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    15 views13 pages

    Scales Impro

    Uploaded by

    Silvia Testoni

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    30 CHAPTER 4 Basic Scales for Improvisation Melodic improvisation requires familiarity with a variety of both traditional and contemporary scales and how to use them to navigate through a sequence of chords, called a “progression.” After learning the correct pitches of a scale, the second step is to practice articulating different melodic note sequences. ‘The additional application of beat subdivisions or “time feels” allows musi- cians to practice these sequences using a straight or triplet interpretation. Let's examine some basic patterns using the pentaton mode, and blues scale. scales, Dorian PENTATONIC SCALES The major pentatonic scale is a 5-note scale (introduced in activity 3. @ in G’) that uses major scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 (Do, Re, Mi, Sol, and La). Track 12 ci 1 2 3 5 6 5 3 2 1 Fig. 4.1. C Major Pentatonic Scale: Do to La Note that the relative-minor pentatonic has the same notes but starts on. 6 (La). Minor pentatonic is a choice scale to use on minor or minor 7 chords. oO Degrees 4 and 7 (Fa and Ti) are both absent from the pentatonic scale, which makes it a perfect starting place for beginning improvisers. Traek 13 Fig. 4.2. A Minor Pentatonic Scale: La to Sol Scales fr Improvisation ai Activity 4.1. Pentatonic Patterns These phrases are built from pentatonic patterns. They will work harmonically with both the C major and A minor chords. In the eighth-note patterns, each phrase may be interpreted with a swing or straight feel, Scalar Patterns with Quarter Notes : a 3. Scalar Patterns Activity 4.2. Pentatonic Patterns against Chords Figure 44 is an example using C major, while figure 4.5 exemplifies A minor. Either chord will work to accompany each exercise, but the patterns in 4.4 center more on the note C as the tonal center, while 4.5 revolves more around the note A. Note the addition of scat syllables and articulation markings for short (*) or accent (>). If you prefer, feel free to invent your own scat syllables! it Bighth Feet 6 SS SSS = eae 2 Sasa Ss Da Du DnDweDow Dwe Ba Du Dn Dau Ba Du Dn Du. DweBa ee z es i 2 ees ee ea ee == =S= Sere = ae ES “ a =e SSS SSS Pa Dwe Ba Du Da Du Dn Da BaDweDow — Dwe Ba Du DnDweBa Du Dn DuDwe Dow— J. Straight Eighth Feel 32 CHAPTER 4 Q Tait Straight xeon Fea ce st SS CSS SRE SE Du Da Du Dwe Bu Be Du Bn Du Da Dee DED, Dee Da De De Du— Du Ba Du Da Dwe Da Ba De Da Ba Dwe Da Ba De Da Ba Du Du Dn Dwe Ba Du Dow_ Fig. 4.5. Straight Sixteenth Feel Activity 4.3. Pentatonic Bass Lines Minor pentatonic bass lines need to start on and return to scale degree 1 or 6 often enough to suggest the relative major or minor tonality, since the scale notes of A minor pentatonic and C major pentatonic are the same. it or Swing Sixteenth Feel ic ic c é = SSS + oe s = 7 ae Oe Doon Ss -e Straight Sixteenth Feet A A Ay Aq g+i° Doon Doon DuDn BaDuDu — Du-Da Dn DuDuDuBaDuDu Fig. 4.6. Minor-Pentatonic Bass Lines Now, let's take a listen to