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

Get Nutty, Buddy! - X-Centric Pentatonic b6 Modes

4/9/2013

Check out my recent guest post on X-Centric Pentatonics on the Best.Saxophone.Website.Ever for an explanation of the concept, as well as the Bergonzi formula.

The Pentatonic b6 is derived from the 5-6-7-9-(b)10 scale steps of the Melodic Minor Scale (i.e. C Pentatonic b6 = C-D-E-G-Ab, is derived from F Melodic Minor). It can be used, in theory, in any situation which utilizes Melodic Minor Scale harmony. It contains a tritone which means can be used as any dominant chord containing that same tritone.

It's sound might take a bit of getting used to. Four of it's notes are from the whole tone scale, as well as the augmented triad, plus the minor second, giving it an added pinch of dissonance.

But this ugly duckling is truly beauty-ful!!

Have Fun! Gotta run!

Download pdf

B. Stern

Unchained MM Melody! - Melodic Minor in 4ths

4/4/2013

Here's a groovy little line, based on 3 note groupings of diatonic 4th intervals of the Melodic Minor scale, which morphed into being today as I waxed saxosophical.

In my recent series of posts entitled "Melodic Minor: Major's Evil Twin", Pts. 1 -5, it was mentioned that:

1) The Melodic Minor scale system does not contain an unbroken row of 6 perfect fourths, as does Major (i.e. C Maj: B-E-A-D-G-C-F). As a result of altering the Maj. 3rd "E" to "Eb", the newly created C Melodic Minor scale now has 4 perfect fourths, 2 tritones (Eb-A, F-B) and a diminshed fourth (B-Eb, which sounds as a Maj. 3rd).

This means that different finger patterns are created than if you were to play purely Maj. diatonic 4ths or lines based on perfect 4ths, a la Walter Bishop, jr's method. In fact, getting MM 4ths under your fingers will enhance your ability to create hybrid lines using all of these methods.

2) Melodic Minor has no "avoid notes", as does Maj. (i.e. "F" in C Maj.), so that theoretically, nothing will sound "wrong", plus diatonic melodies, chords, and bass lines are all pretty much interchangeable.

Each 2 bar phrase, one ascending & one descending, contains all 7 notes of the Melodic Minor scale.

There are myriads of ways which you could harmonize this line, so knock yourself out.

Thanks, I think I will.

Download PDF

Lots more Melodic Minor material is available in my recent eBook, "Slick Licks That Stick!", including a Melodic Minor 4th Stack Workout! Check it out!

B. Stern

Transcriptions That Stick! - Dig Big Nick!

3/27/2013

Here's a transcription of John Coltrane's soprano saxophone solo on his composition "Big Nick", recorded April 11th, 1962 at Rudy Van Gelder's famed studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ and was released as part of the album "Coltrane", on the Impulse! label.

This is the first of two versions of the tune recorded by Coltrane that year; the second, which appeared on the aptly titled Impulse! classic, "Duke Ellington and John Coltrane", was recorded in September.

The main difference between the two versions, is the form (and the intention). The "Ellington" version is a standard 32 bar, AABA classic American song form with a typical late 1940's, Rhythm & Bluesish chord progression on both the A sections and the bridge (in honor of former mentor, saxophonist Big Nick Nicholas, for whom Coltrane wrote the tune). Both 'Trane's and Ellington's solos are played over the complete form.

Augment Your Diminished Returns - Diminished Scale b6ths

3/19/2013

Here's an intriguing and suspenseful sounding exercise / pattern based on the whole tone / half tone diminished scale, broken down into the interval of a minor 6th, moving in minor 3rds.

The diminished scale, as you may know (or maybe you don't), is an 8 note symmetrical scale. It's construction can be viewed as:

alternating whole and half tones, a 2 note pattern which repeats itself 4 times per octave, thus dividing the octave into 4 equal parts, each consisting of a minor third. This division creates 3 distinct diminished scales (2 per note).
e.g. Whole tone/ Half tone (C-D) (Eb-F) (F#-G#) (A-B). Half tone/ whole tone (Auxiliary diminished): (C-Db) (Eb-E) (F#-G) (A-Bb).
2 diminished seventh chords, a whole step or half step apart (C-Eb-Gb-A, D-F-Ab-B) or (C-Eb-Gb-A, C#-E-G-Bb).
4 minor or Major triads, a minor third apart (C, Eb, F#, A Maj. / min triads).

