Theory2

FromFundamentalsofJazzImprovisation:WhatEverybodyThinksYouAlreadyKnow

Dr.MarkWatkins

DirectorofJazzStudiesBrighamYoungUniversity–Idaho

©2010byMarkWatkinsMaterials herein are provided for personal use. No part may be reproduced without

written permission from the author.

ModalBorrowing

Someofthe“alteredchords”usedinjazzwhileinbothmajorandminormodesarederivedfrommodalborrowing.Thisconceptinvolvestheuseofchordqualitiesindicativeofonemodewhileinanother.Forexample,thedominantchordinmajor(G7inthekeyCmajor)naturallycontainstheleadingtoneB‐natural).Thistoneisnecessaryforthedominant’sactivequalityanditsfunctiontoresolvetotonic.Intheminormodedominantdoesnotcontaintheleadingtone(B‐flatratherthanB‐naturalinthekeyofCminor).Inminor,theleadingtoneisborrowedfrommajorinorderforthedominanttofunction.Inothersituations,chordqualitiesareborrowednotforthenecessityoffunctionbutforthequalityofsound.Thehalf‐diminishedsoundisviiøinmajorbutiiøinminor.The9thinthemajormodeismajorwhilethe9thinminorisminor.Thus,theiiV7progressioninmajorisminor/minor(ii7)andmajor/minor(V7)whileinminorthenaturalqualitiesarehalf‐diminished(iiø)andmajor/minorflat‐9(giventheborrowedleadingtoneasexplainedabove).Ifoneisinthemajormode,thequalitiesnormaltominorcanbeborrowedcreatingan“altered”progression:iiøV7(flat‐9)I.Becausehalf‐diminishedisafunctionofviiøinmajor,itisoftenwrittenasminor7flat‐5toshowafunctionofsupertonic(ii).Theexamplesbelowdemonstrate.MajorModeChordFunctions

MinorModeChordFunctions

iiV7IinMajorQualitiesthatoccurnormallyfromkeysignatureare:ii=minor/minor7,major9;V=major/major7,major9;I=major/major7,major9.

iiøV7(b9)iinMinor

Qualitiesthatoccurnormallyfromthekeysignatureare:ii=half‐diminished7,minor9;V=minor/minor7,minor9;i=minor/minor7,major9.Theminor9onsupertonicisnotcommon.Useofthehalf‐diminishedwithoutthe9thoruseofthemajor9borrowedfromthemajormodeispreferred.Thedominantchordwithoutalterationdoesnotcontaintheleadingtone.Useofthemajor3rd(leadingtone)borrowedfromthemajormodeisconsiderednormaltotheminormode.Tonicsometimescontainsamajor7thinlieuoftheminor7thbutnotacommonassumption.

Minor(MajorBorrowing)

Major(MinorBorrowing)

MinoriiøV7(b9)i#1:blanketing

Theharmonicminorscalebsedontoniccanbeusedonallchordsoftheprogression.Modeterminologycanbeappliedwhenscalechoicesstartondifferentdegreesthantonic.Forexample,whenoneplaystheharmonicminorscalestartingonthesecondscaledegreeitisreferredtoasthe2ndmodeoftheharmonicminor.ThisappliestosupertonicintheiiøV7(flat‐9)iprogression.Likewise,the5thmodeoftheharmonicminorappliestoV7(flat‐9).Theharmonicminorstartingontonicincludesthemajor7thandcanbesuperimposedonimelodically,usuallyinpassing,eveniftheminor7this7thinthechord(harmonyinstrumentswillnotplayboth).

MinoriiøV7(b9)i#2:scalespecific

Notechoicesmorespecifictothechordsincludelocrianandlocriansharp‐2oniiø,diminished½‐step1st(octatonic)onV7(flat‐9),anddorianorharmonicminoronidependingonwhich7thisintheharmony.Locrianincludestheminor9th,whichworkswellmelodicallybutisn’toftensustained.Locriansharp‐2workswellwhenthemajor9thisincludedwiththeiiøandoftenwheniiøisborrowedinamajorkey.Theminor9thofiiøisthesamepitchastheminor3rdoftonicwhenintheminormode.Themajor9ofiiøisthesamepitchasthemajor3rdoftonicwheninthemajormode.Thediminishedscaleisasequenceofwholestepsandhalfsteps.Iftonicisfollowedbyahalf‐stepratherthanawholestep,theflat‐9isplayedfollowedbysharp‐9,major3,sharp‐11,theperfect5th,major6,andminor7.Harmonicminorcanbeplayedmelodicallyoneitherminor/major7orminor/minor7.Dorianisusedwheniisminor/minor7.Locrian,locriansharp‐2,anddiminished½‐step1st(octatonic)willbeexplainedinmoredetailintheirrespectivesectionsofthistext.

