The Jazz Sax & Improvisation Blog of Saxophonist Bobby Stern - bobbysternjazz.com

Face the Music... and dance to this Melodic Sequence!

4/30/2025

Face the Music... and dance to this Melodic Sequence!

Much has been written in these pages about the 3-note pitch configuration known as the 027 trichord - perhaps more commonly referred to as sus2 and / or sus4 (C-D-G and C-F-G, respectively).

Its intrinsic relationship with the interval of a Perfect 4th, as well as with the Pentatonic Scale, has also been noted.

So, to expand a bit on the topic, let's take a look here at a particular 4-note "pitch collection".

We'll combine a sus2 and sus4 and call it an 0257 tetrachord (C-D-F-G) - 'cause, well... that's what it is!

John Coltrane's Tenor Solo on "I Love You" - A Transcription

12/22/2024

John Coltrane's Tenor Solo on "I Love You" - A Transcription

In the holiday spirit, I'm merrily posting a transcription of John Coltrane's tenor saxophone solo on Cole Porter's “I Love You” (in Bb tenor key only, at this point). It was recorded on August 16th 1957 for the Prestige label, during the early part of 'Trane's famed gig with Thelonious Monk's quartet at the legendary Five Spot that summer and fall.

It was also part of a session that included a ballad version of “Like Someone in Love” as well as two takes of 'Trane's Slow Blues”, which made up side-one of the LP “Lush Life” and wasn't released by Prestige until 1961.

Bassist Earl May and drummer Art Taylor round out the piano-less trio.

These sax/ bass and drums trio (known as “strolling”) recordings are some of my favorite Coltrane, as well as those recorded in Oct. 1960, which included “Satellite”, among others.

Major/ minor: A Diminished/ Blues Scale Hex-0-Tonic

6/23/2023

Major / minor:
A Diminished/ Blues Scale Hex-0-Tonic

"Bubble, bubble; toil and trouble!"..., Oh yeah!

Regardless of which witch stirs the pot, the makings of great solo improvisation isn't about magic - even when the results do seem magical.

The "toil and trouble" part of it comes down to the consistency of - and attitude towards - one´s own practice regimen. The "toil" ceases to be "trouble", as positive results begin to manifest.

Since there actually is a method to this magic, one spellbinding, tried and true device for your bag of tricks is the use of Triad Pairs. This involves two mutually exclusive triads (no common tones between them) and their inversions - which in turn forms a 6-note (Hexatonic) scale.

A Jug Full of Ammons - Gene Ammons' "Exactly Like You" Tenor Saxophone Transcription

7/20/2021

A Jug Full of Ammons - Gene Ammons' "Exactly Like You"
Tenor Saxophone Solo Transcription

Tenor saxophone giant Gene Ammons, aka "Jug", was one of the seminal figures at the crossroads between the earlier tenor saxophone styles of Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster - and the BeBop evolution / revolution of the mid to late 1940s, sparked by the innovative genius of Charlie Parker.

Add to that the blues influences of his native Chicago - as well as that of his celebrated pianist father, "Boogie Woogie" innovator Albert Ammons - and you've got one of the "phatest", most distinct, expressive and soulful tenor saxophone sounds ever heard.

Ammons recorded for several record labels from the late 1940s until his passing in 1974, but the bulk of his recorded output was for Bob Weinstock's Prestige Records label.

It's from one of these Prestige recordings that the subject of this post - a transcription of Jug's solo on the popular show tune "Exactly Like You" - is taken.

Oh 2 Slick Blues - For the Socially Distanced

4/28/2020

"Oh 2 Slick Blues" - A 12 Bar Blues for the Socially Distanced

Greetings from the distance, fellow distancers!

As a matter of survival, and depending on location, the requirements for self-isolation in this current crisis continue. For better or worse, it gives one the opportunity, on many different levels, to get to know one's self a little better.

While far from being the most urgent of concerns for many of us right now, from a strictly musical place (and this blog is all about music), that could mean honing-in on material that we may not have yet mastered, or that is less than familiar.

