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

Harmonic Major - Cinderella Scale Story?

1/22/2015

Harmonic Major - Cinderella Scale Story?

This post focuses on a scale system which has been given some lip service, but has been less well represented in either recorded or written examples; namely Harmonic Major

Personally, I haven't paid much attention to this scale and its modes up to this point; the reason being, I guess, is that many of its diatonic chord types are embedded within some of the more commonly used scale systems: Major. minor (melodic & harmonic), diminished and augmented.

However, I've come to discover that the Harmonic Major scale system is a unique and beautiful thing (or should I say thang?)!

Although a hybrid, of sorts, it contains a number of strangely beautiful and exotic sounding (to western ears) modes and melodic possibilities.

So what, then, is this thing called Harmonic Major, and how did it get here?

Granted! - A Joe Henderson Solo Transcription

12/2/2014

Granted! - A Joe Henderson Solo Transcription

It's Joe Henderson time again, ladies and gents!

"Happiness is Just a Thing Called (hearing a guy named) Joe"

Joe, as you should know, was one of the music's more stylistically unique and influential tenor saxophonists and improvisers, as well as the composer of a healthy number of classic originals.

His influence and legacy live on in his many recordings, made both as leader and sideman, during a career which spanned nearly four decades.

Henderson's tenor saxophone solo on one of those original compositions, an uptempo C Minor Blues entitled "Granted" (dedicated to the renowned NYC Jazz Radio personality and promoter, Alan Grant, who recently passed away at 93), is the subject of this post and downloadable transcription.

"Granted" was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder on January 27th, 1966 (which happened to be the 25th birthday of the session's vibraphonist, Bobby Hutcherson) and was part of the session that produced Henderson's fifth and last studio album as a leader for the Blue Note label, "Mode for Joe".

At the time of the recording, Joe Henderson was a member of pianist Horace Silver's quintet, which also included a young Woody Shaw on trumpet. Henderson had joined Silver's group in June, 1964 and would remain with the pianist for just another two-plus months.

More Blues Minor - The Coal, Hard Sax!

11/18/2014

More Blues Minor - The Coal, Hard Sax!

Miner Blues - The Coal Hard Sax

This post could be considered as an addendum to "C Minor Blues - The Last Four" from a few weeks ago.

This 4 bar mini-etude didn't make the cut, only because it was conceived at a much slower tempo (ca. quarter note = 120) as in, for example, Joe Henderson's "Out of The Night" or "Bags & 'Trane", than the dozen or so in that post.

It does, however contain the same premise; being based on bars 9, 10, 11 and 12 (bVI7-V7-i-i) of the type of medium tempo Minor Blues as those tunes named above.

This one contains a single, four bar phrase, presented in 12 keys, with a 16th note feel.

It works really well as a warmup type exercise.

Got the Digits? - Melodic Minor i-V7 Digital Patterns

11/4/2014

Got the Digits?
Melodic Minor Tonic to Dominant (i-V7alt) Digital Patterns

"Dig It All! Re: Doo-Doo" painting by Fo-Toh Zjiap

The Melodic Minor scale, being in reality, an "altered" Major scale (with a flatted 3rd), translates those alterations from Major to it's phrases and melodic patterns as well.

This exercise is a technical study in the use of inherent Melodic Minor "1235 type" "digital patterns" over a common Tonic to Dominant (i - V7alt) harmonic movement, aka the "A" sections of "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise", or "A Night in Tunisia" (which has a bII7 sub for its V7).

By "digital patterns", I don't mean "ones and zeros" or Boolean Algebra; just good ol' analog left and right hand "digits", more commonly known as fingers.

While one might be familiar with the common Major Scale "digits" (ie, 1235 4568, 2346 5679 and so forth), the altered Melodic Minor versions of these same patterns might be less familiar, both in feel as well as sound.

The downloadable exercise is designed to familiarize oneself with these Melodic Minor "altered" digital patterns.

