Hey! You've Got an ACE up Your Sleeve!
Bet you haven't checked your sleeve in a minute!
As an improviser, there are numerous devices that help one to get from points A to B in any particular tune - whether it's a ii-V7 cadence or any other type of harmonic sequence.
In this post, we'll revisit the ACE concept, which can utilize up to 4 different Melodic Minor tonal areas over a common ii-V7-I, resolving to either Major or minor - or both.
By using melodic material derived from several Melodic Minor "keys" you'll introduce tension and dimension to your ii-V7 lines - adding to that of the basic, more vanilla sounding Major Scale modes - which we all still know and love.
As an improviser, there are numerous devices that help one to get from points A to B in any particular tune - whether it's a ii-V7 cadence or any other type of harmonic sequence.
In this post, we'll revisit the ACE concept, which can utilize up to 4 different Melodic Minor tonal areas over a common ii-V7-I, resolving to either Major or minor - or both.
By using melodic material derived from several Melodic Minor "keys" you'll introduce tension and dimension to your ii-V7 lines - adding to that of the basic, more vanilla sounding Major Scale modes - which we all still know and love.
ACE is an easy to remember acronym that represents the 3 Melodic Minor scales used in a minor ii-V7-i cadence in the key of - and resolving to - E minor (F#-7b5 / B7alt / E-). The 3 scales are determined as follows:
F#-7b5 is the 6th (vi) mode of A Melodic Minor. (known as "F# Locrian #2")
B7alt is the 7th (vii) mode of C Melodic Minor (commonly known as the "B Altered Scale")
E- is the 1st (i) mode of E Melodic Minor.
Notice that the distance between the scales of the ii (A Melodic Minor) and the V7 (C Melodic Minor) is a minor 3rd. The distance between the V7 and the i (E Melodic Minor) is a Major 3rd
Notice also that the distance between the roots of each chord are up a Perfect 4th, or down a Perfect 5th - consistent with a normal ii-V7-i, which is based on the Cycle of Fifths..
Another look:
ii7b5: F#-7b5 (A Melodic Minor) | V7alt: B7alt (C Melodic Minor) | i: E- (E Melodic Minor)
vi mode vii mode i mode
A ii-V7-i in E minor is the key of choice for this acronym, simply because it's the only one of the 12 keys where the first letter of each Melodic Minor scale spells an actual word!
Having pointed that out, let's take a look at the notation example below (Ex. 1), which depicts a minor ii-V7-i sequence in C, and which follows the same rules.
ii7b5: D-7b5 (F Melodic Minor) | V7alt: G7alt (Ab Melodic Minor) | i: C- (C Melodic Minor)
D Locrian #2 = D-E-F-G-Ab-Bb-C G Altered = G-Ab-Bb-B-Db-Eb-F C Mel Min = C-D-Eb-F-G-A-B
vi mode of F Mel Mn vii mode of Ab Mel Mn i mode of C Mel Min
While there's no recognizable word acronym in this key, formed by the trio of Melodic Minor scales in use (F-Ab-C), the scale letter names do spell out an F minor triad.
This presents a quick way to find your trio of min ii-V7-i scales: Take the last letter as the 5th of a minor triad and fill in the root and 3rd.
In Bb min, for example, the Melodic Minor keys / scales for the ii, the V7 and the i would be Eb, Gb & Bb, respectively. How about D minor? Ab minor, anyone?
Now you've got it!
Ex. 1 - Maj 7+5 Arpeggios in a Minor ii-V7-i-I
F#-7b5 is the 6th (vi) mode of A Melodic Minor. (known as "F# Locrian #2")
B7alt is the 7th (vii) mode of C Melodic Minor (commonly known as the "B Altered Scale")
E- is the 1st (i) mode of E Melodic Minor.
Notice that the distance between the scales of the ii (A Melodic Minor) and the V7 (C Melodic Minor) is a minor 3rd. The distance between the V7 and the i (E Melodic Minor) is a Major 3rd
Notice also that the distance between the roots of each chord are up a Perfect 4th, or down a Perfect 5th - consistent with a normal ii-V7-i, which is based on the Cycle of Fifths..
Another look:
ii7b5: F#-7b5 (A Melodic Minor) | V7alt: B7alt (C Melodic Minor) | i: E- (E Melodic Minor)
vi mode vii mode i mode
A ii-V7-i in E minor is the key of choice for this acronym, simply because it's the only one of the 12 keys where the first letter of each Melodic Minor scale spells an actual word!