Oh-Two-Six (026) - An Improviser's Guide

2/27/2020

Oh-Two-Six (026)
An Improviser's Guide to Practical Usage of the 026 Trichord

Since the inception of the improvisational art form we know and love as “Jazz”, melodic and harmonic techniques have steadily expanded in all directions – in some cases even disappearing altogether.

Presently growing within the collective consciousness of many contemporary improvisers (guitarist Bruce Arnold and saxophonist John O'Gallagher lead the way), is the awareness and usage of the 12-tone techniques pioneered by the early 20th century European “serialist” composers – Berg, Webern & Schoenberg - being the most prominent among them.

The basic premise of this system is the construction of 12-tone rows – the 12 tones of the chromatic scale as equal entities, non-repeating and organized into different “pitch class sets”, or note groupings of varying lengths.

Vertical Structures - Scaling the Heights!

9/24/2019

"Vertical Structures" - Scaling the Heights!

Chords and Scales! Scales and Chords! Two manifestations and expressions of the same thing.

Like the age-old "chicken or the egg" argument, it's interesting but unimportant as to which came first.

For the improviser, however, it's essential that he or she becomes fluent with both concepts and can readily visualize and execute each in a creative situation.

"Vertical Structures", focuses on and explores some of the more common scale systems and modes (Lydian, Dorian, Melodic Minor, Harmonic Minor & Major, as well as the half tone/ whole tone Diminished Scale) and presents them (in 12 keys) as selected, extended 13th chord arpeggios and sequences, as well as diatonic 4th stacks.

Hexatonic Triad Pairs II - Mixed Pairs

4/23/2019

Hexatonic Triad Pairs II – Mixed Pairs

“Hexatonic Triad Pairs II – Mixed Pairs” is the second volume of exercises and sequences aimed at the improvising musician, exploring the subject and usage of triad pairs. It logically follows the concepts introduced in Vol. I, which focused exclusively on pairs of Maj & min triads derived from the Major Scale system.

Because of the strong tonal gravity of the triad itself, the use of triad pairs creates an alternate, intervallic option to the more linear method of line creation.

The formatting and layout of "Hexatonic Triad Pairs II - Mixed Pairs" is identical to Vol. I. However, the characters and scenery have changed, which alters the story line here considerably, meaning that the exercises, sequences and shapes from the previous volume have been altered to fit the construction of those in this volume.

The 4 triad pair / hexatonic configurations examined here in Vol. II - each derived from a different scale system - are:

Bach to Basics - BeBoppin' the 6th / Diminished Scale

2/13/2017

Bach to Basics - BeBoppin'
the 6th / Diminished Scale

Johann Sebastian Bop (1685 – )

For those who are familiar with the so called “Bebop Scale” this may not come as a revelation; but then again - it still just might.

For the uninitiated, a basic Bebop Scale is a Major scale with an added passing tone between the 5th and 6th scale degrees (Ab in C Maj.). The reason for this added half step is so that when the scale is played in eighth or sixteenth notes in either direction over a Major tonality, the Maj chord tones (scale steps 1-3-5 & 6) will fall on down beats. As such, the scale can originate on any of the chord tones with the same effect.

There is also the Dominant Bebop Scale, used over unaltered dominant 7th chords which inserts a passing tone between scale steps 7 & 8 of the Mixolydian mode (steps 4 & 5 of the Major Scale).

Also on the Bebop Scale hit parade is the Dorian Bebop Scale (3 & 4), as well as the Aeolian (Natural Minor) Bebop Scale (7 & 8). Unsurprisingly, all three are modes (V, ii & vi respectively) of the Major version, and while I wanted to point them out, they're not really relevant to this particular discussion; so... (see above picture).

Diminished Perspective vs. Altered Reality - The Fight For Dominants

12/26/2016

Diminished Perspective vs. Altered Reality
The Fight For Dominants

“Dominants”…as in V7, dominant seventh, etc., dig? And I'll bet you thawt I coodent spell!

Referring to none other than the Diminished vs. Altered Scale, I've been privy to recent discussions as to which one is the more suitable choice to express an altered dominant chord.

Therefore, I thought we might get these two dominant scalar heavyweights to slug it out in the ring for 13, or maybe even b13 rounds. This is a telling number, but we’ll get to that momentarily.