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.

One Cool Warmup....Comin' Up!!

10/8/2014

One Cool Warmup.....Comin' Up!!

Here's a nifty little chromatic warmup exercise, great for getting those icicles out of your fingers any time of the year.

It can be worked in over a iii-VI-ii-V7-I (in C: E-7 A7 / D-7 G7 / C / C ) progression, and the breakdown is pretty straightforward.

Question: What's 4 measures long, contains all 12 notes, includes a descending Maj7+5 arpeggio, a descending dim7 arpeggio and ends on the Major 3rd of the key?

Uhhhhhh............Give up?

Just keep on reading and the truth shall reveal itself (...and maybe even set you free!).

On Ramp, Off Ramp - ii-V7 Fourth Cycle Vamp

9/17/2014

On Ramp, Off Ramp - ii-V7 Fourth Cycle Vamp
Sill inspired by "A Study in Fourths" by Walter Bishop, jr.

Since I realize y'all can't get enough of this 4th thing, and as I'm on somewhat of a roll with the subject, I thought I might just continue along this line of thought from the point where we left off last time.

I promise I'll give it, and the esteemed Mr. Bishop, a break after this.

Anyway, it occurred to me that measures #3 & 4 (D-7 / G7) of that exercise contained a complete, uninterrupted 12 tone cycle in perfect 4ths.

"So?!", you say.

"So" I say, "let me see if I can conjure up a few more lines like that one, over a ii-V7 cadence, which use the complete 4th cycle and which resolve to the tonic (I).

Of the 5 lines presented here, each starting on a different diatonic scale tone, 4 of them employ a complete 12 tone cycle in perfect 4ths; while the fifth (line 4) uses a number of shifts and rests, resulting in a series of 027 trichords.

The coolest thing about using a complete 4th cycle in these cases, is that the cycle, being a 12 tone row, contains all twelve notes of the chromatic scale; meaning that it also contains all of the eleven possible note choices, plus one, available for an altered dominant (V7alt) chord.

A Curious Case of Temporary Outness in the 4th Dimension - Inspired by "A Study in Fourths" by Walter Bishop, jr

9/11/2014

A Curious Case of Temporary Outness
in the 4th Dimension
Inspired by "A Study in Fourths" by Walter Bishop, jr.

As with these two previous posts (here and here), this particular exercise covers improvisational techniques utilizing the interval of a perfect 4th, inspired by the legendary pianist and composer, the late Walter Bishop, jr., and his currently out of print book, "A Study in Fourths".

If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Bishop and his contributions to the music and its vocabulary, this is a must see video, whatever your instrument happens to be.

While Walter Bishop, jr. certainly wasn't the first to come up with the concept of using fourth cycles as a tool for improvisation, his legacy as a contributor to the concept lives on, through his book, as well as the above linked instructional video.

In this case, we're talking about working some of these modified fourth cycles over a common, six measure iii-VI-ii-V-I chord progression.

Three's a Pair! - Melodic Minor ii-V7-i Triad Pairs

9/4/2014

Three's a Pair! - Melodic Minor ii-V7-i Triad Pairs

The use of Triad Pairs (adjacent diatonic triads which form a hexatonic, or six note, scale), has been a relatively recent addition, historically speaking, to the general vocabulary of improvised music, becoming more prevalent among improvising musicians during the past 30 years or so.

One of the earlier examples of the use of triad pairs can be found in the well known 1959 recorded TV version of John Coltrane's solo on Miles Davis' "So What", when he was still a member of the trumpeter's quintet.

Coltrane can be heard to clearly enunciate both G and F Maj. triads (built from the 5th and 4th scale degrees, respectively, of the C Major scale) in sequence over a basic D-7 for most of the first 10 bars of his second chorus, beginning at 4:51 of the above linked YouTube video.