Having pointed that out, let's take a look at the notation example below (Ex. 1), which depicts a minor ii-V7-i sequence in C, and which follows the same rules.
ii7b5: D-7b5 (F Melodic Minor) | V7alt: G7alt (Ab Melodic Minor) | i: C- (C Melodic Minor)
D Locrian #2 = D-E-F-G-Ab-Bb-C G Altered = G-Ab-Bb-B-Db-Eb-F C Mel Min = C-D-Eb-F-G-A-B
vi mode of F Mel Mn vii mode of Ab Mel Mn i mode of C Mel Min
While there's no recognizable word acronym in this key, formed by the trio of Melodic Minor scales in use (F-Ab-C), the scale letter names do spell out an F minor triad.
This presents a quick way to find your trio of min ii-V7-i scales: Take the last letter as the 5th of a minor triad and fill in the root and 3rd.
In Bb min, for example, the Melodic Minor keys / scales for the ii, the V7 and the i would be Eb, Gb & Bb, respectively. How about D minor? Ab minor, anyone?
Now you've got it!
Ex. 1 - Maj 7+5 Arpeggios in a Minor ii-V7-i-I
Now that we've determined which trio of Melodic Minor scales are the right ones for the job, we can explore another time honored Melodic Minor device - namely, the Maj7+5 structure, also known as the augmented Major 7th chord.
The Maj7+5 chord is built in thirds from the 3rd degree of the Melodic Minor scale:
(C-D-)Eb-F-G-A-B-C-D or scale steps 3-5-7-9. It's relative mode is known as Lydian Augmented.
In the 4-bar sequence above, a Maj7+5 descending / ascending arpeggio is employed in parallel fashion on each chord in the minor ii-V7-i for the first 3 bars.
ii = D-7b5 = F Melodic Minor = Ab Maj7+5
V7 = G7alt = Ab Melodic Minor = B Maj7+5
i = C- = C Melodic Minor = Eb Maj7+5
As mentioned previously, the distance between these per-measure parallel sequences is:
up a minor 3rd between ii & V7
up a Major 3rd between V7 & i
The Maj7+5 chord is built in thirds from the 3rd degree of the Melodic Minor scale:
(C-D-)Eb-F-G-A-B-C-D or scale steps 3-5-7-9. It's relative mode is known as Lydian Augmented.
In the 4-bar sequence above, a Maj7+5 descending / ascending arpeggio is employed in parallel fashion on each chord in the minor ii-V7-i for the first 3 bars.
ii = D-7b5 = F Melodic Minor = Ab Maj7+5
V7 = G7alt = Ab Melodic Minor = B Maj7+5
i = C- = C Melodic Minor = Eb Maj7+5
As mentioned previously, the distance between these per-measure parallel sequences is:
up a minor 3rd between ii & V7
up a Major 3rd between V7 & i
Unlike Major harmony, Melodic Minor contains no "avoid notes", so that anything played on the ii chord can be repeated in parallel, up a min 3rd on the V7, as well as up a Maj 3rd resolving to the i. Notice that in the above example, the rhythm and phrasing is altered slightly from bar to bar, which is a subtle but important point to remember.
Remember also, that the root movement of the ii-V7-i is still up a Perfect 4th, down a Perfect 5th.
So what about the C Maj7#11 resolution in bar #4, you ask?!
It actually had the potential to become a fourth Melodic Minor scale / key representing the tonic Major (C).
C-D-E-F#-G#-A-B = C Lydian Augmented (3rd Mode of A Melodic Minor)
However, since there's no G# in either the melody or the chord voicing, the sound is decidedly C Lydian - the fourth mode of G Major, which of course contains a G natural instead of a G#. The rest is identical between the both scales.
Remember also, that the root movement of the ii-V7-i is still up a Perfect 4th, down a Perfect 5th.
So what about the C Maj7#11 resolution in bar #4, you ask?!
It actually had the potential to become a fourth Melodic Minor scale / key representing the tonic Major (C).
C-D-E-F#-G#-A-B = C Lydian Augmented (3rd Mode of A Melodic Minor)
However, since there's no G# in either the melody or the chord voicing, the sound is decidedly C Lydian - the fourth mode of G Major, which of course contains a G natural instead of a G#. The rest is identical between the both scales.
Listen
Download the pdf via the above link, which transposes this 4-bar sequence into all 12 keys!
So now that you know you've got an ACE up your sleeve, remember what Kenny Rogers said: "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to".....aahh, you know the song!
B. Stern
So now that you know you've got an ACE up your sleeve, remember what Kenny Rogers said: "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to".....aahh, you know the song!
B. Stern
For an even more in-depth look, the following Shortbooks™ are recommended
and available for immediate download.
and available for immediate download.
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