INTRODUCTION This series of books are for the student who desires to become a creative musician through the study of improvisation. Each book deals with a specific scale, or a specific chord progression. Scale application is at the heart of improvisation. There are countless guitar players who only know one scale, the minor pentatonic. Every solo they play has the same sound. This of course will result when only one scale is used to the total exclusion of all others. Each scale creates its own unique tonality or colour. Application of all scales is vital to the art of improvisation, and it is that which defines a creative musician. This series of books teaches you several fingerings of each scale, and how to link them, so that when soloing you're able to move seamlessly from one position to the next. The most important and least understood aspect covered by these books is the application of the scales. This entails knowing over which chords the scales can be used. This particular text deals with the melodic minor scale. Along with exercises to develop the scale, there are licks which you can insert into your own solos. There's an in depth discussion of the scales application to the blues, and the major and minor key II - V - I. There are several solos which demonstrate use of the scale. Audio files along with backing tracks for you to play along to are included. Tab is supplied along with music notation. TUNING NOTES To be sure that you're in tune with the backing tracks, tune your guitar to the guitar tuning on track one. This text was written by Joe Willis, a professional session guitarist of many years experience at the cutting edge of the music business. He has played and worked with many of the biggest names in the world of music including, Tom Jones, Ray Charles, Cilla Black, Lulu, Dusty Springfield, Rick Wakeman, Englebert Humperdink, The Everly Bros, Irene Cara, and jazz icons, Kurt Edelhagen, Jan Luc Ponty, Attila Zoller, Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, Art Farmer, Michel Colombier to name just a few.
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CONTENTS Page
Audio Track
Introduction And Tuning Notes....................................................................2...................1 Chapter Construction 1 Examples 1.1 through 1.3...................................................................................5 Examples 1.4 through 1.6..................................................................................6 Functioning and non-functioning dominant 7ths...............................................6 Functioning dominant 7ths................................................................................6 Non-functioning dominant 7ths.........................................................................7 Soloing Over Dominant Sevenths With Melodic Minor......................7 Examples 1.7 1.8...............................................................................................7 Melodic minor over non-functioning dominant 7ths........................................7 Melodic minor over functioning dominant 7ths................................................8 Up a half step.....................................................................................................8 Up a fourth..........................................................................................................8 Up a fifth............................................................................................................8 Down a whole step.............................................................................................8 Scale Forms.........................................................................................................9 Forms 1 through 3.............................................................................................9 Forms 4 and 5....................................................................................................10 Example 1.9.......................................................................................................10 Examples 1.10 through 1.12...............................................................................11................2 Example 1.13......................................................................................................12................3 Horizontal Scale Forms...................................................................................15 Chapter Melodic Minor Scale Sequences..................................................................16 2 Example 2.1........................................................................................................16................4 Example 2.2.......................................................................................................17.................4 Examples 2.3 2.4...............................................................................................18.................4 Example 2.5........................................................................................................19................5 Example 2.6.......................................................................................................20................5 Example 2.7.......................................................................................................21................5 Diatonic Seventh Chords ..............................................................................22 Examples 2.8 2.9...............................................................................................22.................6 Melodic Minor Modes.....................................................................................23 Example 2.10.....................................................................................................23 Example 2.11......................................................................................................24 Practising melodic minor modes.......................................................................25
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Page
Audio Track
Chapter 3
Melodic Minor Over The Minor II - V - I...............................................25 Examples 3.1 3.2..............................................................................................25 Licks Over Minor II - V - I...........................................................................26..................7 Melodic Minor Over Non-functioning Dominants...............................28 Up a fifth approach............................................................................................28 Up A Fifth Licks...............................................................................................30.................8