Fun-da-Mentals - Major Triads & Inversions

3/13/2013

This is a basic, fundamental exercise dealing with Major Triads and their inversions.

The triads are spaced a whole tone apart with the scheme being ascending / descending in an upwards direction for 2 octaves, then ascending / descending back down.

Each inversion is presented in four groupings, as each measure is a Major Third apart, thus dividing the octave into 3 equal parts. Therefore, the triads repeat after the fourth grouping.

Triads are one of the more basic tools in an improviser's arsenal. A good technical facility, as well as a basic theoretical understanding of their usage both in and of themselves as well as their use as chordal extensions or upper structures, is an important part of building vocabulary.

Two Major triads a whole step apart are found diatonically in the Major and Melodic Minor scales (on the fourth and fifth degrees of each).

This exercise is but a starting point, as triad exercises can be built in half steps, thirds, etc., changing direction, Major, minor, mixed quality, etc., and all with inversions.

That should keep us all out of trouble, at least for a while, anyway.

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B. Stern

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

Sympathy for Melodic Minor - Major's Evil Twin, Pt. 5

2/25/2013

As we discovered in Pt. 4, that because Melodic Minor has no "avoid notes", anything we play within the MM "key" will not sound wrong, and that any MM chord can be substituted for any other. It also means that MM is "key" oriented, rather than chord or cadence oriented. This apparent "lack" of an avoid note actually turns out to give our MM mutant it's wings to fly free, unencumbered by the rules and confinements of Major Scale harmony, and it's tensions and resolutions.

Quickety Lickety! - Coltrane Changes Sequence Finger Exercise

2/21/2013

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This is a simple digital pattern exercise that will take you through a Coltrane Change (aka Giant Steps, Descending Maj 3rd Cycle, etc) sequence. The 4 note digital patterns are: 3-4-5-3 on the tonic Maj. chords & b7-8-9-b7 on the dominants.

While not exactly a plug and play lick, it's a nice little finger exercise that flows through the changes and keeps your mind focused on them.

It should be duly noted that this exercise has been certified non-hazardous by the Dept. of Homeland Chopscurity.

Whew! I actually feel more like I do now than when I first got here!

Download PDF

B. Stern

Sympathy for Melodic Minor - Major's Evil Twin, Pt. 4

2/20/2013

As we continue the saga of MM (aka Melodic Minor), our "Major Modal Mutant", and cast a brief glance over our shoulders for a quick recap, we remind ourselves that:

MM was formed by lowering the 3rd degree of a Major Scale, which altered it's internal intervalic relationships.
Whereras Major has 6 perfect fourths and one tritone, MM now possesses 4 perfect fourths, a diminished fourth (Maj. 3rd), and 2 tritones.
MM contains substantial pieces of both the whole tone, and diminished scales.

While focusing on what MM has, we've neglected to call attention to what it lacks. We haven't yet touched upon the sad and cruel fact that our mutant came into this world without something that actually defines Major Scale harmony. We can't avoid this discussion any longer.

The truth......... is....that........MM was .......born with.......without........OMG.........this is tough, folks!.......that MM was born without an............!

Sympathy for Melodic Minor - Major's Evil Twin, Pt 3

2/17/2013

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I'm beginning to think that I've been giving Melodic Minor (MM, to close friends), a bad rap, calling it "Major's Evil Twin". It's not really "evil" at all. In fact, it's pretty sweet when you get to know it well.

So, in line with my statement in Part 2 about getting "intimately familiar" with MM's modes and chord types, I thought it might be helpful to some of you to post this basic Melodic Minor Chord / Scale exercise in all 12 keys. As the name suggests, you start on the root, play an arpeggiated seventh chord up, then a scale down to the root of the next diatonic chord, and continue that pattern throughout the range of your instrument. Then reverse the process: chord down, scale up.

There's nothing really slick about this exercise, but it's a very effective way to get the fundamentals of MM (or any scale) under your control.

Download 6 page pdf

B. Stern

If it's "slick" you want, however, then check out "Slick Licks That Stick!" by Bobby Stern (who dat?), a 177 page PDF eBook that's got a ton of tasty MM stuff in it.
Check Out
Part 4

Sympathy for Melodic Minor - Major's Evil Twin, Pt. 2

2/16/2013

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In Pt. 1, we saw how M.M. was created from of the ribs of a Major scale by simply dropping the Maj. 3rd a half step, and in the process, changing the interval relationships (and therefore the tensions) within the scale itself. The sound of MM is now darker and more mysterious than Major, due mainly to the added whole tone (creating an augmented triad, Eb-G-B), and the diatonic presence of two diminished triads (A-C-Eb & B-D-F), meaning that our new scale now possesses two tritones (A-Eb & B-F).