In the near corner, wearing the purple trunks, hailing from Symetria, Octatonia – the octatonic Diminished Scale, aka Auxiliary Diminished, Diminished Dominant, Half Step/ Whole Step. He’s been called other things, as well.

This guy is known to have a pronounced split personality, which actually works to his advantage once he swings into full action. If his initial move is a whole step, he falls into predominantly diminished 7th chord patterns.

8 Will Get You Six - A Diminished Scale Hexatonic

10/21/2016

8 Will Get You Six - A Diminished Scale Hexatonic

The 8 note (octatonic) diminished scale has been an essential and popular improvisational tool since at least the mid 1950's. Over dominant chords especially, it's been a common “go to” device for creating “inside / outside“ harmonic tension and resolution.

Because of its alternating whole step / half step (and vice versa) interval scheme, a symmetrical scale structure is formed, which divides the octave into 4 equal parts, spaced in minor thirds.

This symmetrical construction not only builds diminished triads and 7th chords on each of its scale steps, but forms, as well, a number of leaner, meaner 6 note permutations of the original 8 note scale, consisting of several combinations of Major and minor triads.

For Your High-Ness: An Etude on "Someday My Prince Will Come"

9/20/2016

For Your High-Ness:
An Etude on "Someday My Prince Will Come"

"Heah come da Prince!"

This is yet another solo style etude, which I this time fashioned from the chord changes of the popular Standard American Song, "Someday My Prince Will Come".

This tune has been in my repertoire for a while, but I started to take a closer look at it recently, for reasons I'll get into.

The music for "Someday My Prince Will Come" was composed and scored by Frank Churchill back in 1937 for the first ever full length animated Disney movie, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs".

I don't think I've ever actually seen the whole movie myself, but I think we all grew up knowing about little Ms. White and her seven vertically challenged buddies (Sleepy, Creepy, Peepee, Goofy, Doofy, Humpty & Dumpty....I think - off the top of my head; no?!?!?).

In any case, Someday My Prince has been a staple for improvising musicians and singers and has been recorded often - the definitive version possibly being Miles Davis' 1961 recording on Columbia (featuring tenor solos by both Hank Mobley and John Coltrane) from the album of the same name.

Diminishing Perspective - A Diminished Scale Line

5/22/2015

Diminishing Perspective - A Diminished Scale Line

Here's a nifty little four bar line, best served over a modal type vamp, which utilizes the complete 8 note symmetrical diminished scale.

Because the diminished scale is devoid of avoid notes, and due to its symmetry, is essentially polyphonic in nature (hosting 4 Major and 4 minor triads, 4 dominant 7th chords, as well as 2 distinct non enharmonic diminished 7th chords), a single tonal center can be somewhat ambiguous and not always immediately apparent. Nor does it need to be.

However, for the purpose of this exercise, letting my ear be the guide, a tonal center was chosen which felt natural, with alternates, based in the same diminished 7th chord (listed in parentheses).

They all "work", in both theory and practice, and are only suggestions in any case.

Funkman's Delight #2 - Children of the Damned (Diminished Scale)!

12/18/2014

Funkman's Delight #2 - Children of the
Damned (Diminished Scale)!

Starring Cy O'Nara

The essential, most compelling element of the 8 note, symmetrical "Diminished Scale" is.........
it's symmetry!

Regardless of whether it starts with a whole or a half step, the beauty of this scale lies in its ability to be broken down into smaller pieces of three, four, five (pentatonic) or six note (hexatonic) cells, whereby these groupings can be combined and spaced at intervals, usually minor thirds or tritones, to create some very hip longer lines.

The potential downside to this method is that the results of pure symmetry could end up sounding somewhat mechanical or mathematical. but for the sake of exploration and experimentation, that may not necessarily be a bad thing; at least as a starting point.

Besides, a lot usually depends as much on "how" you play something, as it does "what" you play; doesn't it?

But that's something for another post. In the meantime.......

See Myna Fuddah Boids! - C Minor Blues - The Last Four

10/22/2014

Tweet 'Dis! See Myna Fuddah Boids!
C Minor Blues - The Last Four

"See Myna Blues" Bird

Hello "Bird" Lovers!