MajoriiøV7(b9)I

MoreModes

Major,dorian,andmixolydianmodeshavebeenexaminedabove.Therearemanyadditionalchordqualitiesusedinjazzimprovisation.Othermodesofthemajorscale,modesoftheharmonicminor,andmodesoftheascendingminorhelpusfindpitchcollectionsthatrepresentspecificalteredsounds.Modesdonotalwaysrepresentchordqualitiesinadirectlylogicalmanner.Theiridentificationhelpsusproceedfromthefamiliartotheunfamiliar.Forinstance,ifonehaslearnedpatternsanddevelopedmusclememorywithmajorscales,thesamepatternsandmusclememoryfacilitatedorianandmixolydianorminoranddominant.Oneworksforthree.Thesameistrueformodes(scales)basedonotherfoundationalscaletypes.Asintheexamplesillustratedformajor,dorian,andmixolydian,thefollowingmodescanbetransposedtoanykey.LydianandLocrianLydianandLocrianaremodesofthemajorscale.AsintheDorianandMixoluydianscalespreviouslystudied,tertianharmoniesbuiltonthescaledegreesofthemajorscalegeneratedifferentchordqualitiesandscalesstartingonthescaledegrees,proceedingstepwise,generatevariousmodes(scales).

Thechordbuiltonthefourthscaledegree,whenextendedbeyondthe7th,ismajorsharp‐11.ThemodeislabeledLydian.

Thechordbuiltontheseventhscaledegreeofamajorscaleishalf‐diminished.Themode/scalestepwisefromseventhtoseventhisLocrian.

HarmonicMinorSimilartotheuseofdorianandmixolydianinamajoriiV7I,the2ndand5thmodesofharmonicminorcanbeusedonaminoriiøV7(flat‐9)Iprogression.

HarmonicMinor,possibleuseonminortonic:

2ndModeoftheHarmonicMinor,possibleuseonsupertonic(iiø):

5thModeoftheHarmonicMinor,possibleuseondominant,V7(b9):

AscendingMelodicMinorSeveralmodesoftheascendingmelodicminorareusefulinrealizingalteredchords.

AscendingMelodicMinor,possibleuseonminortonic(i):

4thMode,LydianDominant,useondominantsharp‐11,V7(#11):

6thMode,LocrianSharp‐2,useonhalf‐diminishedmajor9,iiø(∆9):

7thMode,SuperLocrian,DiminishedWhole‐Tone,orTheAlteredScale,useondominantchordswithanycombinationofaltered5thsand9ths:Enharmonicspelling,pitchesbasedonmode:

Theoreticalspelling,basedonchordtones:

WorksheetPacket#7:HarmonicMinor

Historically,thisscaleisderivedfromharmonicusageratherthanmelodic,primarilytheadditionoftheleadingtonetodominantchordsintheminormode.ComposersintheBaroqueandClassiceraspreferredtonotuseaugmented2ndintervalssuchasfoundbetweenthe6thand7thintheHarmonicMinorScale.However,thisintervaliswhatmakestheHarmonicMinorScalesointerestingtomodernears.Whenusedonaminortonicchord,theleadingtoneisalsoaninterestingcolorandisusedinthechordorasamelodicpitchevenwhentheminor7thisintheharmony.

HarmonicMinorcanbeappliedtoaminoriiøV7(flat‐9),i(∆7)progression.TheHarmonicMinoroftonicisplacedonallthreechords.Tobemostaccurate,the2ndmodematchesiiøandthe5thmodematchesV7(flat‐9).

ScaleWriteallscalesuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ModesWritescalesstartingonthedegreeappropriatetothechord.AscendingoniiøandV7(flat‐9).Ascendinganddescendingontonic.

ChordsAppropriatechordandarpeggioswillbecoveredinanothersection.PatternsApatternexercisewillberequiredinasubsequentsection.