Besides the tritones, we also notice that our new scale now contains 4 perfect fourths (C-F, D-G, G-C, A-C), and one diminished fourth (B-Eb) which sounds and functions as a Major 3rd and is one of the defining intervals of the MM scale (more on that later).

Feature: Russ Nolan - Jazz Composition and Improv - "One & the Same"

2/16/2013

Learn more from CD Universe

Friend and fellow tenorman, Chicago native and long time NYC resident, Russ Nolan features a very concise and insightful look into some of the processes that go into both jazz composition and improvisation, as well as highlighting similarities of both.

Russ refers to composition as "improvisation out of time" and improvisation as "composition in real time". Being an accomplished composer as well as a world class improviser, he knows well of which he speaks.

Check out his 3 part post, and learn more about Russ.

Pentatonic Power Drill, Pt. 3 - Note-centric Major Pentatonics, Bergonzi Shapes 2 & 6

2/12/2013

Penta Power Drill

Encouraged by my new friend, New York based tenor saxophone terror Russ Nolan (www.russnolan.com ), I'm back again with another helping of 5-mode-oriented Major pentatonic exercises, starting from each of the 12 notes of the chromatic scale and shaped according to formulas nos. 2 & 6 from tenor titan Jerry Bergonzi's popular book, Vol.2 "Pentatonics".

The Major Pentatonic Scale is derived from the Major Scale by omitting the 4th & 7th degrees. As there are 12 Major keys, there are also 12 distinct Major Pentatonics.

We can create 5 distinct modes from any pentatonic scale, one for each note of that scale.
If, however, we choose, to begin each mode on the same note, we then generate five individual pentatonic scales, each from a different key.

Sympathy for Melodic Minor - Major's Evil Twin, Pt. 1

2/11/2013

The scale and harmonic system known as Melodic Minor (aka: Jazz Minor, Ascending Melodic Minor, Ionian b3, etc.) is probably the most misunderstood and under digested of the traditional diatonic derived scale systems being used in improvised music. Many students, and professionals alike, tend to freeze up like they saw Frankenstein when presented with chord symbols or mode choices native to Melodic Minor, or for that matter, not native to Major.

Most of us have been taught to view any altered chord type as an altered form of it's Major counterpart. For example, let's look at Eb Maj7+5 (Eb - G - B - D). We take an Eb Major 7 chord (Eb - G - Bb - D) and raise the 5th a half step (Bb to B), right?. But now it no longer belongs to either the Major key of Eb or Bb, or for that matter, any Major mother scale.

So where then does it belong? Who is this baby's mother and where is she? The idea of taking a chord from the Major scale and altering an element of that chord is, in itself, not totally misguided, but....!

Pentatonic Power Drill, Pt. 2 - Pentatonic b3 One Note Jam & the Bergonzi Factor

2/3/2013

Pentatonic Power Drill, Pt. 2
Pentatonic b3 One Note Jam & the Bergonzi Factor

The idea for this post is the merging of an exercise I posted previously on playing 5 Pentatonic modes from one note (it'd probably be helpful to check it out first), with formula #1 from the "Inside Improvisation Series - Vol. 2 "Pentatonics" by the eminent saxophonist and guru, Jerry Bergonzi.

In this book, the Gonz presents 8 different formulas (4 descending and 4 ascending, based on steps and skips up or down), for creating pentatonic lines.

What we're doing here this time is taking Bergonzi's pentatonic formula #1 (which is (x) skip step down (x) step down (x) skip step up (x) step down), and applying it to the Pentatonic b3 scale (C - D - Eb - G - A).

Quick Picks That Kick - Bobby Hutcherson "The Kicker"

1/31/2013

Quick Picks That Kick - Bobby Hutcherson "The Kicker"

As I've been frantically trying to finish my new eBook "Slick Licks That Stick" during the past several weeks and hadn't had the chance to post anything new, I thought I'd do a quickie "Marc Meyers type" record review of an album I've been digging a lot lately, Bobby Hutcherson's 1963 recording, "The Kicker", featuring, besides Hutcherson on vibraphone, the always amazing Joe Henderson on tenor (of course), Duke Pearson - p, Grant Green - guitar (tracks #4-6), Bob (he's everywhere, he's everywhere!) Cranshaw - bass, and Al Harewood on the tubs. Not only does the music on this album sound fantastic (give RVG his props, too), it also feels great!