Chapter Melodic Minor Over Functioning Dominants ......................................31 4 Up a half step approach.....................................................................................31 Up a half step applied to major II - V - I..........................................................32..................9 Examples 4.1 through 4.3.................................................................................32 Examples 4.4 through 4.6.................................................................................33 Examples 4.7 through 4.9..................................................................................34 Examples 4.10 through 4.12..............................................................................35 Example 4.13.....................................................................................................36..................10 Chapter Up A Half Step Licks.......................................................................................39..................11 5 Up A Fourth Licks............................................................................................43..................12 Up A Fifth Licks...............................................................................................44..................13 Down A Whole Step Licks.............................................................................46..................14 Chapter Melodic Minor Over The Blues...................................................................49 6 Blues In F..........................................................................................................49..................15 Solo analysis.....................................................................................................54 Melodic Minor Over Its Diatonic Chords...............................................56 Im(maj7)...........................................................................................................56 Examples 6.1 6.2..............................................................................................56..................16 IIm7..................................................................................................................56 Examples 6.3 6.4..............................................................................................57..................17 bIIImaj7 #5..........................................................................................................57 Examples 6.5 6.6..............................................................................................58..................18 VIm7 b5..............................................................................................................58 Examples 6.7 6.8..............................................................................................59..................19 VIIm7 b5.............................................................................................................59 Example 6.9.......................................................................................................59.................20 Example 6.10.....................................................................................................60.................20 Coda .....................................................................................................................61
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CHAPTER ONE
CONSTRUCTION
The melodic minor, as taught in traditional theory, is a natural minor scale with the sixth and seventh degrees raised but, only when ascending. When descending the sixth and seventh are natural, resulting in a descending natural minor scale. When used in a contemporary setting melodic minor is the same ascending and descending, with the sixth and seventh degrees raised. The scale is referred to as " jazz melodic minor" or "jazz minor" or just "melodic minor", either way it's intended to mean the ascending form of melodic minor. We will refer to it as "melodic minor". This modification of the natural minor scale creates a leading tone seventh, which in turn creates a dominant seventh chord on the fifth degree, which makes a stronger resolution to the tonic minor chord. Although both melodic and harmonic minor contain a leading tone seventh, they produce different diatonic chords because the sixth degree is natural in harmonic minor and raised in melodic minor. The easiest way to think of melodic minor is to simply flat the third of the major scale. Having said that, it is considered more correct to analyse the scale as a modified natural minor. The melodic minor, as with all scales, has its own unique intervalic definition. Compare the three minor scales. A NATURAL MINOR Ex1.1
A HARMONIC MINOR Ex1.2
A MELODIC MINOR Ex1.3
Notice that all notes in natural minor are diatonic to the key. The seventh is raised in harmonic minor. The sixth and seventh are raised in melodic minor. Raising these degrees means that harmonic and melodic minor are not purely diatonic to the key in which they are based, i.e. there are no sharps in the key of A minor. It is vitally important that you know the diatonic chords of the major system (scale) in all keys. If you have issues with this, then see my book "Soloing With The Major And Natural Minor Scales". It is of course just as important that you know the diatonic chords of the three minor systems in all keys if you are to improvise over progressions derived from them. On the following page the three minor systems are harmonised, compare their diatonic chords. 5
Chapter One Ex1.4
A NATURAL MINOR
A HARMONIC MINOR Ex1.5
A MELODIC MINOR Ex1.6
Before we check out the fingerings of melodic minor, let us first discuss its application. In addition to being used over its diatonic chords, the scale is also used over dominant and altered dominant chords. FUNCTIONING AND NON-FUNCTIONING DOMINANT 7ths A dominant seventh chord is either a functioning or non-functioning dominant. It is essential that you know the difference between the two since both require a different application of melodic minor. FUNCTIONING DOMINANT 7ths A dominant seventh is functioning when it resolves up a fourth to its "one chord" as in V7 - Imaj7 and V7 - Im. The dominant seventh is also functioning when operating as a secondary dominant that resolves up a fourth. Functioning dominant sevenths can be extended to include their 9, 11, 13, they can also be altered. An altered dominant is a dominant seventh with any combination of raised or lowered 5th and 9th, here are some examples, G7 b5 b9, G7 b5 #9, G7 #5 b9, G7 #5 #9. G7alt is an alternative chord symbol for any of the preceding. 6
NON-FUNCTIONING DOMINANT 7ths
Chapter One
A non-functioning dominant is when the dominant chord moves to another chord whose root is not up a fourth. For example, G7 to F. Another type of non-functioning dominant is a static dominant. Static dominants are usually extended grooves, as found in many funk tunes where the tune stays on the same chord for a long period of time. More often than not, a static dominant is thought of as being V7 of a major key, such as G7 in the key of C. Static dominants can be extended to include their 9, 11, 13, but they are not usually altered. Since the static dominant is usually thought of as V7 of a major key, the relevant major scale / mixolydian mode is used to solo over it. For example, since G7 is V7 of C major, C major scale can be used to solo over G7. From a modal point of view, G mixolydian is the fifth mode of C major and plays over its related V7 chord G7. When soloing over nonfunctioning dominants, remember that three pentatonic scales derived from the major scale plus the minor pentatonic based on the root of the dominant can also be used.