HarmonicMinor

Example:

ModesofHarmonicMinor

Example:

WorksheetPacket#8:Half‐diminishedLocrian(7thmodeofMajor)/2ndmodeofNaturalMinorandLocrianSharp‐2(6thmodeof

AscendingMelodicMinor)Therearetwophilosophiesinregardstothehalf‐diminishedchordinjazz.1. Useoftheøsymbolforfunctionofviiinmajor;useofiimin7(flat­5)forfunctionofsupertonic.Thenaturalchordqualityofviiinthemajormodeishalf‐diminished.Thischord(viiø)canbeusedasasubstituteforV7(dominant).Half‐diminishedchordsmayalsofunctionassupertonicinanalterediiV7Iprogression.Inordertoavoidconfusion,theøsymbolisusedwhenfunctioningasdominantandthemin7(flat­5)symbolusedwhenfunctioningassupertonic.Inessence,half‐diminishedisviiandnaturaltomajorwhilethesupertoniciiisanalteredminor.TheideaisforviiøtosignalaV7Isituationandiimin7(flat­5)tosignalaiiV7Isituation.2. Useoftheøsymbolforfunctionofiiinmajorasborrowedfromminor;useofviiºwhenvii

substitutingforV7.Thenaturalchordqualityofiiintheminormodeishalf‐diminished(ø).WhenviiøisusedasasubstituteforV7itisalmostalwaysalteredtobecomefullydiminishedviiº.UseofviiøinaV7functionisweakandquiterare.Thediminishedsymbol(º)signalsaV7Isituationwhilethehalf‐diminishedsymbol(ø)signalsanalteredor,rather,borrowedfromtheminormodeiiV7Isituation.LocrianandLocrianSharp‐2containaminor3rd,diminished5th,andminor7th.Thescalesareidenticalexceptforthe9th.Locrianincludesaminor9thandLocrianSharp‐2amajor9th.Tosome,thesoundoftheflat‐9onhalf‐diminishedchordsisnotdesirable.Evenso,theflat‐9intheLocrianscaleworkswellmelodically.Locrianisthe7thmodeoftheMajorScale.

Locrianisthetraditionalterminologyandmeansforidentifyingthehalf‐diminishedchord/scalerelationship.However,thereanothermeans.Half‐diminishedisusedinjazzasafunctionofsupertonic:iimin7(flat­5)oriiø.Thisisthenormalqualityofsupertonicintheminormode.Whenusedinmajor,thequalityisbeingborrowedfromminor;inthiswayofthinkingitisnotanalteredsupertonicnorisitsderivationfromthe7thscaledegree(half‐diminishedinmajor=Locrianmode).Therefore,ifonethinkssupertonic(secondscaledegree)andappliestheminorkeysignatureoftonic,alltherightnotesfallintoplace.Inotherwords,ratherthanthinkingLocrian,whichbelongstomajor,think2ndmodeofNaturalMinor.

Amajor9thonahalf‐diminishedchordisaninterestingtonecolorandnotuncommon.Themajor9thintheLocrianSharp‐2Scalefitsthischordandcanbesustained.LocrianSharp‐2isthe6thmodeofAscendingMelodicMinor.Inanalterediimin7(flat­5)V7altIprogression,themajor9thofalterediimin7(flat­5)isthesamechordtoneasthemajor3ofI.ThiscanbeaunifyingoptionwhenborrowingoralteringtheiiV7inmajor.

ScaleWriteallscalesuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ArpeggioWriteallarpeggiosuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ChordsTwochordconsiderationsareapplied.Inminorkeys,half‐diminishedwithoutthe9thiscommon.Inmodalborrowingcontextswheretonicismajor,themajor9thworkswellonthehalf‐diminishedchord.Writechordvoicingsasintheexamplegiven.KeepvoicingscenteredaroundmiddleC.Playallchordsonthepiano,listen,becomefamiliarwiththesoundofthejazzvoicing.Playthecompanionscaleandarpeggio.PatternsNopatternsareincludedforthisconcept.

Scale:Locrian(7thmodeofMajor)

Example:

Arpeggio

Example:

Chord:7th(no9th)

Example:

Scale:LocrianSharp‐2(6thmodeAscendingMelodicMinor)

Example:

Arpeggio:Half‐diminishedMajor9

Example:

Chord:Half‐diminishedMajor9th

Example:

WorksheetPacket#9:DominantFlat‐9

DominantFlat‐9chordsareanaturalproductoftheminormode.InDminorthekeysignaturehasoneflat.Ifonestacksthirdsstartingonthe5thscaledegree(A)thetonesareA,C‐sharp,E,G,andB‐flat.(Remember,the3rdofadominantchordalwayscontainstheleadingtonewhetheritisintheminorormajormode.)Noticethatthe9thisflattedwhencomparedtothe9thinthemajormode.

