bobbysternjazz.com
  • Home Plate
  • Blog: B Natural
    • Blog Post Archive
  • Bobby Who?
  • RadioB.Tube
  • Slick Licks! & More

B. There! - "Invitation" - The Last Eight

10/29/2014

0 Comments

 

B. There! - "Invitation" - The Last Eight

Picture
Here's another in a series of "Last Eight" (or "Last Four") groups of etudes; designed to zero in on a certain section of a particular tune, where the chord / scale choices and their connectivity might be somewhat ambiguous, and might in general, might make you say "Huh?!"

This time, we'll take a look at the well known and oft played standard "Invitation", by Bronislau Kaper, the Polish born film composer who also wrote "On Green Dolphin Street'.

At the very end of last year, I posted an etude based on the complete set of changes of "Invitation" (here), for what it's worth.

The last eight measures (and especially the last four) of "Invitation" used to make me scratch my head (I'm sure it wasn't dandruff, or worse), before I knew how to recognize and handle Melodic Minor chord / scale relationships in these situations.

And if you didn't already realize it "Invitation" is a Melodic Minor lover's dream!

So, approaching it from an MM point of view, we can cover the last eight bars of "Invitation" with but four Melodic Minor scales.

Here they are, chord by chord (in concert key):

Eb min
= Eb Melodic Minor (Eb-F-Gb-Ab-Bb-C-D). Eb Dorian (change the D to a Db) is also a choice here.

B7#11 = F# Melodic Minor (F#-G#-A-B-C#-D#-F). The common way of thinking of this scale would be from the root of the chord "B", and you would call it "B Lydian Dominant", the 4th mode of F# Melodic Minor.

However, I find it to be much less confusing to simply think of it in terms of its parent Melodic Minor scale. Since Melodic Minor has no "avoid notes"
, you are free to start the scale anywhere, regardless of its root, and it therefore doesn't necessitate thinking of the names and notes of a million modes. You just be conscious of the Melodic Minor "key" you are in.

F7alt =
F# Melodic Minor (F#-G#-A-B-C#-D#-F). Wow! Speak of the devil! Here's that exact same F# MM scale again. This time, for use over this F7alt. Starting F#MM on F, it's 7th degree, is known as the "F altered scale". But who cares what you call it? You're thinking the key of F# MM over F, right?; functioning as a dominant (V7) chord, looking to resolve somewhere; such as........

Bb7alt = B Melodic Minor (B-C#-D-E-F#-G#-A#). Again a so called "altered scale". Forget about it! Think "B Melodic Minor", which is the Melodic Minor key a Perfect 5tth below the previous measure, and resolves naturally (V7-i) to.....

Eb min = Eb Melodic Minor (Eb-F-Gb-Ab-Bb-C-D), before
moving again, in the next measure, to the MM key a P5th below; namely......

G7alt = Ab Melodic Minor (Ab-Bb-Cb-Db-Eb-F-G), which is the dominant chord (V7alt) that leads back to the C min tonic chord at the top of the tune.

It's interesting to note that the harmonic movement of Perfect Fifths is accomplished here not only with
root movement, but with the Melodic Minor keys as well; as is between the last two measures (Eb MM to Ab MM).

To sum up:

I think it's important, initially, to learn the names of each of the modes and chords (and their symbols) of all the Melodic Minor "key
s". That way you'll recognize and relate them to the parent Melodic Minor scale when you come across them in a playing situation. You won't have to think, "What's G Lydian Augmented", for a G Maj7+5 #11, for example. You'll think "E Melodic Minor". Period. The lack of avoid notes allows you to do that.

It's like learning multiplication tables. You don't
have to think about "What's 5 x 5", do you? I hope not.

You'd automatically know it's 55, right?!.........

Did I getchya?


So once again, to echo the words and sentiments of that great 20th Century American poet, Slim Harpo
, in his epic poem, "Scratch My Back":

                                                                 "I know you kin do it;
                                                                    so baby, git to it!"



 Download PDF
Bb                 Eb
Concert           Bass Clef
Picture
B. Stern
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Follow Me
    on Twitter


    * Shortbook™
    of the Month *

    Picture
    More . . .