a few other choice scales when improvising over a minor chord, Seals for Improvisation as DORIAN MODE ‘The Dorian mode is like a major scale with lowered scale steps 3 and 7. We can also think of Dorian as the notes of a major scale moving diatonically from degree 2, or from “Re” to “Re,” up the octave. a 1 2 3 4 5 6 Z 1 Does Rs gegM cke 2Sol La Te = Do Fig. 4.7. C Dorian as Related to Major Figure 4.8 illustrates C Dorian as a separate modal scale, starting and ending on step 2 (Re to Re) of BY major. Either way you analyze it, you have a Dorian tonality that is often used to improvise solos over minor chords. While the harmonic, melodic, and natural-minor scales are similar, the Dorian mode has its own special flavor because of the natural 6th scale step (La). 19 6 7 1 2 ieee ry Do Re Fig. 4.8. C Dorian as a Modal Scale Activity 4.4. C Dorian Patterns Figure 4.9 is a scalar pattern exercise in C Dorian. 34 ‘CHAPTER 4 Fig. 4.9. Dorian Practice Patterns Activity 4.5. Three Dorian Solos Figure 4.10 includes 8-bar Dorian solos over C-7 with different time feels. (The sixteenth-feel solo is only four bars in length.) Invent your own syllables for @ examples 2 and 3! @ C7 a aS Du Dn Da DweBa Da Du Dn Du Dwe- Ba Da Du Du DnDweBa Du Dow DuDweDow GSS TE sae 2g SS Du Du Dn Du Ba Du Dwe_ Dn Du BaDweDow ‘Swing Eighth Feel Solo @ cr b E —— s = ees =a a Basic Scales for Improvisation 35 Straight Sixteenth Feel Solo c7 —=— => 410. Three Dorian Solos Activity 4.6. Dorian Patterns Figure 4.11 includes some instru-vocal bass lines in C Dorian. While these lines are written in treble clef, you should sing them in any octave orkey of your choice. 2 @cr SSS =5 Straight Sixteenth Feet @c7 oe oe |. 4.11. Dorian Bass Lines THE BLUES SCALE The blues scale (figure 4.12) can be used to improvise over many progressions that include both major and minor chords. It can be thought of as a minor pentatonic scale with a flat 5th degree. Fig. 4.12. C Blues Scale 36 CHAPTER Activity 4.7. Blues-Scale Patterns @ Practice these patterns derived from the blues scale. Use your own syllables. Track 23 Se | | Fig. 4.13. C Blues-Scale Patterns, Half Notes i) Track 24 bz 4 bs 4 b3 C Blues-Seale Quarter Notes (Use C7 or C-7) Fig. 4.14. C Blues-Scale Patterns, Quarter Notes Q Track 25 Straight Fighth Patterns (Use €7 or C-7) — orn abe? setae Fig. 4.15. C Blues-Scale Patterns, Eighth Notes Q Track 26 , ‘Triplet Patterns (Use C7 or C-7) Fig. 4.16. C Blues-Scale Patterns, Triplets es for Improvisation 37 t Sixteenth Patterns oC) 1. C Blues-Scale Patterns, Sixteenth Notes Activity 4.8. Blues-Scale Solos Sing the 12-bar blues solos with different grooves in figure 4.18. Note key changes and some of the jazz articulations used in these examples. e eet = : ee = a be J 4 se be Du Di Dn_DweBa Du Dow. Bu Da Du DweDn Dal Yu Dow - Ba Du ve Se Ha Dve Due "7 = == _ as = ee Du BaDve Ba Dy De Dwe Ba Du Dn Da Du Du DaDue Ba Dy Dow — 1. C Major Blues Practice 38 CHAPTER 4 Q Track 28 ®_ DBlues Seale 1 b3 a he ‘Swing Eighth Feel Dae ws a ba : {——* St ae - — eS = Se SS Dwe DeYaDaDu Da Ba Dul Yu Da Du Ba Du Dn De YaBaDu Da Ba Du Dwe a a os = Seo see See : : _ o ba p a : PH Sj = 7 ee Cd Fig. 4.19. D Minor Blues Practice _—— et = a sig et + b7 1 b7 bs 4 b3 1 Straight Sixteenth Feel AT Dr AT Ou d wad Dwe Du Dn Dwe Du Ba Dwe Du Du Du Dn Dwe Ba Du Dow— Du Fig. 4.20. A Major Blues Practice Ba Dwe Dn Da Dwe Da Basic Scales for Improvisation 39 INTEGRATING MINOR PENTATONIC, DORIAN, AND BLUES SCALES So far, we have explored each of these scales as separate tonal centers and interpreted patterns using them with duple or triple subdivisions (aka “feels”). Parts of these scales can also be combined, as long as they relate harmonically to the chord. D Minor Pentatonic Seale D Blues Seale 1. D Minor Pentatonic, Dorian, and Blues Activity 4.9. Integrated Scale Patterns Figure 4.16 demonstrates the integration of minor pentatonic, Dorian, and blues scale patterns. All of these patterns function over minor chords. 31 ‘8-Bar Solo with Straight Eighth Feel De (D Minor Pentatonic) (D Dorian) = = SEES = Du Du DnDweBa Da De Ba Du Dwe. Bu Da Du Ba Da DweBa Du Dah__ — Dwe Du De Ya Du Dn Dwe Du Da Dow Du Du Ba De Ya Du Dwe— Ba Du Dow. 4.22. Scale Practice, Straight Eighth Fee! 40 (CHAPTER 4 2 ‘Track 32 8-Bar Solo with Swing Eighth Feel ba 3 (Blues) (Dorian) - a : z 5 i Persia SEE ¥ BSS SSS SS + = seas yy Du BaDwe DuDow DeYaDaDu DnDweDu Da Ba Du DnDwe Du Dah Ba (Minor Pemannic (Blues) ae : s ee —— —— 6 Se aaa DweDn Da DweBa Du Da Ba DuDnDweDow De YaDaDeYaDaDe Ya Du Dn DweDn Du Dow. Fig. 4.23. Scale Practice, Swing Eighth Feel Q Tacks soa ea with Straight Sixteenth Feel (D Minor Pemtatonic) ee TS aa De Bu Da De Bu Du Da Du BaDweBu Da De Ya Du Dn De Ya Du DnDwe Du Da_ Dow (D Dorian) (0 Blues) —= SSS aa 4 = Du Da Du Da Dwe- Bu Da DweBu Da De Ya Da Da De Ya Da Da De Ya Du Dow. Fig. 4.24. Scale Practice, Straight Sixteenth Feel Activity 4.10. Integrated Scale Solos ‘The blues scale will also work over the dominant 7 chords used in major blues progressions, as exemplified in figure 4.17, even with the natural 3rd in the ant 7 chord (D7). @ 12-Bar Blues in D Tratk 34 tonal center's dor ‘Swing DT (Blues) % a DT (Pemtatonic) 3 De Ya Da De YaDaDu Da Dul__—-Yu Dow De Ya Da De Ya DaDul Ya Du Dn Basic Scales for Improvisation at OE eo (Blues) ; _— Soe = —— SS Se Seo ee ee e = eS Du Ya Da Du Ya DaDwe Ba Du Dn Due Ba Du Dn Da Du Ba Dwe Ba De Ya tec. (ame) 9 PT at) ; : ee a eee : = = Du Dul Ya Du Ba De Ya Da Du Ba Du Dn De Ya Da Du Dn Dwe Da |. 4.25. Blues in D Activity 4.11. Integrated Dorian and Minor Pentatonic Dorian mode and minor pentatonic are best reserved for minor chords, as exem- plified in figures 4.26 and 4.27. Figure 4.26 also uses natural minor (or Aeolian mode) in measures 4 and 5, which uses flat3, flat 6, and flat 7. The indicated scat syllables allow for smooth melodic articulation (as in previous solo examples), but feel free to use your own syllables if you already have a “knack” for scat! 12-Bar Blues in C Minor ack 35, ca Fa or cr (ales) aor ent (nial <9 eee ee ASS - =z =e a es is Du Du Dn De Ya Du Dn Dol Yu Ba Du We DeYaDa Du Dn Du Ba Dwe Du Da oa FA G7 eee! (Minor Pentatonic)

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