AscalethatrepresentsthesoundoftheDominantFlat‐9chordistheDiminishedScalestartingwitha½‐stepinsteadofawhole(aswouldbecorrectforadiminishedchord).Thiscreatesaneight‐notescale.BartoklabeledthisastheOctatonicScale.ItismostcommonlycalledtheDiminishedScale(1/2‐steporwholestep1st)becauseeveryothernote,nomatterwhichpitchonestartson,makesadiminished7chord.

Thisscaleissuccessfulindepictingthesoundofbothflat‐9andsharp‐9chordswithnoalterationsofthe5th.Thereisalsoasharp‐11.Thisisnottheflat‐5duetothefactthatthescaleincludestheperfect5th.

ThereareatleastfourreasonsfortheprevalenceoftheV7(b9)chord/scaleinjazzimprovisation:

1. Itsounds‘cool.”FormorethanhalfacenturyjazzmusicianshavebeenimprovisingwiththeDiminished(½‐setp1st)orOctatonicscale.Nomattertheorderofnotes,whenplayedinajazzstylethisscalecontinuestosoundcontemporary.

2. Thereareonlythreetranspositionsofthescale,makingonescalesuccessfulinfourkeys.3. Itisasymmetricalscale.Symmetricalscaleslendthemselvestopatternwork.4. TheDiminishedscalecanbeusedonatleastthreechordqualities:dominantflat‐9,

dominantsharp‐9,anddiminished.ScaleWriteallscalesuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.

ArpeggioWriteallarpeggiosuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ChordsWritechordvoicingsasintheexamplegiven.KeepvoicingscenteredaroundmiddleC.Playallchordsonthepiano,listen,becomefamiliarwiththesoundofthejazzvoicing.Playthecompanionscale,arpeggio,andpattern.PatternsSeveralexamplesaregivenwiththechordmostappropriatetothepatternincluded.Findtwopatternsthatarespecifictothequality(major).Sourcesmightincludeatranscription,a

jazzimprovisationtextbook,Aebersoldplay‐a‐longseries,abookonjazzpatternssuchasJerryCoker’sPatternforJazz,areputableprofessional(i.e.AaronMiller,RyanNielsen,MarkWatkins,JayLawrence,KeithPhillips,JustinNielsen,oravisitingguest).

Includetheappropriatechordsymbolandpatternsource.Addpatternstothelogtoincreasevocabulary.

ScaleExample:

Arpeggio

Example:

Chord

Patterns(treble)

Examples:

Patterns(bass)

Examples:

WorksheetPacket#10:AlteredDominantTheAlteredScaleisalsoknownastheSuperlocrianScaleandtheDiminishedWholeToneScale.

ThetermSuperlocriancomesfromitsplacementasthe7thmodeoftheAscendingMelodicMinorScale.TheLocrianScaleisthe7thmodeofmajorthusthe“super”distinguisher.NoticethattheAlteredScaleandtheSuperlocrianscalecarrythesamepitchesenharmonically.

DiminishedWhole‐toneterminologycomesfromthescale’scombinationofDiminishedScale(1/2‐step1stversion)andWhole‐toneScaleproperties.Thefirstpartofthescaleproceeds:half‐step,whole‐step,half,wholetotheflat‐5(sharp‐11).DiminishedScale½‐step1st:

Whole‐toneScale:

Thenextpartoverlapsstartingonthe3rdandproceedsbywhole‐steptotheoctave.Alterationsofboththe9thandthe5thareincluded.

ScaleWriteallscalesuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ArpeggioWriteallarpeggiosuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ChordsWritechordvoicingsasintheexamplegiven.KeepvoicingscenteredaroundmiddleC.Playallchordsonthepiano,listen,becomefamiliarwiththesoundofthejazzvoicing.Playthecompanionscale,arpeggio,andpattern.

ScaleExample:

Arpeggio

Example:

Chord

WorksheetPacket#11:iiøV7(b9)i(∆7)

ReviewthechapteronModalBorrowingbeforeproceedingthroughthefollowingexercises.ChordProgressionsWritechordvoicingsasintheexamplegiven.KeepvoicingscenteredaroundmiddleC.Playallchordsonthepiano,listen,becomefamiliarwiththesoundofthejazzvoicing.PatternCreationFivealteredprogressionsareindicated.Determinewhichmode/scalebestfitsthechord.Composeamelody/improvisations/pattern.

