RE: [Harp-L] Which Minor?

[Michael Peloquin <peloquinharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: chriscanning@xxxxxxxxxxx> I'm just starting to focus on my scales now that I can overblow (1 overblow> still eludes me). I'm wondering about minor scales. The natural minor seems> to get alot of attention because you can lever off your major scales. I'm> wondering if the Melodic Minors might give me more improvisational bang for> my practice buck (if you know what I mean). Any thoughts? I thinking in> terms of blues/rock/swing styling. 
 
Chris,
Open up your throat for the 1OB; imagine you are trying to cough up a golf ball.
 
The Melodic Minor is a great scale, almost more useful in its modes than in its root position.
C D Eb F G A B C
1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 
As you can see, it can be looked at as a major scale with a flatted 3rd.
Or a dorian minor scale with a major 7th.
 
Let's look at a iiØ , V7b9, i min turnaround (1 bar each, over G minor jazz blues) 
AØ / D7b9 / Gmin
 
The most useful modes of this scale are built from:
The 6th degree:
A B C D Eb F G A 
this is known as the SUPER-LOCRIAN scale
it is like a regular LOCRIAN mode (7th degree of Bb major scale A Bb C D Eb F G A Bb)
as you can see, the only differnce is the major 2nd instead of the flattted/minor 2nd
 
both are useful over a half-diminished chord (min7b5, Ø )
with different colors to the sound
 
Next is the use of a Melodic Minor mode over the V7b9 (D7b9)
use Eb Melodic Minor starting on the 7th degree of D:
D Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D
this is know as the altered scale as it has the all imortant 3rd & flat 7th of the V7 chord, then it contains all of the altered extensions b9, #9, #11, b13
a very colorful scale it is! (I may be turning into a Yerxa--we do both have Canuck heritage!)
 
Then of course for color, you could use the G Melodic Minor in root position over the Gmin chord!
 
Happy playing and thinking y'all -see you at SPAH. 
Michael Peloquin http://www.harpsax.comhttp://www.myspace.com/harpsax