SOLOING OVER DOMINANT SEVENTHS WITH MELODIC MINOR Although the mixolydian mode is the scale for the dominant chord, it only creates what could be descibed as mild tension. When more tension is desired melodic minor can be used. The following examples show the major II - V - I in the key of C. In Ex7.38 only the major scale is used over the three chords, creating mild dominant tension on the G7. In Ex7.39 A b melodic minor is used over G7, creating altered tension. Ex1.7
Ex1.8
Which melodic minor scale is used over the dominant chord will depend on whether the chord is functioning or non-functioning. MELODIC MINOR OVER NON-FUNCTIONING DOMINANT 7ths For non-functioning dominants use the melodic minor whose tonic is a fifth above the root of the dominant, i.e. A melodic minor over D7. What we have here is the melodic minor playing over its IV7 chord. The "up a fifth" usage creates an #11 extension when played over the dominant seventh. It's important that you know what the resulting tones are when playing a scale over a chord. Let us see the result of A melodic minor over D7. A melodic minor A D7 chord tones 5
B 13
C b7
D 1
E 9
F# 3
G# #11 7
Chapter One
The "up a fifth" usage creates tension on account of the #11 being only a semitone away from the fifth of the chord. Since this application creates the sound of a 7 #11 chord, it's important that the scale is used for the appropriate type of music. Although the"up a fifth" works great in jazz, latin and fusion music, it may sound too modern in rock, country and pop music since these styles seldom employ 7 #11 chords. MELODIC MINOR OVER FUNCTIONING DOMINANT 7ths
There are four melodic minor scales that work well over a functioning dominant. So that the desired melodic minor can be quickly located and played, they are labelled in reference to the interval distance from the root of the dominant chord to the tonic of the scale. For example, the "up a half step" usage is labelled so because the tonic of the scale is a half step above the root of the chord. The following list shows the four melodic minor scales that can be used over D7, along with the resulting chord tones. UP A HALF STEP E b melodic minor : E b b9 D7 chord tones :
F #9
Gb b11 (3)
Ab b5
Bb b13 ( #5)
C b7
D 1
F in the scale is theoretically the b10 of D7, but most musicians refer to b10 as #9. G b in the scale is the b11th of D7 but, G b is enharmonically F # which is the 3rd of D7. B b in the scale is the b13th of D7, enharmonically B b is A #, the #5 of D7. UP A FOURTH G melodic minor : G D7 chord tones : 11
A 5
Bb b13 ( #5)
C b7
D 1
UP A FIFTH A melodic minor : A D7 chord tones : 5
B 13
C b7
D 1
E 9
F# 3
E 9
F# 3
G# #11
Note, the "up a fifth" melodic minor can be used over both functioning and non-functioning dominants.
DOWN A WHOLE STEP C melodic minor : C D7 chord tones : b7
D 1
Eb b9
F #9
G 11
A 5
B 13
Let us now look at the five different fingerings of the scale. 8
SCALE FORMS
Chapter One FORM ONE A MELODIC MINOR
FORM TWO A MELODIC MINOR
FORM THREE A MELODIC MINOR
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Scale forms cont'd
Chapter One FORM FOUR A MELODIC MINOR
FORM FIVE A MELODIC MINOR
Apply the following exercises to all five forms of the scale. Ex1.9
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Chapter One Ex1.10
Ex1.11
The following Ex1.12 moves chromatically up the fingerboard, be sure to move up to those high positions and then descend. Be aware of exactly which scale you're playing at all times. track 2
Ex1.12
11
Ex1.12 cont'd
Chapter One
Apply the same chromatic movement to Ex1.10 and 1.11. Ex1.13 employs all five forms of the scale moving on the cycle of fourths. track 3
Ex1.13
12
Ex1.13 cont'd
Chapter One
13
Ex1.13 cont'd
Chapter One
14
Ex1.13 cont'd
Chapter One
Regarding scale fingerings, it should be understood that, although the preceding forms are the most commonly used, it doesn't mean that you have to use them. If you already have forms which you're comfortable with then, by all means stick with them. If the scale is new to you then first try these fingerings but, feel free to modify them to suit your own particular style and technique. This is true for all types of scales. Your ultimate goal is to be able to play any scale in any key anywhere on the fingerboard. HORIZONTAL SCALE FORMS In contrast to the five vertical forms, the following fingerings move horizontally up and down the fingerboard over a three octave span. They are very useful in terms of linking up the five vertical forms. 15
A MELODIC MINOR
Chapter One
D MELODIC MINOR
CHAPTER TWO
MELODIC MINOR SCALE SEQUENCES
As previously stated, practise of scale sequences are of great value when learning scale forms, building technique and co-ordination. They're also very useful tools which can be applied to an improvised solo. The following patterns are written for form two fingering, as always they should be applied to all forms. track 4 Ex2.1
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