There are many subsequent examples of the use of these, and other, triad pairs to be found in 'Trane's solos on numerous versions of his own compositional adaptation of the "So What" changes; namely, "Impressions".

Likewise, the same G and F Maj. triad pair is in evidence on Coltrane's 1962 trio recording of his original, "Big Nick" (solo transcription here).

A Perfect Fourth Story; Ch. 2 - Melodic Minor ii-V7-i Application

8/28/2014

A Perfect Fourth Story - Ch. 2:
Melodic Minor 4th Shape ii-V7-i Application

Judging from the title, this post is a follow up to last week's, with some ideas on how one could apply these particular Melodic Minor 4th shapes in a ii-V7-i situation; at least in theory.

What I've done here was to copy one of the single measure shape patterns from a particular MM scale for the ii7b5, and another one from the MM scale a minor 3rd above it for the V7alt, but not from the same identical scale degree, so that while the shape remains the same, the pattern's interval makeup is slightly different.

A common Melodic Minor device is that whatever you play on the ii7b5, you can transpose that same phrase up a minor 3rd as a parallel sequence for the V7alt and it should sound pretty cool, right?

Eg: Line 1, measure #1 of last week's exercise: D-G-C-G Ab-D-G-E = D-7b5 (from the 6th scale degree of F Melodic Minor).

Now drop down to Line 7, measure#1: F-Bb-Eb-Bb B-F-Bb-G = G7alt (7th scale degree of Ab Melodic Minor, up a min. 3rd from F, although the pattern begins on the 6th of Ab MM).

Now that you've gotten this "up a minor 3rd thing" digested, please be informed that we'll be avoiding it like the plague this time!

A Perfect Fourth Story - Melodic Minor 4th Shape

8/20/2014

A Perfect Fourth Story:
Melodic Minor 4th Shape

4 Leaf Clovertone

The interval of a perfect 4th, being an inverted perfect 5th (the 2nd harmonic overtone in the natural overtone series), is predominant, both melodically as well harmonically (where harmony exists), in all types and styles of music on Planet Earth.

Traditionally, western music is based on a series (cycle) of 12 consecutive perfect 4ths (5ths) i.e.: (C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-B-E-A-D-G), which when juxtaposed to create a row of 12 equidistant semi-tones (C-Db-D-Eb-E-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B) becomes known, of course, as the Chromatic Scale.

It's from this Chromatic Scale that we commonly draw our 7 note Major Scale matrix based on the interval scheme of:

Whole Step/ Whole Step/ Half Step/ Whole Step/ Whole Step Whole Step/ Half Step. (C-D-E-F-G-A-B = C Major).

But you already knew that, right?

Or, we can take a series of 6 consecutive perfect 4ths (eg. B-E-A-D-G-C-F), and we have the same 7 notes of that same C Maj. scale.

We can even drop the first and last notes (B & F), which create a tritone, and that'll give us a good ol' C Maj Pentatonic Scale (C-D-E-G-A).

Smashing! Wouldn't you agree?!

It's only when we bust up that plan by messing with the note E (the hallowed Maj. 3rd); altering it down a half step, (making it an Eb and a min. 3rd), that we enter the dark netherworld of C Melodic Minor....

And then the real fun begins!

251 Measure Relay - ii-V7-i Penta b6 Speed & Agility Exercise

8/6/2014

251 Measure Relay - ii-V7-i Penta b6
Speed & Agility Exercise

Coming on the heels of last week's post, this speed & agility exercise starts out with the same Pentatonic b6 configuration, this time over a 4 bar minor ii-V7-i cadence; using a different Penta b6 for each chord; albeit from a common tone.

As with the previous exercise, this one is designed not only for speed & agility; but also to sharpen your ears and your brain; and to facilitate, ultimately, the ability to start an idea from any note

Once again, memorization through the 12 keys is the goal here.

As with previous exercises here dealing with the Melodic Minor ii-V7-i progression, a different Melodic Minor scale is related to each of the three chords.