Bari Good! - The "Bari Hybrid" Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

1/15/2013

Bari Good! - The "Bari Hybrid" Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

As I revealed in a previous post on synthetic reeds, I have been an endorser for Bari Woodwinds since 2006 and I've been very happily playing their synthetic reeds since 1987.

So, you ask; what does an endorser do?

An endorser endorses, of courses!

Stanley & Shirley - A Lovely Couple (of Musical Giants)

1/7/2013

Stanley & Shirley - A Lovely Couple (of Musical Giants)

Stanley Turrentine & Shirley Scott - live in the late 1960's

Riding the wave of innovation pioneered by Jimmy Smith and the resulting popularity of the Hammond B-3 electric organ, B-3 organ groups soon sprang up like mushrooms in bars and lounges all across urban America during the late 1950's and throughout the next decade.

By the early 1960's, as organ / tenor saxophone groups were approaching the peak of their popularity, the best of the rest of these groups was the one led by the husband & wife team of tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and organist Shirley Scott.

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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Historical Comedy - Miles: Homey D. Clown Plays Blew 'n' Booger

12/23/2012

Miles Don't Play Dat!

I'd been thinking about doing this post for about a month now, since I happened upon this YouTube vid. It's an interview with Miles Davis by TV producer Bill Boggs from ca. 1990, for what I'm guessing was a local Philadelphia daytime talk show.

The reason I had reservations about posting it is because as a new blogger trying to gain some cred, I thought this might verge on silliness.

Jazz Improvisation - Transcription: How High the Giant Steps - "Satellite"

12/19/2012

How High the Giant Steps - "Satellite"

'Trane's-Atlantic Satellite

Waxing Historical
"Satellite" - John Coltrane's "Giant Step-ed" treatment of the standard "How High the Moon" was recorded as the final tune of the evening session on Oct. 24th, 1960 for Atlantic Records. This late session also produced all of the tracks (with the exception of "Mr. Syms", recorded earlier that afternoon) for the album which eventually became known as Coltrane Plays the Blues, which wasn't released until 1962.

The afternoon & evening sessions from that day, as well as the sessions from the 21st & 26th of Oct., yielded all the material for 2 other albums as well: My Favorite Things (released 1961) and Coltrane's Sound, which included "Satellite" (not released until nearly four years later in 1964).

The Best Music Transcription Software - Transcribe!

12/9/2012

Transcribe! It

Simply put, Transcribe! is an amazing music software tool that allows you to take any standard audio file (mp3, wav, aif, & more), of a song, lick, solo, etc. which you're trying to master; and, among other things, slow it down to variable speeds without changing it's pitch, in order to make the transcribing or learning process so much easier.

Transcribe! has been around for some time, and chances are you either already have it or have heard about it. If you haven't, I'm happy to do some of the preliminaries and introductions. I highly recommend you make it's acquaintance, even if just casually.

Jazz Improvisation - Pentatonic Power Drill - Five Scales From Any Note

12/8/2012

Pentatonic Power Drill - Five Scales From Any Note

Here's a chops building, warm up type, major pentatonic scale exercise through all 12 keys that I've found to be quite useful.

Pentatonic Scales (defined as any scale containing 5 notes) are evident, even prominent, in many styles of music from all over the world. The pentatonic scale is probably as old as music itself.

The Major Pentatonic Scale is derived from the Major Scale by omitting the 4th & 7th degrees. As there are 12 Major keys, there are also 12 distinct Major Pentatonics.

SYNTHETIC REEDS: Cane Mutiny?

12/2/2012

SYNTHETIC REEDS: Cane Mutiny?

Is it just me, or does it seem like every other month there's another ad for a fledgling synthetic reed co. that I hadn't as yet heard of?

Due to advances in technology, better marketing, the current tight economy, dissatisfaction with the inconsistencies of cane and the availability of a real and viable option; the result seems to be that more woodwind players than ever before are switching to synthetic reeds and regretting it less.

The cane vs. synth debate is presented pretty much on point elsewhere, so no need to go down Redundancy Rd. here.

Reeds, like mouthpieces, combs and toothbrushes are, of course, very personal items. As a former cane and long time synthetic reed user myself, I can only attempt to enlighten from my own experience with both.