15.viii.1431
Improvising on the 7+9 chord means playing the 7+9 scale, also called Diminished Whole-Tone scale and Alt scale (among other names; I show the scale further in the post).
But this is equivalent to the seventh mode of the melodic minor scale (ie, seven degrees below the key of the chord). This greatly simplifies the thinking on what to play. But take care that this is a modal way of thinking, rather than tonal (more on this below).
Here is a concrete example: if we have a G7+9 chord, since G is the 7th degree of A♭, we simply play in the melodic minor scale of A♭.
(♭ = fr. bémol or en. flat)
Likewise, when given a half-diminished chord, e.g., Dø (comprised of notes F A♭ C and E), this chord and scale (half-diminished scale, aka, Locrian #2) is equivalent to the sixth degree of the melodic minor scale (D is the sixth of F) so we improvise in the F melodic minor scale.
Just to complete the cadence (the ii-v-i), we note that the C major minor is the first or root mode or tonic of its own melodic minor scale, so we just improvise on the C melodic minor scale.
Just for reference here are the degrees of the 7+9 or diminished whole-tone scale:
I ♭II ♭III ♭IV ♭V ♭VI ♭VII 8va.
e.g., G7+9 = G A♭ B♭ B D♭ E♭ F G
indeed, the seventh mode of the A♭ melodic minor scale.
Note there is more than one way to write out the degrees of this scale. Some prefer to consider that rather than flatted, the fourth, fifth and sixth degrees are all raised :)
Now the caveat that this is a modal way of thinking rather than tonal.
In the modal view, or in a given "modal" piece of music, each chord change signals a change in the key (also called key center or tonal center) of the music.
Indeed, here we'd be improvising in a different key every time the chord changes in this minor ii-V-I progression.
By contrast, and also by the same token, if we consider the Major ii-V-I progression, we get a more "tonal" picture:
In the key of C, for example, the ii-V-I is Dm7-G7-CΔ, we have
Dm7 is the dorian mode of the C major scale,
G7 is the mixolydian mode of the same,
and CΔ is the tonic of the same,
so we'd be improvising in the C major scale, a tonal idea,
since, iiuc, in a tonal tune, the key or tonal center does not change with every chord change.
PS. I got this realization while practicing the minor ii-V-I progression scales given in Aebersold Volume 3 "the ii-V-I progression".
Although they made no mention of this in the tome, i can't understand why!
But this is equivalent to the seventh mode of the melodic minor scale (ie, seven degrees below the key of the chord). This greatly simplifies the thinking on what to play. But take care that this is a modal way of thinking, rather than tonal (more on this below).
Here is a concrete example: if we have a G7+9 chord, since G is the 7th degree of A♭, we simply play in the melodic minor scale of A♭.
(♭ = fr. bémol or en. flat)
Likewise, when given a half-diminished chord, e.g., Dø (comprised of notes F A♭ C and E), this chord and scale (half-diminished scale, aka, Locrian #2) is equivalent to the sixth degree of the melodic minor scale (D is the sixth of F) so we improvise in the F melodic minor scale.
Just to complete the cadence (the ii-v-i), we note that the C major minor is the first or root mode or tonic of its own melodic minor scale, so we just improvise on the C melodic minor scale.
Just for reference here are the degrees of the 7+9 or diminished whole-tone scale:
I ♭II ♭III ♭IV ♭V ♭VI ♭VII 8va.
e.g., G7+9 = G A♭ B♭ B D♭ E♭ F G
indeed, the seventh mode of the A♭ melodic minor scale.
Note there is more than one way to write out the degrees of this scale. Some prefer to consider that rather than flatted, the fourth, fifth and sixth degrees are all raised :)
Now the caveat that this is a modal way of thinking rather than tonal.
In the modal view, or in a given "modal" piece of music, each chord change signals a change in the key (also called key center or tonal center) of the music.
Indeed, here we'd be improvising in a different key every time the chord changes in this minor ii-V-I progression.
By contrast, and also by the same token, if we consider the Major ii-V-I progression, we get a more "tonal" picture:
In the key of C, for example, the ii-V-I is Dm7-G7-CΔ, we have
Dm7 is the dorian mode of the C major scale,
G7 is the mixolydian mode of the same,
and CΔ is the tonic of the same,
so we'd be improvising in the C major scale, a tonal idea,
since, iiuc, in a tonal tune, the key or tonal center does not change with every chord change.
PS. I got this realization while practicing the minor ii-V-I progression scales given in Aebersold Volume 3 "the ii-V-I progression".
Although they made no mention of this in the tome, i can't understand why!
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