3 Secret Pentatonic Scales For Dominant 7 Chords [PDF]

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3 Secret Pentatonic Scales For Dominant 7 Chords

NYC Jazz Guitar Masterclasses by
 Jordan Klemons This ebook is the copyrighted property of Jordan Klemons. All images, information, layout, and designs belong to Jordan Klemons. If you found this book to be helpful in your musical journey, please feel free to recommend my work to others. However, this pdf may not be altered, reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author.

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C13b9 Our first pentatonic scale could be called the 13b9 because it incorporates and accentuates the natural 13 and the b9 chord tones over a basic dominant 7 chord. This makes it a perfect option to use in place of the half-whole diminished scale over a dominant chord. All of the notes in this pentatonic scale also exist in the eight-note, halfwhole diminished scale (sometime referred to as the octatonic scale) so it creates a similar, diminished, vibe… except that it can be easier to play melodically as there are three less note, getting rid of the clutter of juggling eight notes. It’s ideal to use when resolving to a major tonic chord (Example: C13b9 -> FMaj7). This is due to the natural 13 of the dominant chord featured in this scale, which also acts as the major 3rd of the tonic key (Example: the natural 13 of C13b9 is an A note - that A note also functions as the major 3rd of the tonic key, F major). It is possible to use this over the V7 chord in a minor key, but it doesn’t yield as smooth a resolution. This scale is built from the major triad built on the 6th of the chord. For C7, we will use the A major triad. This gives us the 13, the b9, and the 3rd of C7. Then we will add the 5 and the b7 to create this 5-note scale.

(A - C# - E) + G - Bb A

Bb

C#/Db

E

G

13

b7

b9

3

5

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Scale Positions and Examples

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C7(#9#5) I call this pentatonic the 7(#9#5) because it brings out the #9 and the #5. Technically, this scale doesn’t have a natural 5, so it could be utilized as a b13 and a #9, as those two note would be enharmonic to each other. But #9,#5 just has a better ring to it in my ear than b13,#9. Plus, by calling it a #5 implies that we would not ever put the natural 5th in to beef this up to a six-note scale… which means that this is essentially a pentatonic version of the altered scale (7th mode of melodic minor). If we decided to make this a six-note scale and added the G natural, that would no longer fit inside the Db melodic minor scale. Doesn’t mean we can’t do it… but keeping it as the #5 and the pentatonic version of the altered scale will just give this a nice, clean, familiar sound that should sit really nicely in any jazz musicians ear. Whichever way we think of it, if flows best when used over a V7 chord that resolves to a minor i chord (Example: C7(#9#5) -> Fmin). It can be utilized to resolve to a major tonic, but it’s not a smooth of a cadence. This scale is built from the major triad built on the b6th of the chord. For C7, we will use the Ab major triad. This gives us the #5, the root, and the #9 of C7. Then we will add the 3rd and the b7 to create this 5-note scale.

(Ab - C - Eb) + E/Fb - Bb Ab

Bb

C

Eb

E/Fb

#5/b13

b7

R

#9

3

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Scale Positions and Examples

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C13(#119) I call this pentatonic the 13(#119) because it brings out the 13, the #11, and the 9. We could also call this the lydian dominant pentatonic, as it sits within fourth mode of the melodic minor scale. Once you take a look at the scale positions charted out on the next page, you might notice that this is simply the tritone sub of the previous pentatonic scale we just looked at. Absolutely true. It’s the exact same scale shapes but six frets away. But that said, I strongly recommend you do not simply think of this as an Gb7(#9#5). Even though you’d be ‘right’ and the theory argument could be made to defend this no problem… there are some benefits to not trying to lump these two scales and harmonies together. This chord does not function like a tradition V7 chord. If you tried to resolve this C13(#119) to an FMaj or Fmin chord, it would probably sound kind of choppy - maybe even horrendous. It does however resolve down a half-step to Bmin brilliantly! I know, I know… did I just say not to view this as the tritone sub?? Not quite, I just recommend you don’t only think of it as the tritone sub. Yes, it does resolve down to Bmin just like the Gb/F#7(#9#5) would because of their relationship, and it’s the same pentatonic scale. But unlike the Gb7, this C13(#119) can also serves two other roles that its tritone counterpart doesn’t quite handle as well. It can serve as a dominant tonic (meaning you can vamp on it and it won’t create the need to resolve away), and it can also resolve UP a whole step to a Major chord… in other words, it’s great as a bVII7 chord! Perfect for those I6 -> bVIII7 -> I6 vamps you see sometimes as intros and outros for latin tunes. It’s constructed from the triad built on the 2nd/9th of the chord. D triad for a C7.

(D - F# - A) + E - Bb D

E

F#

A

Bb

9

3

#11

13

b7

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Scale Positions and Examples

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