The Jazz Sax & Improvisation Blog of Saxophonist Bobby Stern

X-Centric Gonzatonics - Penta b6 ii-V7-i Applications

10/27/2013

This exercise is for practicing Pentatonic b6 (1-2-3-5-b6) over a minor ii-V7-i cadence, using three derivative Melodic Minor scales (from which Penta b6 is formed), one for each chord, to do the job.

As an added "bonus", we're using "formula" or "shape" #1
from tenor master Jerry Bergonzi's popular book,
"Vol. 2 - Pentatonics" (Advance Music).

To add even further excitement, we'll start each Penta b6 from a common tone, giving it the "X-Centric" treatment.

0 Comments

013, 1+2, 3-4-5 - Super Augmented?

10/16/2013

1 Comment

I recently discovered an awesome book by NYC alto saxophonist / composer John O'Gallagher, entitled "Twelve Tone Improvisation" (Advance Music) after stumbling upon it via a Dave Douglas podcast. O'Gallagher is a monster alto player with a fresh & unique concept. After hearing some of the music from the podcast off of his latest CD "The Anton Webern Project" and how "sophisticatedly funky" it sounded (Anton Webern gets jacked by Ornette meets Sun-Ra meets Bitches Brew), I got so excited I bought both the book & the CD.

Although I've previously had some minimal exposure to twelve tone rows in both composition and improvisation, it wasn't something I had been thinking about lately. However, just the idea itself woke me up enough to realize, "This is something I would definitely love to (and need to) check out!"

1 Comment

iii - VI - ii - V - Alternating Abbott & Costello

10/9/2013

0 Comments

I'm trying not to beat this Melodic Minor thing to death, but here's one more exercise (#2) over a iii-VI-ii-V cadence, highlighting the use of alternating Major and Melodic Minor scales.

Major and Melodic Minor in a diatonic context work together like yin & yang, dark vs. light, Adam & Eve, Abbott & Costello...................
KnowwhatI'msayin'!?

This 4 bar line typifies everything bebop, and it's elements have been a staple of the vocabulary for about 75 years, so there's nothing new here, unless of course, you happen to be new to it!

In that case I would recommend checking out some of the earlier blog posts, starting here, on Melodic Minor harmony.

What still amazes me to no small degree, is and has been the historical misunderstanding and confusion on the subject, in both the available literature as well as our hallowed institutions of "higher learning".

0 Comments

RSS Feed

Don't Miss This
HOLIDAY SPECIAL!
20% off all PDF books. Enter code BF24 at check out and $AV€!

See Index of All Posts

Featured Post

Yet Another Case
for ACE

From the Archives

Yellin on Henderson:

A Candid Interview with Saxophonist
Pete Yellin

Bobby on Brancher Saxophones

Check out my complete current library!*

Unlocking the colors
& mysteries of
the octatonic
Diminished Scale.

Read More...
Look Inside!

Looking to Expand Your Improv Vocabulary?

BEST VALUE!

"SUPER! Slick Licks That Stick!"
Both "Slick Licks" Vols. 1 & 2 in one
556 page PDF eBook.
Take a Peek!

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 . . .

Published by Jamey Aebersold Jazz. What's your Melodic Minor I.Q?

I LOVE my BARI HYBRID tenor mouthpiece (and reeds, too)!

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!

...the best transcription (and more) software on the planet!

More about B.