ProgressionExample:

PatternCreation

Exercise1:

Exercise2:

Exercise3:

Exercise4:

Exercise5:

WorksheetPacket#12:Diminished

TheDiminishedScaleisasymmetricalscaleoflimitedtransposition.Itproceedswhole‐step(W),half‐step(H),W,H,W,H,etc.

Thisconfigurationcanonlybetransposedthreetimes;thereareonlythreeDiminishedScales.Whenonestartsonanyofthediminishedchordtones(one,flat‐3,flat‐5,diminished7),itcanbeappliedtothatkey.Forexample,adiminishedchordonDis:D,F,A‐flat,C‐flat.ThescalesonDis:D,E,F,G,A‐flat,B‐flat,C‐flat,C‐sharp,andD.

OnecanstartonFandproceed:F,G,A‐flat,B‐flat,C‐flat,C‐sharp,D,E,andFappliedtoanFdiminishedchord(F,A‐flat,C‐flat,E‐doubleflat).

Thepitchesofthescalearethesame.ThisappliestoA‐flatandC‐flat(B)diminishedchordsaswell.

Thus,theD,F,A‐flat,andC‐flat(B)DiminishedScalesconstituteoneofthethreeDiminishedScales.ThesameprocessappliestoC,E‐flat,G‐flat,andB‐doubleflat(A)asagroupsharingoneDiminishedScaleandtoE,G,B‐flat,andD‐flat(C‐sharp).Extensionsondiminishedchordscanbeachievedbyaddinganynotethatisawhole‐stepaboveachordtone.Thesetoneswillcreatecolorwithoutunduedissonance.

Everyothernoteisaleadingtonetoachordtoneprovidingforwardmotion.

ScaleWriteallscalesuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ArpeggioWriteallarpeggiosuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ChordsWritechordvoicingsasintheexamplegiven.KeepvoicingscenteredaroundmiddleC.Playallchordsonthepiano,listen,becomefamiliarwiththesoundofthejazzvoicing.Playthecompanionscale,arpeggio,andpattern.PatternsNopatternexercisesaregivenduetothefactthattheyarethesameasthepatternsappliedtotheDominantAltered9worksheets.

ScaleExample:

Arpeggio

Example:

Chord

WorksheetPacket#13:DominantAltered5th

Oneofthemostcommonscalesassociatedwithalterationsofthe5thondominantchordsistheWhole‐tonescale.Thisincludesflat‐5andflat‐9withnoalterationofthe9th.

TheWhole‐tonescaleisasymmetricalscalewithlimitedtransposition;meaning,thereareonlytwoWhole‐tonescales.Duetoitsdivisionintomajorsecondswithnohalf‐stepsoraugmentedintervals,thereisnostrongpullormotiontoanyparticularnote.Thefollowingexampleshowstheflat‐5andsharp‐5chordsbasedoneachscaledegreeofaWhole‐toneScale.Therelatedscalefollowsthechordsandiswrittenwiththetheoreticallycorrectspelling.TherearesixscaleexamplesrepresentingasingleWhole‐tonescalestartingoneachofitssixscaledegrees.

Thesamecanbedoneforthe“other”Whole‐tonescalestartingonC‐sharp,E‐flat,F,G,A,andB.ScaleWriteallscalesuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ArpeggioArpeggiosinthisexercisearealldominantsharp‐5.Dominantflat‐5couldhavebeenappliedtodemonstratetheprinciple.Writeallarpeggiosuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.

ChordsChordsinthisexercisearealldominantsharp‐5.Dominantflat‐5couldhavebeenappliedtodemonstratetheprinciple.Writechordvoicingsasintheexamplegiven.KeepvoicingscenteredaroundmiddleC.Playallchordsonthepiano,listen,becomefamiliarwiththesoundofthejazzvoicing.Playthecompanionscale,arpeggio,andpattern.PatternsSeveralexamplesaregivenwiththechordmostappropriatetothepatternincluded.Findtwopatternsthatarespecifictothequality(major).Sourcesmightincludeatranscription,

ajazzimprovisationtextbook,Aebersoldplay‐a‐longseries,abookonjazzpatternssuchasJerryCoker’sPatternforJazz,areputableprofessional(i.e.AaronMiller,RyanNielsen,MarkWatkins,JayLawrence,KeithPhillips,JustinNielsen,oravisitingguest).

Includetheappropriatechordsymbolandpatternsource.Addpatternstothelogtoincreasevocabulary.

