The world of harmonic minor...

[geoffkhan]

For me, I've been into the half-whole stuff and melodic minor for a long time...

Until recently when I found out that I can use the harmonic minor scale in jazz. The modes of harmonic minor are so much more versatile than melodic minor, too. I mean, you've got major 7, minor 7, dominant 7, even diminished 7! I've been getting some really original sounds out of it, too. Mess around with it, you'll like it.

Harmonic minor is cool. That and altered pentatonic scales.

 

[Jace The Bass]

For me, I've been into the half-whole stuff and melodic minor for a long time...

Until recently when I found out that I can use the harmonic minor scale in jazz. The modes of harmonic minor are so much more versatile than melodic minor, too. I mean, you've got major 7, minor 7, dominant 7, even diminished 7! I've been getting some really original sounds out of it, too. Mess around with it, you'll like it.

Harmonic minor is cool. That and altered pentatonic scales.

Yeah I hear you man
Harmonic minor has that classical sound especially when you end on the 7th

 

[Dynna]

I like the 5th mode(1b2345b6b7). Especially when I'm feeling all mystical and warm inside.

 

[geoffkhan]

The 5th mode of harmonic minor is what Spanish guitarists use.

Just try going through the diatonic 7th chords of harmonic minor and you'll see what I mean.

But today I found something even cooler from a chord/chord progression standpoint: the diminished scale (the half-whole scale). I mean I've played it for a long time, but I've never actually sat down and experimented with the chordal possibilities it presents.

Try it -- in the G diminished scale start out with a E major triad, and then work your way upwards diatonically. So:

Emaj, Bbmin/F, Gmaj, C#min/Ab, Bbmaj, Emin/Cb, C#maj, Gmin/D

In fact, try taking any voicing in harmonic minor and transposing it diatonically.

Oh, and be careful of getting brain ulcers.

 

[Aaron Saunders]

Yeah I hear you man
Harmonic minor has that classical sound especially when you end on the 7th

I love dropping down to the 7th below the root and then sliding back into the root (on a fretless). Sounds so amazingly final and sweet.

 

[geoffkhan]

Great way to end your solos! I'll have to remember that...

 

[waxbass]

I need some memory refreshment WHich one is the harmonic minor again?? Off the top of my head the natural minor has the flat 3,6, and 7 right? Ah hell, while you're at it might as well throw in the melodic minor too

WHich one has the 6 and 7 different for ascending and descending?

wax

 

[ogyen]

harmonic minor is like a natural minor with a raised 7th. Another way to look at it is to flat the 3rd and 6th of a maj scale. The classic melodic minor is a natural minor with a raised 6th and 7th ascending, restored to natural minor descending. Jazz melodic minor has the raised 6th and 7th both ascending and descending.

 

[waxbass]

Thanks oxyen At least I hadn't COMPLETELY forgotten eh?

I've been doing lots of writing in the dorian mode lately....or at least I think it's dorian: Natural minor with a raised 6th?? Whatever it is makes for some real nice harmonies in 4ths using the root and the 5th.

wax

 

[geoffkhan]

It's called harmonic minor because the natural 7 was needed so the 5 chord could be dominant.

 

[ogyen]

Yeah, dorian is natural minor with a raised 6th. It's a very hip scale, a lot of my teachers have told me to use dorian over most minor chords in jazz (of course there are exceptions). I'm also really into lydian b7 (R,2,3,#4,5,6,b7) or just lydian (R,2,3,#4,5,6,7), these are great to use over dominant(lydian b7) and major chords(lydian).

 

[waxbass]

Cool. Thanks for the info. I'll check those out next time I get a chance. I miss playing jazz For the last two years I've been on a strict rock diet with little time between gigs for anything else

Oh well, you gotta pay to play

wax

 

[geoffkhan]

Yeah, dorian is natural minor with a raised 6th. It's a very hip scale, a lot of my teachers have told me to use dorian over most minor chords in jazz (of course there are exceptions). I'm also really into lydian b7 (R,2,3,#4,5,6,b7) or just lydian (R,2,3,#4,5,6,7), these are great to use over dominant(lydian b7) and major chords(lydian).

Yeah, Lydian Dominant is my favorite melodic minor mode. However, you can only use it in its correct context.

To do with minor, I like dorian a lot, but again, it just depends on where you are in the song and the chords before and after.

But you can always use a dorian in a II V I cadence in jazz.