Most Recent Posts

11/23/2024 - Yet Another Case for ACE - A Melodic Minor ii-V7
___________________
10/25/2024 - A Perfect Line in Fourths - 4 You!___________________
09/27/2024 - Augmentation Station: An Augmented Scale Sequence
___________________
08/29/2024 - The Fix is In - Broken Maj 9 Chords in 5ths, Major 3rds Cycle
___________________
07/30/2024 - A Snakey, Serpentine Warm-Up!
___________________
06/29/2024 - Messiaen Around With Mode 3 (Super Augmented)
___________________
05/23/2024 - Running Into Ideas - "Stablemates" the Last 4-Bars of the "B-Section"
___________________
04/19/2024 - Four'll Get You Twenty 24 - A Few Half-Diminished Permutations
___________________
03/22/2024 - Whispering Familiar - An 027 Trichord Transformed
___________________
02/24/2024 - The Joys of Half & Whole Steppin'!
___________________
01/26/2024 - Directions & Connections - Alternating Triads in a Pair
___________________
12/15/2023 - Stocking Stuffer...and a ii-V in a Pair 3!
___________________
11/23/2023 - A Friendly Little I-VI-ii-V Sequence
___________________
10/26/2023 - Monkin' Around with the "Evidence" - A Self-Transcription
___________________
09/22/2023 - "Airegin" - Six Short Etudes - First Eight of the First Ending
___________________
08/25/2023 - Tailor Made - A Simple Melodic Minor V7-I Resolution
___________________
07/27/2023 - Plus Factor - An Augmented Scale Sequence
___________________
06/23/2023 - Major/ minor: A Diminished/ Blues Scale Hex-0-Tonic
___________________
05/25/2023 - Return of the SUPER 4 - A minor ii-V7 Sequence
___________________
04/27/2023 - Pairing Off! Fresh Twist, Familiar Combo
___________________
03/23/2023 - Flip 4 Real! - Using Mordents in a ii-V7 Melodic Line
___________________
02/24/2023 - Straight Ahead -
Elements of an 027 Line
___________________
01/13/2023 - A Whole Lotta Sole - Giant Steps 027, sus2, sus4, 125
___________________
12/17/2022 - 'Tis the Season - A Sleigh Ride at 250 BPM
___________________
11/27/2022 - NIDIAN & Her Sisters - Maj7sus4
Chords & Tetratonic Modes
___________________
10/28/2022 - On the Menu...Tasty Lines over a
Neo-Soul Vamp!
___________________
09/28/2022 - "Coming on the Hudson" - A Johnny Griffin Tenor Saxophone Solo Transcription
___________________
08/27/2022 - "More SUPER 4"
___________________
07/27/2022 - NEW Shortbook™ - "The SUPER 4" - A 4-Note Swiss Army Knife for Improvisers
___________________
06/25/2022 - "Nutville" - Joe Henderson's Tenor Solo Transcribed
___________________
05/26/2022 - Vamp Like a Champ! - ii-V-iii-VI Arpeggiated Sequence
___________________
04/23/2022 - Check Your Connections! - A Multi- Pentatonic Sequence in Minor 3rds
___________________
03/26/2022 - The Daily BoopaDoop - "LuLu's Back in Town"
___________________
02/24/2022 - Getting an Angle - "The Eternal Triangle" Bridge
___________________
01/19/2022 - Some Fresh Air for Your Practice Routine!
___________________
12/17/2021 - Stuff This One in Your Stocking!
___________________
11/25/2021 - Joe Henderson - Tenor Solo Transcription - "You Know I Care"
___________________
10/21/2021 - Hey! You've Got an ACE up Your Sleeve!
___________________
09/24/2021 - Playin' the Numbers - A Pentatonic Shape in 12/8
___________________
08/19/2021 - "Come Rain or Come Shine" - An All-Weather Etude
___________________
07/20/2021 - A Jug Full of Ammons - Gene Ammons' Tenor Solo Transcription on "Exactly Like You"
_______________________
06/18/2021 - The Andalusian Cadence, Triad Pairs & "Song for my Father"
_______________________
05/19/2021 - 'Tranein' with Triads - "Coltrane Changes"
Alternating Major & Minor Triads
_______________________
04/21/2021 - Kalimbaphone? - Try These Pentatonic Scale Spreads!
_______________________
03/26/2021 - 'Ning's the Thing! Monk's "Rhythm-a-Ning" - Self Transcription
_______________________
02/25/2021 - Monk's Time Again - "Bye-Ya" - A Self-Transcription
_______________________
01/26/2021 - Thelonious Monk's "Bemsha Swing" - A Self-Transcription
_______________________
12/18/2020 - Step Up Your Game! - The Major 3rds Cycles - Descending & Ascending
________________________
11/25/2020 - The Last 8 - "Night and Day" - JoHen Style
_______________________
10/29/2020 - Components: Triad Pairs, Melodic Minor ii-V7--I with a iii-VI Turnaround
_______________________
09/25/2020 - Go Ye 4th: Fourtitude + Lines in 4ths
_______________________
08/28/2020 - An Etude for a Brighter Day - John Coltrane's "Mr. Day"
_______________________
07/31/2020 - Trichord 027 - A Fresh, New Old Piece of Musical Language
_______________________
06/27/2020 - The Lines Are Open! - An open 027 Trichord line
_______________________
05/31/2020 - Changin' Trane's / Retrosteps - The Ultimate Book on Coltrane Changes
_______________________
04/28/2020 - Oh 2 Slick Blues - A 12-Bar Blues for the Socially Distanced
_______________________
03/28/2020 - Oh-2-Slick! More Fun & Games With the 026 Trichord
_______________________
02/27/2020 - Oh-Two-Six - An Improviser's Guide to the 026 Trichord
_______________________
01/29/2020 - Jazzitudes 3 - Ten More Solo-Styled Jazz Etudes With Attitude!
_______________________
12/28/2019 - Super Augmented II - Further Explorations
_______________________
11/29/2019 - 013 Trichord...
Super Auugmented!
_______________________
10/29/2019 - Beboppin' the 6th / Diminished Scale - An Essential Element
_______________________
09/24/2019 - Vertical Structures - Scale the Heights!
_______________________
08/28/2019 - Bluesitudes! One Dozen 12-Bar Blues Etudes With Attitude!
_______________________
07/26/2019 - We Got Rhythm Changes!
________________________
06/25/2019 - The Harmonic Minor Primer
_______________________
05/29/2019 - Your Daily Bread - 100% Whole Tone
_______________________
04/23/2019 - Hexatonic Triad Pairs II - Mixed Pairs
_______________________
03/21/2019 - Hexatonic Triad Pairs: Vol 1 - Major Scale Pairs
_______________________
02/12/2019 - Pentalogy - A Multi Pentatonic Scale Practical Practice Guide
____________________________
01/23/2019 - Triadicisms II - Minor, Augmented & Diminished Triad Workout
____________________________
12/23/2018 - Triadicisms - Vol. 1: Major Triad Workout
____________________________
11/22/2018 - Fourtitude - Fourtification for Improvisation
____________________________
10/23/2018 - Approaches! - A Sound, Musical Approach to Approach Notes
____________________________
09/21/2018 - Double Harmonic Major - An Ancient Futuristic Melodic Source
____________________________
08/21/2018 - Shortbook™ of the Month - "Blues Deep: Fifty"
____________________________
07/18/218 - Permutation Station II - Next Station: Inversions
____________________________
06/21/2018 - "Jazzitudes 2" - The Baker's Dozen
____________________________
05/23/2018 - Permutation Station 1 2 3 5 - Twenty-four roads to Rome
____________________________
04/24/2018 - Shortbo ok™ of the Month: "Jazzitudes" - One Dozen Solo Etudes with Attitude
____________________________
03/16/2018 - There Ain't No Cure for the "FUNKADOSIS!"
____________________________
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
________________________
See Index to All Posts™

X-Centric Gonzatonics - Penta b6 ii-V7-i Applications

013, 1+2, 3-4-5 - Super Augmented?

iii - VI - ii - V - Alternating Abbott & Costello

Categories

Archives