3rd above the root

8. m9b5; half dim 9

  • locrian #2, minor/added 6th pentatonic a minor 3rd above the root

9.  dom 7, dom 9

  • mixolydian, major pentatonic, dominant pentatonic

10. dom 9b5

  • whole tone, lydian dominant

11. dom 9#5

  • whole tone

12. Dom 7th#9; dom 7b9

  • inverted dim, altered

13. dom 7#9b5

  • inverted dim, altered, major pentatonic an augmented 4th above the root

14. dom 7#9#5; dom 7 b9#5

  • altered major pentatonic an augmented 4th above the root

15.  dim 7th

  • diminished

Upper structure or slash chords

formed by placing a chod above a bass note that does not belong to the chord or by placing one chord over another with a diffeent root

the upper chord is placed to the left of a slash, the bass note or lower chod to the right

these slash chords are also viewed as altered chords or chords with extensions

eg. A/F  — A triad over F bass  — same as FM7#5

eg. B/F7 — B traid over an F7 is equivalent F7b9b5

Improviser should learn to recvognize both ways of spelling chords.

Keyboard and guitar players tend to think in terms of slash chords

horn players prefer to see a single chord with extensions or alterations

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Pentatonic scales

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Pentatonic scales contain exactly 5 notes, exclusive of the octave.

Pentatonic scales are commonly used in music from Africa and Asia.

Pentatonic scales commonly used in jazz are the major and minor pentatonic scales:

C major pentatonic scale: C D E G A C

A minor pentatonic scale: A C D E G A

Major and minor pentatonic belong to the same modal family with the minor pentatonic scale containingthe same notes as the major pentatnoic scale a minor 3rd above.

Major pentatonic scale — also known as the diatonic pentatonic scale, consists of the ascending pattern:  W W m3 W m3

It may also be thought of as a major scal with the 4th and 7th notes omitted.

Major pentatonic scales may also be used over maj7 and dom7 chords.

For maj 7th chords, there are 3 options:

1.  the major pentatonic scale built on the root of the chord

C D  E G A C

2. the major pentatonic scale built on the 5th of the chord

G A B D E G

3. the major pentatonic scale built on the 9th of the chod

D E F# (+11) A B D

— The first choice contains the smallest number of chord extensions, the latter choice the greatest, including the #11 of the chord.

When using the pentatonic scale over unaltered dom 7th chords, the major pentatonic scale built on the root of the chord is the best choice.

When improvising o dom chords with altered 5ths and 9ths, the major pentatonic scale a tritone (dim 5th) away from the root of the chord works best.

This option contains alterations of both the 5ths and the 9th:

C7 — C D E G A C

C7+9+5 —  Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb

MAJOR pentatonic scales also maybe used when improvising over ii-V-I progressions.

If the V chord is unaltered, the major pentatonic built on the root of the I chord or the V chord may be used over all 3 chords in the progression:

Dm7  G7  CM7

Dm7 – C D E G A C

G7 – C D E G A C

CM7 – C D E G A C

Dm7 G7 CM7

Dm7 — G A B D E G

G7   —   G A B D E G

CM7 –  G A B D E G

If the dominant chord is altered,t he major pentatonic scale a tritone away from the root of the dominant chord should be used over the V chord:

Dm7  — C D E G A C

G7 +9+5 —  Db  Eb  F  Ab  Bb  Db

CM7 — C D E G A C

Dm7 — G A B D E G

G7 +0+5 — Eb Eb F Ab Bb Db

CM7 — G A B D E G

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Harmonic and melodic minor scales, minor(major7th) chords

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Harmonic minor scale consists of ascending pattern:

WHWWH Aug2nd, H

The interval of the aug2nd between the 6th and 7th notes give this scale its characteristic exotic color.

C D Eb F G Ab B C

This scale is th first mode in the family of 7 modes, of which only the 5th, the spanish phrygian is commonluy used in jazz improvisation.

The notes in the harmonic minor scale maybe used whenimprovisnig over minor traids, minor (maj 7) chords, and minor 9 (major 7) chords.

Cm = C Eb G

Cm(Maj7) = C Eb G B

Cm9(Maj7) = C Eb G B D

The minor (major 7) chords consists of a minor traid with a major 7th added.

Adding a maj 9th to this chord creates a min 9 (maj 7) chord.

Typically, mino chords with a maj 7ths function as i or tonic chords in a minor key.

The 2nd and 7th notes in the harmonic minor sale are rich color tones when used over a minor chord.

The b6 is best used as a passing or neighbour tone to the 5th.

Melodic minor scale

The melodic minor has a different sequence of notes when ascending than when descending.

Ascending vesion also known as the jazzmelodic minor scale consists of the pattern:

WHWWWWH

C D Eb F G A B C

Melodic minor in ascending version

The scale is the first mode int he family that includes the dorian b2, lydian augmented, lydian dominant, Hindu or misolycian b13, locrian #2 and altered scaled.

You may think of the melodic minor scale as a dorian scale wth a major 7th or as a major scale with a minor 3rd.

Like the harmonic minor scale, this scale may also be used when improvising on minor triads, minor (major 7) chords and minor 9 (major 7) chords.

All the notes in the scale work well over these chords, with the 2nd, 6th and 7th degrees having the riches color.

Many players utilize the melodic tension created by the tritone that occus between the minor 3rd and the major 6th.

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