The derived b6 pentatonics from these three unique Melodic Minor scales have a single common tone between them, and it is from this "X-Centric" vantage point that we will begin our exploration.

2 B Continued...Continuous Melodic Minor ii-V7-i, 3 Scale Exercise

6/19/2014

2 B Continued...
Continuous Melodic Minor ii-V7-i
3 Scale Exercise

The purpose of this minor ii-V7-i exercise, which utilizes 3 Melodic Minor scales (in directionally alternating diatonic 3rds), is at least three-fold:

1) Because Melodic Minor has no "avoid" notes, one can start and resolve the ii-V7-i cadence on each and any scale degree.

2) To smoothly connect, by whole or half step, from one scale to the next, moving in the same ascending or descending direction.

3) Most importantly, to help train the ear to the sound of Melodic Minor in general and to the sound of this type of polymodal ii-V7-i in particular, as well as to build instrumental technique.

Rep. Tile Dept. - Express Your "Scales" as Arpeggios

6/5/2014

Iguana play some scales

Musically speaking, a scale (in German "Tonleiter" or "tone ladder") is an ordered set of pitches, either ascending or descending. Such scales can be expressed stepwise (horizontally) or intervalically as arpeggios (vertically).

The subject of this exercise is the arpeggiated version of the Melodic Minor Scale starting on it's 4th scale degree (Lydian Dominant), over a minor ii-V7-i root movement.

A wealth of information on Melodic Minor harmony can be found in previous posts on this blog, together with ii-V7 exercises.

Descending the Spiral Staircase - More Altered Pentatonics

3/20/2014

Surprise! Another ii-V7-i exercise dealing with altered pentatonics.

Can't get enough, huh? Me, too!

I mean, why practice this stuff? Why practice scales, patterns, etc.

In fact, why practice.......period!?

I expect there might be different answers depending on the skill level and intentions of the player.

As for myself, and players like me who have been doing this for a while, it's about making new connections (musically, not necessarily politically or professionally), creating new pathways, growing new synapses, etc.

In other words, trying to get away from playing the S.O.S.

As I mentioned on my home page, the more you learn, the more the universe seems to expand exponentially, whereby, instead of feeling larger within it, you realize how little you really know.

The great part about that is: There will always be something interesting and challenging to learn, and get this:

YOU WILL NEVER RUN OUT OF THINGS TO PRACTICE!

Inspired from "A Study in Fourths" by Walter Bishop, Jr. - Part 2

1/24/2014

This is the second post dealing with ideas from Walter Bishop, Jr's "A Study in Fourths". It might not be a bad idea to check out Part 1 for some background, including the all informative YouTube vid of Mr. Bishop demonstrating his concepts at the piano.

The link to Part 1 should open in a separate tab, so you can have them side by side for easy access.

The 4 bar line presented here is based on the first bar of ex. 8 on p. 13 of "A Study in Fourths" (a 2 bar phrase), of which both first measures are identical.

Kissin' Cousins - 1-2-5, Pentatonics & P4ths

7/16/2013

1-2-5s (027 Trichords) everywhere! I'm seein' 'em in my sleep!

This time it's 1-2-5 and it's dear cousins, Pentatonic and Perfect 4th (P4th), that gets our attention.

The notes of a Maj. pentatonic scale are formed by two 1-2-5 patterns a whole tone apart (C-D-G + D-E-A = C-D-E-G-A).

The close relationship to these 1-2-5 patterns and the pentatonic scale, as well as the pentatonic scale and the interval of a perfect fourth (E-A-D-G-C) is a somewhat obvious one.

A 1-2-5 pattern contains at least one P4th, and in it's first inversion (D-G-C) contains those final two consecutive P4ths.

1-2-5 Patterns - ii-V7-I Applications

7/3/2013

These 1-2-5 Patterns (027 Trichords) have been intriguing me lately, especially after getting around to practicing the stuff I've previously posted here and here, myself.

