Specific theory question..

[fiebru1119]

I was watching the John Pattitucci video yesterday (vol 2.. the improvising/soloing one). For those who have never seen the video, there is a section where he goes over different types of chords (major, minor, dominant, diminished) in C (for simplicity) and their common alterations/extensions.

In the "dominant chord" section, he talks about the C7#9#5 chord. He mentions that the scale he chooses to play over this is the "melodic minor a half step up" (Db melodic minor in this case). What gets me is WHY?? Why did he do this (he fails to explain this in the video)?

 

[geoffkhan]

You use the melodic minor a half step up because it is a nice shortcut to play the altered scale. C7 #9 #5 is a partially altered chord, so you can use the altered scale in it. The full altered chord is C7 #5 #9 b9 #11, I believe, and it doesn't have a natural five in it (there is no G in C7 alt). So here's the C alt scale:

(notice the use of both sharps and flats -- this is correct)
C, Db, D#, E, F#, G#, Bb, C

Also notice that it shares the same exact notes as a Db melodic minor, only starting and ending on the 7th degree of the scale.

That's why we use the "melodic minor a half-step up" trick. It makes it a whole lot easier to think of an altered scale.

P.S. Here's another cool trick: on a half-diminished chord, let's say C half-diminished (also known as minor b5), use a Db melodic minor scale. So on half-diminished chords, play the melodic minor scale a minor third up from the root. Cool, isn't it?

 

[fiebru1119]

completely understand now, great explanation! Thanks!

 

[Jace The Bass]

Don't forget to sing the scale

La-La La-Laah-Laah-Laaah-La Lum