January 2010 \ Premier Clinic \ Jazz \ Jazz Melodic Minor Scale: The Real Jazz Sound for Melodic Soloing

Jazz Melodic Minor Scale: The Real Jazz Sound for Melodic Soloing

Les Wise

The jazz or “real” melodic minor scale is simply a major scale with a lowered 3rd degree.
Premier Guitar January 2010

from Jazz Improvisation for Guitar
The jazz or “real” melodic minor scale is simply a major scale with a lowered 3rd degree. Notice how this scale gives us a combined major and minor effect.


By lowering the 3rd of the A major scale, this scale becomes an A jazz minor scale.


RULE: Play a jazz melodic minor scale one half-step higher than the root of the dominant 7th chord (i.e. for G7, play Ab melodic minor scale).



Because this scale contains a B (C ) note (the 3rd of G7), it gives us a strong G7 chordal sound.

Starting on the root of the jazz minor scale, the arpeggio we derive is an A m(maj7) arpeggio. Remember, this is simply an A maj7 or 9 arpeggio with a lowered 3rd degree.



Tension and Resolution with Jazz Minor

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Related Articles

Jazz Bootcamp: Breaking Down Minor II-Vs
Jazz Chops: Arpeggio Blowout


Comments

 (7 comments) display by
UsernameComment
Soretips
on 07/17/2012 		You've got an Ab melodic minor scale but on the next line talk about an A scale. Make up your mind!
Mr Sly
on 01/03/2010 		Depending on context (functioning or static) and the desired level of 'out' sounds you can apply melodic minor in the following ways: - 1) As in this lesson up a semi tone from the root of the 7th (added tension) 2) Down a tone from the root of the 7th added tension 3) Up a forth from the root of the 7th 4) Up a 5th from the root of the 7th Just flatten the third degree of any major scale to achieve a melodic minor. Therefore in the context of a G7 (alt) you could choose the following: - 1. Ab melodic minor 2. F melodic minor 3. C melodic minor 4. D Melodic Minor
Daryl L.
on 01/03/2010 		I agree, it was a little confusing at first, but you can see that he was trying to state the basic rule, then he DID go on to say what Dave suggested in parentheses. Just a little awkward phrasing, but a GREAT, useful lesson!
Peter C
on 01/03/2010 		If your aim is to be helpful I suggest you check your text sections carefuly to make sure they have transferred across precisely from the original source.
Jeff M.
on 01/02/2010 		What Dave said! It took a second reading to connect the dots. After that, I really enjoyed the lesson. Thanks Jeff
Dave D.
on 01/01/2010 		When you state the "Rule", don't you mean "for G7, play an Ab melodic minor scale"? Tat could confuse some players...
Carole
on 01/01/2010 		thank for this lesson



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