Each three note, 1-2-5 unit has six basic shape combinations: 125, 152, 215, 251, 512 & 521.

Adding a second 1-2-5 grouping, a major 3rd apart (Maj 7#11) or minor 3rd apart (min 7 11) increases that number to 36 (eg. 125-125, 125-152, 215-125, 512-251, etc.) in each case.

Inspired from "A Study in Fourths" by Walter Bishop, jr.

3/6/2013

Here's an exercise inspired, for the most part, by the late, great pianist Walter Bishop, jr., from his book, "A Study in Fourths", published in 1976 and now, unfortunately, out of print.

I was fortunate enough to have bought this book from Mr. Bishop personally in the late 1970's or early '80s, after seeing him perform. I seem to remember him autographing it for me, but the book contains no autograph. Either I had asked him, but there was no pen available or he used invisible ink (or I was............never mind!).

*I remember now. As I had several copies of the book, I inadvertently lent or gave the autographed copy away to a student without checking. Careless maybe, but I know I wasn't trippin'.

It is said that Woody Shaw practiced out of this book, and maybe he did. But it is well documented that he played the way he did (using lines comprised of 4ths, not common on trumpet), long before this book appeared in 1976.

Gonna Have Some Fun! - 3-6-2-5-1

3/2/2013

3-6-2-5-1

Here's another finger exercise similar to the "Coltrane Changes" exercise I posted recently. This time it's a snakey ascending pattern over a iii-VI-ii-V-I chord sequence. This chord sequence is extremely common and found in most standard tunes.

The formula here is (as in Line #1):

Scale steps 7-8-9-7, 5-6-7-9 from the Major Scale (F Maj) from which the iii chord (A-7) is derived.
Scale steps 3-4-5-3, 1-2-3-4 from the Melodic Minor (Eb Mel. Min) scale from which the VI chord (D7alt; an altered dominant 7th chord) and it's altered dominant scale is derived (Altered Scale = 7th Mode of Melodic Minor).

Scale steps 3-4-5-3, 2-3-4-5 from the Major Scale (F Maj) from which the ii chord (G-7) is derived.
Scale steps 1-2-3-1, 6-7-8-9 from the Melodic Minor (C# Mel. Min) scale from which the V7 chord (C7alt; an altered dominant 7th chord) and it's altered dominant scale is derived (Altered Scale - 7th Mode of Melodic Minor).
Scale steps 7-8-9-7, and resting on the 6th scale step (D) of the Major scale (F Maj) from which the I (F Maj 6 or 7) chord is derived.

In other words, the scale / chord relationship would look like:
iii (FMaj.) VI (Eb MM) ii (F Maj.) V (C# MM) I (F Maj).
A-7 / D7alt / G-7 / C7alt / F

This is a perfect example of how Major, and it's "Evil Twin", Melodic Minor, can work together "in harmony", so to speak.

Download PDF

B. Stern

Jazz Improvisation - Slick Licks That Stick! - Intervalic ii-V7 Pattern

12/28/2012

SLICK LICKS THAT STICK! - An Intervallic ii-V7 Pattern

Here's a nice little fourth / pentatonic type intervalic ii-V7 pattern, a la Woody Shaw, that slipped into my fingers the other day as I was doing my saxophonic due diligence.

A quick analysis of the first line reveals that on beats 3 & 4 and 1 & 2 of measures one & two respectively, there's a brief tonality shift into B Major, or one half step below the target key, C.

Beats 3 & 4 of measure two are an altered four note grouping, relative to the dominant (G7), leading back to the targeted tonic chord C minor (or Major).

There are a bunch of ways you could reharmonize this line, superimpose it over different key centers, etc., but I haven't messed with that so far.

In any case, it's a cool device for momentarily steppin' "out", and then slidin' back "in".

Have fun!

Here's a pdf to download, in all 12 keys.

B.Stern

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