t

byMick Goodrich

f youre into improvising, stand the importance

you under-

of scales. for your fin-

They provide a discipline gers and expose possibilities

your ears to melodic ignore. 7ths

you might otherwise

Of all the chord types, dominant seem to support scales. the greatest

number of

Lets explore some of them. Examples increase 1-9, slowly at

Play through first. Gradually determine

the tempo as you and begin

workable

fingerings

to hear each scale. Play the examples backward too, resolving to whatever

*he

soia

vofice

1 MASTERING DOMINANTS

Cmuj7chord tone that sounds best to you. (Thats why I use so many accidentals. When you play the exercises forward, the extra accidentals seem redundant. But when you shift into reverse, they come in very handy.) As you work through the scales, keep these points in mind: Examples 1-7 are derived from seven-note scales, while Ex. 8 comes from an eight-note scale and Ex. 9 from a six-note scale. Ex. 6 is Ex. 5 transyrsed up a minor third. : Examples 5 and 7 work best against a G7sus4.
l l l

Ex. 1

G7 Mixolydian (C major scale)

Cmaj7

En 2

G7 Lydian b7 (D melodicminor)

Cmaj7

G7 Phrygian major (C harmonic minor)

Cmaj7

Ex.4

G7 Mixolydian b6 (C melodic minor)

Cmaj7

66

HOW TO PLAY GUITAR / JAZZ

MASTERING DOMINANTS 1 + h 0
Ex. 5

solo

vorce

G7 Phrygian t]6 (F melodicminor) * I

Cmaj7

Ex. 6

G7 altered (A b melodic minor)

Cmaj7

Ex. 7

G7sus4bg(G Phrygian - &major)

Cmaj7

Ex.8 G7 (F symmetricaldiminished)

Cmaj7

JAZZ / HOW TO PiAY GUITAR

47

*he

solo

voiice

1 MASTERING DOMINANTS

Ex. 9

G7 (G whole-tone)

Cmaj7

These scales represent typical insidechoices the yourelikely to encounter. Nowlets touch on some outside options. Before tacklethese you lines,noticethat Examples lo-13 arederivedfrom seven-note scales, whileF.x.14isfrom aneight-noteseries. The nineprevious scales these plus newexamples encompass some the usual of sources melodicmaterial,aswellasa fewatypicalpossibilities for to keenvou thinking.
Ex. 10

G7 (E 1,melodicminor)

Cmaj7

Ex. 11

G7 (F # melodicminor)

Cmaj7

Ex. 12

G7 (B melodic minor)

Cmaj7

48

HOW TO PLAY GUITAR / JAZZ I

MASTERINGDOMINANTS 1 *he
Ex.13

SOI=

v-fee

G7 (E b harmonic minor)

Cmaj7

Ex.14

G7 (C symmetricaldiminished)

Cmaj7

our whiieOutside(Ex 16,next Toput these scales use, written apair of tricks blues to Ive headsInside(Ex.15)employs first ninescales, page)teststhe stranger-sounding options.Starttheseexercises slowly,thenwork up speed you canhearthe color of the scales. circled so (The numbers indicatethe scale typeslisted on thenextpage.) soundof these The typical 12.barblues chordsshould familiarto you,but recordbe ing the changes play overwill be a big helpwhenthe scales moreoutside. to get Whenyou getthe soundof the scales your head,cut loose in with some improvising playyour brainsout! and

Inside
Ex.15

JAZZ / HOW TO PLAY GUITAR

49

thee,

solo

vdfice

MASTERING DOMINANTS

Ex.16
c7

Outside
@
F7 c7 F7

@ Mixolydian @ Lydian b7 @ Phrygian major @ Mixolydian b6 @ Phrygian i~6 6 Altered @Phrygian @ Symmetrical diminished 9 Whole-tone

@ Altered up a perfect 5th @ Altered down a major 2nd 0 2 Altered up a minor 3rd @ Harmonic minor up a minor 6th @ Symmetrical diminished up a perfect 4th @ Lydian b7 up a minor 3rd

Mick Goodrick teaches at New England Conservatory and is the author ofAdvancing Guitarist [Hal Leonard]. He also gives clinics and perjorms worldwti, His recent albums include Rare Birds(withJoe Diorio) and Sunscreams, and a new album with WolfgangMuthspiel is in the works.