Actually, the subject of this post is neither the bird, the man, nor his "Ornithology".

Rather, based on the positive reaction to recent posts (here & here), which take 8 bar sections of tunes for study and analysis, this one focuses on the last 4 measures of a typical "Mr. PC" type C Minor Blues (bVI7-V7-i), for which I've scribbled out a dozen (12, count 'em) 4 bar mini-etudes.

A good precursor to this post, and where you'll find the basic premise for this exercise, would be this post from 2013, which deals with the same bVI7-V7-i movement, with the accompanying exercises focusing on the Melodic Minor derived Pentatonic b6 mode.

It's probably a good idea to check that one out, as there isn't much to add here in the way of a basic harmonic breakdown.

The dozen lines presented here are a bit looser in their scale choices, although Melodic Minor still predominates.

After all, it is supposed to be a Minor Blues, right? ...or a piece of one, anyway.

Deep Space b9 - Descending Tritone Minor Scale Shape

10/1/2014

Unidentified Descending Shape (UDS)
Landing Near You
Origin determined to be from the planet Tritonius Minorus in the Diminished Scale System, according to reports from Deep Space b9

Identified as Unidentified Descending Shape (UDS) by Deep Space b9

Don't jump out the window just yet...........!

Swap that tricorder for a trichord and check out this supplementary exercise based on my last post, which deals with a hexatonic scale comprised of two minor triads, a tritone apart (C- & F#-).

As this scale seemed to have been nameless, for lack of one better I dubbed it the "Tritone Minor Scale".

It's close resemblance to it's likewise Diminished Scale offshoot cousin, the more popularly known "Tritone Scale" (2 Major Triads, a tritone apart), confirms its DNA and keeps it in the family.

The descending shape used for this exercise is the same one used on a different scale in an earlier post, and is a hip way to let your fingers run through the intervallic construction of any scale, regardless of how many notes it contains.

Who Put the "Hex" on My Hexatonic?

9/24/2014

Who Put the "Hex" on My Hexatonic?
(Tritone Minor, That's Who!)

"Impression of Mr. Eerius N. Hedlace at the Piano''. Painting by Pho-Toh Ziap

Here's an interesting and useful hexatonic (6 tone) symmetrical configuration, which I came across recently:

C-Db-Eb F#-G-A

This scale is actually a derivative of the half tone / whole tone diminished scale, with the E - Bb tritone removed:

C-Db-Eb (E) F#-G-A (Bb)

In 12 tone set theory, it would be seen as a pair of 013 trichords spaced a tritone apart.

As a triad pair, it consists of 2 minor triads, a tritone apart: C-Eb-G / F#-A-C#

And, if you haven't already noticed, our new friend turns out to be the dark, mysterious, little known first cousin of what has become commonly known to improvisers as the "Tritone Scale", a likewise hexatonic formation; made up of 2 Major Triads a tritone apart (C-E-G / F#-A#-C#) and derived from the same diminished matrix.

As you will see and hear, there is a large qualitative difference between these two "relatives".

I haven't yet found any other names for an exact match to this scale (Slonimsky p.2 #6, no name. Several Carnatic Ragam come close, but no incense).

That's why I, hereby, take it upon myself to christen it (drum roll).................

"The Tritone Minor Scale" (e.g. C Tritone Minor, F# Tritone Minor, etc.).

Pour the champagne and strike up the band!

Funkman's D-Lite - Contortion, Distortion & 7#9 (Maj / min)

8/14/2014

Funkman's D-Lite - Contortion, Distortion
& 7#9 (Maj / Min)

Dr. Funkman Whosen-Evernitiz

The dominant 7th chord is probably the most flexible harmonic device in Western music, both in it's functionality as well as its note choices.

Theoretically speaking, all you need is a tritone and 9 of the 10 remaining notes of the the chromatic scale, excluding (again, theoretically speaking) only the Maj. 7th (which works great as a passing tone, etc.), and you're good to go.

Think I'm lyin'?