    Picture
    Picture
    Unlocking the colors
    & mysteries of
    the octatonic
    Diminished Scale.

    www.bookbuzzr.com
    Read More...

    Looking to Expand Your Improv Vocabulary?
    BEST VALUE!
    Picture
    "SUPER! Slick Licks That Stick!"
    Both "Slick Licks" Vols
    . 1 & 2 in one
    556 page PDF eBook.

    www.bookbuzzr.com
    Available for Immediate Download!
    More. . .


    Attention
    Basses & 'Bones

    "Slick Licks That Stick!, Vol. 1"
    Bass Clef Version Available
    a 177 page, interactive pdf eBook compilation of technique building, non-cliche musical exercises, patterns and licks, is available for
    Immediate Download!
    See More.


    More from
    Bobby Stern . . .
    Picture
    Published by Jamey Aebersold Jazz. What's your Melodic Minor I.Q?

    Picture
    I LOVE my BARI HYBRID tenor mouthpiece (and reeds, too)!
    Picture
    The new BRANCHER TSG Tenor Saxophone has incredible response! From dark and smokey, to big, bright and ballsy. It plays to the full range of your emotions!
    Picture
    ...the best transcription (and more) software on the planet!

    Picture
    More about B.

    Most Recent Posts
    02/21/2018 - Shortbook™ of the Month: ...and they called it "Kalindaja"
    ______________________________
    02/09/2018 - RetroSpective: "Ten to 2" - 25th Anniversary Reissue - A collection of original music feat. the first Akai EWI
    _____________________________
    01/20/2018 - Shortbook
    ™ of the Month: CHROMATIX - A New Ear's Resolution

    _________________________
    12/27/2017 - Shortbook™ of the Month: The Book of Altered II - Extensions & Dimensions
    _________________________
    11/26/2017 - Shortbook™ of the Month: The Book of Altered
    _________________________
    10/28/2017 - Shortbook™ of the Month:
    The Cycle - 101
    _________________________
    09/19/2017 - "26-2" and "226 Retrosteps" - An Addendum
    _________________________
    08/22/2017 - Shortbook™ of the Month: RETROSTEPS - The Cycle of ASCENDING Maj 3rds
    _________________________
    07/26/2017 - Shortbook™ of the Month: Augmented Scale Reality

    _________________________
    06/20/2017 - Yellin on Henderson: A Candid Interview with Saxophonist Pete Yellin
    _________________________
    05/23/2017 - Shortbook™ of the Month: Changing 'Trane's - The Cycle of Descending Major 3rds
    _________________________
    04/23/2017 - Lines in 4ths - The iii-VI-ii-V-I Progression
    _________________________
    03/18/2017 - The Tale of Yagapriya and the Tonnetz
    _________________________
    02/13/2017 - Bach to Basics - BeBoppin' the 6th /
    Diminished Scale

    _________________________

         See Index to All Posts

    Categories

    All
    027 Trichords (1 2 5 Patterns)
    6th / Diminished Scale
    Altered Scale
    Augmented Scale
    Barry Harris Scale
    Bebop Scale
    Books
    BVI7-V7-i
    Carnatic Music
    Chromaticism
    Chromatic Scale
    Coltrane Changes
    Comedy
    Cycle Of Fifths
    Cycles
    Diminished Scale
    Etudes
    EWI
    Feature
    Fourths
    Funk Lines
    Giant Steps
    Harmonic Major
    Hexatonic Scales
    History
    Ii V7 Studies
    Intervals
    Interviews
    Joe Henderson
    John Coltrane
    Melakartas
    Melodic Minor
    Miscellaneous
    Pentatonic-flat-6
    Pentatonic Scales
    Product Reviews
    Recordings
    Rhythm Changes
    Rhythm & Phrasing
    Synthetic Reeds
    Thelonious Monk
    Transcriptions
    Triad Pairs
    Tritone Scale
    Tritone Substitutions
    Tunes & Analysis
    Whole Tone Scale
    Woodshed


    Archives

    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

© 2012 - 2018 bobbysternjazz.com. All Rights Reserved.
✕