Our old friend Mel Minor (MM to friends and family) is back with an exercise featuring an alteration of Major's basic 1-2-3-5 diatonic pattern. To begin with, we know that MM is an altered form of Major in itself.
If you are familiar with running Major 1-2-3-5 combinations such as CDEG FGAC, DEFA GABD, FGAC BCDF, etc., this MM version will be at once familiar, yet strange and exciting.
Using a four bar ii-V7 phrase, measure 1 of Line 1 starts out with a 4 note 1-2-3-6 grouping starting on D (D-E-F-Bb), the root of the Dmin7b5 chord (Locrian #2 mode) and the sixth step of it's parent scale, F Melodic Minor.
The second 4 note grouping starts, as with it's Maj. counterpart, by turning back a whole step, to Ab in this case. It then does a MM diatonic 1-2-3-5 (Ab-Bb-C-E).
Another way to think of this is to start the first group on the sixth step (D) of F Melodic Minor and the second group on it's third (Ab).
In measure 2, G7alt (Ab MM) the first group mimics the shape of it's measure 1 counterpart (1-2-3-6), while the second grouping, again turning down a whole step and starting on Ab, breaks the symmetry and resolves to the fifth of the tonic chord (C Maj. or min.).
Although not notated here, if we flip the scrip' and start the first measure pattern on the third of F MM (Ab-Bb-C-E), drop a whole step again and continue on it's sixth (D-E-F-Bb), the symmetry continues in measure 2, G7alt (Ab MM) with straight 1-2-3-5s (Ab-Bb-Cb-Eb and Db-Eb-F-Ab) outlining a Db7 (tritone sub) resolving again to a G in bar 3; maybe a bit more symmetrical and logical, but who says symmetrical and logical are always the best or the most fun, anyway?
Check 'em both out!
If you are familiar with running Major 1-2-3-5 combinations such as CDEG FGAC, DEFA GABD, FGAC BCDF, etc., this MM version will be at once familiar, yet strange and exciting.
Using a four bar ii-V7 phrase, measure 1 of Line 1 starts out with a 4 note 1-2-3-6 grouping starting on D (D-E-F-Bb), the root of the Dmin7b5 chord (Locrian #2 mode) and the sixth step of it's parent scale, F Melodic Minor.
The second 4 note grouping starts, as with it's Maj. counterpart, by turning back a whole step, to Ab in this case. It then does a MM diatonic 1-2-3-5 (Ab-Bb-C-E).
Another way to think of this is to start the first group on the sixth step (D) of F Melodic Minor and the second group on it's third (Ab).
In measure 2, G7alt (Ab MM) the first group mimics the shape of it's measure 1 counterpart (1-2-3-6), while the second grouping, again turning down a whole step and starting on Ab, breaks the symmetry and resolves to the fifth of the tonic chord (C Maj. or min.).
Although not notated here, if we flip the scrip' and start the first measure pattern on the third of F MM (Ab-Bb-C-E), drop a whole step again and continue on it's sixth (D-E-F-Bb), the symmetry continues in measure 2, G7alt (Ab MM) with straight 1-2-3-5s (Ab-Bb-Cb-Eb and Db-Eb-F-Ab) outlining a Db7 (tritone sub) resolving again to a G in bar 3; maybe a bit more symmetrical and logical, but who says symmetrical and logical are always the best or the most fun, anyway?
Check 'em both out!
Read earlier posts on the subject of Melodic Minor, starting with
"Sympathy for Melodic Minor - Major's Evil Twin, Pt. 1"
"Sympathy for Melodic Minor - Major's Evil Twin, Pt. 1"
B. Stern
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