Using D7 as an example for this post, let's build a chromatic scale and label each note's function (notes in italics are the altered tensions):

D=root; Eb=b9; E=9; F=#9; F#=3; G=sus4(11); Ab(G#)=b5(#11); A=5; Bb(A#)=b13(#5); B=13; C=7; C#=Maj7.

Only the last note C#, the Maj7 in this case, gets uninvited to the party, but it usually "passes" by via the backdoor, anyway.

Count 'em up. That's 11 out of 12 legit (and 12 out of 12 if we sneak that Maj7 in there).

Is that flexible or what?

'Trane Fare for Slonimsky - A Diminished Scale Sequence

6/12/2014

'Trane Fare for Slonimsky - A Diminished
Scale Sequence

A Beautiful (Musical) Mind - Times 2

Here's another symmetrical scale exercise.

This time, it's 2 minor 7th chords a tritone apart, a pair of 4 note patterns, which reveal all 8 notes of a diminished scale.

I was sure this pattern, which has its descending version in retrograde of its ascending form (second two measures), was contained somewhere in the depths of Nicolas Slonimsky's "Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns".

But it wasn't!

Like A New Pair of Blues Shoes - More X-Centric Gonzatonic b2s

5/29/2014

Hey everybody, I'm back!

Did ya miss me?!

I know, I know!

I've been doing some shopping, and I picked up this badass pair of kicks which I'll be sportin' whilst I shed these "Slick Licks That Stick!"

(OK, so they're not really my shoes!)

This X-Centric Gonzatonic b2 exercise download, based on Shape #5 from tenor master Jerry Bergonzi's great book, Vol. 2 - Pentatonics (Advance Music), is the inverted form of an exercise contained in an earlier post, and the explanations can be found there.

Keep 'em spit shined & polished and they'll carry you far!

Two's the News - X-Centric Gonzatonic Pentatonic b2s

4/10/2014

Say it fast, but practice it slow.

As described in a previous post, which could be well worth checking out, the Pentatonic b2 scale is basically a Major Pentatonic scale with the second degree flatted (C Maj. Penta = C-D-E-G-A to C Penta b2 = C-Db-E-G-A).

Lowering the 2nd degree a half step creates some important new interval relationships; mainly, the interval of a Maj. 3rd (min 6th) between the 2nd & 5th scale degrees (Db (C#) & A), as well as the tritone created between steps 2 & 4 (Db & G).

So, what's it all mean, Mr. Natch'l?

Square in the Circle, Part 2 - Diminished Scale 4ths, ii-V Application

2/11/2014

This somewhat Monkish, four bar line, is based on the premise of my previous post, which uses pairs of Perfect Fourths a tritone apart, as part of a Diminished Scale application.

This time, we can work it over a biii - bVI7 - ii - V7 - i progression, which is most commonly found in the last four bars of a typical "Mr. PC" type Minor Blues.

The P4th pair from measure #1 (of line 1) represents one half of the C# (E, G, Bb) half tone / whole tone diminished scale, while the P4th pair in measure #2 is half of the ht / wt diminished scale a half step below that, i.e. C (Eb, F#, A). It resolves neatly into a D tonic minor; D Melodic Minor being the scale of choice.

Square in the Circle - Diminished Scale 4ths

2/1/2014

Dodo, the Dodecagon

On the heels of my last posted exercise, which was inspired by Walter Bishop's "A Study in 4ths", and which ended with an ascending figure of a diminished scale in Perfect 4ths, I thought it could be cool to further investigate some of the possibilities of P4th relationships within a diminished scale.

I had considerably diminished the use of the diminished scale in my own playing for quite a while now, since I've felt that the modes of Melodic Minor (which is 2 notes shy of being a diminished scale), primarily the "altered scale" (seventh mode, diminished / whole tone) is a more interesting and flexible scale choice for most of the mutually applicable harmonic situations.

Plus, the diminished scale being a synthetic, symmetrical scale, can sound so...................diminished, synthetic & symmetrical.

Then there is that handful of cliche licks, probably less than ten of them, that have been "regurgitated ad nauseam" (or is it the other way around?) since their introduction into the jazz vocabulary sometime in the mid 1950's (I think) when they were actually hip.