Scale:WholeToneExample:

Arpeggio

Example:

Chord

Patterns(treble)

Examples:

Patterns(bass)

Examples:

WorksheetPacket#14:Sharp‐11Concepts

LydianandLydianDominantaremodenamesforscalesthatapplytoshar‐11chords,majoranddominantrespectively.Lydianisthe4thmodeoftheMajorScale;thatis,thekeysignatureoftonicbutstartingonthe4thnoteofthescale.Forexample,GLydianusesthesamekeysignatureasDmajor.OnecanalsoconsidertheLydianscaleasmajorwitharaised4th.

LydianDominantisthe4thmodeoftheascendingmelodicminorscale.AscendingMelodicMinorinGisG,A,B‐flat,C,D,E,F‐sharp,G.The4thmodeinthiskeystartsonCandproceedsC,D,E,F‐sharp,G,A,B,C:samepitches.OnecanalsoconsidertheLydianDominantscaleasdominant(myxolydian)witharaised4th.

ScaleWriteallscalesuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ArpeggioWriteallarpeggiosuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ChordsWritechordvoicingsasintheexamplegiven.KeepvoicingscenteredaroundmiddleC.Playallchordsonthepiano,listen,becomefamiliarwiththesoundofthejazzvoicing.Playthecompanionscale,arpeggio,andpattern.

Scale:Lydian4thmodeofMajor

Example:

Arpeggio:MajorSharp‐11

Example:

Chord:MajorSharp‐11

Scale:LydianDominant4thmodeofAscendingMelodicMinor

Examples:

Arpeggio:DominantSharp‐11

Examples:

Chord:DominantSharp‐11

WorksheetPacket#15:Pentatonics

Pentatonicshavebeenusedinmuchofthefolkmusicoftheworldforcenturies.Theyaregroupsofanyfivedifferentpitches.InWesternartmusictwotypeshavebecomecommon.TheMajorPentatonicscaleiscomprisedofscaledegrees12356oftheMajorScale.

MinorPentatoniccanbefoundbyoneoftwoways.Itisrelatedtomajorsimilarlytorelativeminor.Frommajor,usescaledegrees61235inthatorder.Forexample,CMajorPentatonicisCDEGA.MinorPentatonicisACDEG.

Thesecondwaytodetermineminorpentatonicisthroughalterationofthemajorscale,asfollows:1,flat‐3,4,5,flat‐7.

TheMinorPentatonicwithanaddedflat‐5constitutestheBluesScale.

TheMajorPentatonicwithanaddedflat‐3isalsoaBluesScale(i.e.CMajorPentatonicwithanaddedflat‐3isC,D,E‐flat,E‐natural,G,A).Thisisthesameas“the”BluesScalestartingonthe6thscaledegreeoftonic.

MajorPentatonicandthevariousbluesscalescanbeusedonanydominantchord.MinorPentatoniccanbeusedonanyminorchord.

TheMinorPentatonicworksonasus4chordifonestartsonthe5thscaledegree.Forexample,onCsus4startonGandplaytheGMinorPentatonic.ThisisthesameasplayingtheMajorPentatonicstartingontheminor7th.Thepitchesofthesetwopentatonicscalesarethesameasthechordtonesofa9sus4chord.

Thepentatonicscale’sstrongmelodicsoundcreatesamomentumthatsometimesallowstheimprovisertoblanketlinesovervaryingchordsequences.ScaleWriteallscalesuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ArpeggioWriteallarpeggiosuptothe9thanddown.Donotusekeysignatures.Includeaccidentalsascendinganddescending.ChordsWritechordvoicingsasintheexamplegiven.KeepvoicingscenteredaroundmiddleC.Playallchordsonthepiano,listen,becomefamiliarwiththesoundofthejazzvoicing.Playthecompanionscale,arpeggio,andpattern.PatternsSeveralexamplesaregivenwiththechordmostappropriatetothepatternincluded.Findtwopatternsthatarespecifictothequality(major).Sourcesmightincludeatranscription,

ajazzimprovisationtextbook,Aebersoldplay‐a‐longseries,abookonjazzpatternssuchasJerryCoker’sPatternforJazz,areputableprofessional(i.e.AaronMiller,RyanNielsen,MarkWatkins,JayLawrence,KeithPhillips,JustinNielsen,oravisitingguest).

Includetheappropriatechordsymbolandpatternsource.Addpatternstothelogtoincreasevocabulary.

Scale:MajorPentatonicExample:

Scale:MinorPentatonic

Example:

Sus4Chord

Patterns(treble)

Examples:

Patterns(bass)

Examples: