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Navigating the Minor 2-5-1, Diminished Arps, and the Harmonic Minor...


gennation

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Connection:

 

Thanks to Shamus Pizzbutt for hooking me up with the backing track! Here it is, you might want to slow it down so you have time to play the lines over it...cause this track cooks.

 

http://test.mikedodge.com/mvdmusic/miked/softlyasinamorningsunrise.mp3

 

Here's a lesson to use with it:

 

Essentially the chords are:

 

||: Cm | Dm7b5 G7b9 | Cm | Fm | Cm | Dm7b5 G7b9 | Cm | Cm :|| for the verse.

 

You can make line that alternate between Cm arps and Ddim7 arps. The Ddim7 arp could also be Fdim7 or Abdim7 or Bdim7 arps too, they

 

each contain the same notes F Ab B D.

 

Before getting to playing through it with arps listen to how each of those dim7 chord can replace the Dm7b5->G7b9 and also the Fm.

 

Play the progression above swapping in dim7 chords every other measure, like so...

 

||: Cm | Fdim7 | Cm | Ddim7 | Cm | Bdim7 | Cm | Cm :||

 

Try these chord forms for the progression...

 

Cm Fdim7 Cm Ddim7 Cm Bdim7 Cm Cm

 

E--------------------------------------------------

B--8---9------8----6------4-----3---------4-----4--

G--8---7------8----4------5-----1---------5-----5--

D--8---9------8----6------5-----3---------5-----5---

A------8-----------5------3-----2---------3-----3--

E--8----------8-------------------------------------

 

Can you hear how that sounds? All the Cm's are "home" and all the dim7's are "unstable".

 

You can get this same by playing Cm arps for the Cm chord and any of the dim7 arps for the Dm7b5->G7b9 and Fm measures.

 

Try this using quarter notes for each measure, IOW just play on each beat of the measure (I'll just call the dim7 chord a Fdim7, but

 

it could be any of the four names)...

Cm Fdim7 Cm Fdim7

E--8------------|----------------|----------------|--------------|

B-----8---------|--9-------------|--8-------------|--6-----------|

G--------8------|-----10---------|-----8----------|-----7--------|

D-----------10--|---------12--9--|--------10------|--------9--6--|

A---------------|----------------|------------10--|--------------|

E---------------|----------------|----------------|--------------|

 

Cm Fdim7 Cm Cm

E--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|

B--4-----------|--3-----------|--------------|--------|

G-----5--------|-----4--------|--------------|--------|

D--------5-----|--------6--3--|--5-----------|--------|

A-----------6--|--------------|-----6--3--2--|--3-----|

E--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|

 

See how that is NOTHING but Cm arps to Fdim7 arps?

 

Ok, here's another keeping it all in the same spot on the fretboard, again using quarter notes...

 

Cm Fdim7 Cm Fdim7

E------------8--|--10--7---------|--8------------|----------------|

B---------8-----|---------9------|-----8---------|-------------9--|

G------8--------|------------10--|--------8------|---------10-----|

D--10-----------|----------------|-----------10--|--9--12---------|

A---------------|----------------|---------------|----------------|

E---------------|----------------|---------------|----------------|

 

Cm Fdim7 Cm Cm

E--------------|----------------|-----------------|--------|

B--8-----------|----------------|-----------------|--------|

G----8---------|---------7--10--|--8--------------|--------|

D------10------|------9---------|-----10----------|--------|

A----------10--|--11------------|---------10------|--------|

E--------------|----------------|-------------11--|--8-----|

 

In theory this is called a classic "Minor 2-5-1". The pogression would be written like so in Roman Numerals:

 

||: Im | IIm7b5 V7b9 | Im | IVm | Im | IIm7b5 V7b9 | Im | Im :||

 

The Minor 2-5-1 progresison is based from the Harmonic Minor scale of the Im chord. So, in this case the scale is C Harmonic Minor.

 

But, just because it's C Hamronic Minor you don't have to go all Yngwie over it! You can use the scale to navigate your way through

 

the progression giving your lines a sense of movement and tension and release.

 

Look what notes are happening witht he Cm arps: C Eb G (that's all)

 

Look what notes are happening over the IIm-V and IVm chords: D F Ab B

 

See what happens when we put all the notes together linearly starting with C: C D Eb F G Ab B

 

These notes together equal a C Harmonic Minor scale!

 

It's like over the Cm chord I'm using NOTHING but the Cm arp notes and for the other chords I'm using ALL the left over notes!

 

Pretty cool, huh?

 

Over Cm just think of this as your scale, even though is an arp:

 

Cm

E-----------------------8--(11)-

B--------------------8----------

G-----------------8-------------

D-------------10----------------

A---------10--------------------

E--8--11------------------------

 

And over the other chords thing of this as your scale (using only the OTHER/LEFT OVER notes of C Hamronic Minor):

 

E--------------------------7--(10)-

B-----------------------9----------

G----------------7--10-------------

D-------------9--------------------

A------8--11-----------------------

E--10------------------------------

 

Throw it all together in one long 8th note line:

 

E-----------------------8--11--|--10--7----------------------|

B--------------------8---------|---------9-------------------|

G-----------------8------------|------------10--7------------|

D-------------10---------------|-------------------9---------|

A---------10-------------------|----------------------11--8--| etc...

E--8--11-----------------------|-----------------------------|

 

So, next time you run into a Minor 2-5-1,just think of nothing but dim7 over every chord that isn't the Im chord :)

 

Works like a charm!

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A minute or so into that backing track we hear the piano hit another "find" in the Harmonic Minor scale...the Augmented chord.

 

In C Harmonic Minor there are three "aug" chords: Ebaug, Gaug, and Baug

 

Here's a lick/pattern/arp you can use for the aug chords:

 

E------------------------------------------10--|-----

B--------------------------------------12------|--13-

G----------------------------------12----------|-----

D-------------9--12--9/10--12--13-------------|-----

A---------10-----------------------------------|-----

E--8--11---------------------------------------|-----

 

That's essentially a Daug arp with a C note in it. But check out what happens on the D string, that's pretty much a Pat Martino type move.

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Haha...

 

Why not COMBINE the Aug and Dim7 arps into one line moving back to Cm??? I'll use quarter notes for the Cm arp and 1/8th notes for aug/dim7 line:

 

Cm Ebaug Ddim7 Cm

E-----------------|-------------------------------|-----

B-----------------|---------------------9--12--9--|--8--

G-----------------|-----------------10------------|-----

D--10-------------|----------9--12----------------|-----

A------10---------|------10-----------------------|-----

E----------11--8--|--11---------------------------|-----

 

Oor...

 

Cm Baug Ddim7 Cm

E----------------|-----------7--10--7---------|-----

B--8-------------|--------8------------9------|--8--

G-----8----------|-----8------------------10--|-----

D--------10------|--9-------------------------|-----

A------------10--|----------------------------|-----

E----------------|----------------------------|-----

 

The main thing here is to create that Tension before resolving to Cm.

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Also in Harmonic Minor we can find a m7b5 chord build from the 2nd note of the scale. In C Harmonic Minor it would a be a Dm7b5. Duh, this is the IIm7b5 in the Minor 2-5-1. You can use this arp over the Dm7b5 along with the C Harminoc Minor scale like so (using quarter notes for the Cm arp and 1/8th's for the second measure):

 

Cm Dm7b5 Cm

E--------------|---------------------------|------

B--4-----------|---------------------------|------

G-----5--------|-----------5--7--10--8-----|------

D--------5-----|--------6---------------9--|--10--

A-----------6--|--5--8---------------------|------

E--------------|---------------------------|------

 

 

Here's the same lick in one position:

 

Cm Dm7b5 Cm

E-----------------|------------------------------|------

B-----------------|------------------------------|------

G--8--------------|-----------------7--10--8-----|------

D-----10----------|-------------10------------9--|--10--

A---------10------|------8--11-------------------|------

E-------------11--|--10--------------------------|------

 

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Here's a GREAT lick that outlines the Dm7b5 and then the dim7 working it's way to the Cm (again, 1/4's then 1/8's):

 

Cm Dm7b5 Bdim7 Cm

E-----------------|-------------------------------|----

B-----------------|----------------------------9--|--8-

G-----------------|------------------------10-----|----

D--10-------------|-------------10--9--12---------|----

A------10---------|------8--11--------------------|----

E----------11--8--|--10---------------------------|----

 

 

That Dm7b5 arps moving down then back up through the Bdim7 arp gives some of that side-stepping sound used in bebop.

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Using those chords that I show at the beginning really sinks the sound in your head. After you get that it's becomes easy to hear when you're not using the tension side of things.

 

Here's a slowed down version of the backing:

 

http://test.mikedodge.com/mvdmusic/miked/softlyasinamorningsunriseslower.mp3

 

Of course there is plenty more you can do with this song, we haven't even touch the bridge yet, but it's a good lesson on how the IIm7b5->V7b9 (even the IVm) chords are really nothing more than chords glued around the diminished sound...not the Diminished Scale, but the diminished arps found in the Harmonic Minor scale.

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WOW Very interesting, but I have a question; which pentatonics can be used over the Dm7b5 G7b9 chords???

 

thanks

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WOW Very interesting, but I have a question; which pentatonics can be used over the Dm7b5 G7b9 chords???


thanks

 

 

"pentatonics" is a very wide term that goes well beyond simple Major and Minor Pentatonics.

 

With Harmonic Minor you won't find the common Major and Minor Pents. Not that ANY Pent won't work but as far as in this one particular scale.

 

There's no reason you can't play a D Minor Pent or a G Major Pent. Of course you might not get away with common Page or Skynyrd Pent licks over it...but ANYTHING will work just as long as you are on your way to the Im chord.

 

If you stick directly with the Harmonic Minor in particular you can fnd MANY pseudo/partial Pent-ish scales inside of it...like 3 to 4 notes of what you'd consider a full Major or Minor Pent.

 

C Eb F and G would be a partial C Minor Pent.

 

G B D would be a parcial G Maj Pent

 

F Ab C Eb would be a partial F Min Pent

 

etc, etc...

 

The idea of this lesson is to help people:

 

1. get the dimininished "sound"

2. understand the ii-V-i is directly realted to Harmonic Minor

3. Use chord tones from the scale and then use ALL the other notes of the scale...essentially two scale uses derived from one scale.

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Hey kids, don't worry about any of this stuff, just be free and play any note you want over these chords. :lol::lol::lol:

 

(To anyone who hasn't read the 'other' dominant chord thread, this is a tounge-in-cheek sarcastic response.)

 

Good concepts Mike's presenting here, by the way. :thu:

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True though, listen to every note...there's plenty more you can use than what's described here. This is just an on topic lesson, again, to help players:

 

1. get the diminished "sound"

2. understand the ii-V-i is directly related to Harmonic Minor

3. Use chord tones from the scale and then use ALL the other notes of the scale...essentially two scale uses derived from one scale.

 

I haven't touched on the chromatic pieces of the arps at all, this is simple concepts from particular scale...nor have we looked at the bridge at all.

 

It's cool how you can split the scale into two halves though. Now when I play over this tune I don't JUST do this, there's too much other music you can hear going on :) But this is a great concept and basic example of it.

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